Borealis Dermatology is a team of caring and kind individuals dedicated to ensuring a pleasant experience during your visit. Our team prioritizes your concerns and works directly with you to provide the best care.
Our goal is your satisfaction, as evidenced by the numerous 5-star reviews written by real patients about their delightful experience.
Dr. Navin Arora, a native New Yorker, is the founder, medical director, and sole owner of Borealis Dermatology. A board-certified dermatologist with more than 18 years of experience, he is dedicated to delivering comprehensive, compassionate, and personalized care.
Borealis Dermatology was created to reflect Dr. Arora’s vision of providing state-of-the-art medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services to patients across Long Island and downstate New York.
Dr. Arora trained at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, one of the nation’s premier institutions for military medicine. He went on to serve proudly as a U.S. Army physician for 12 years, completing tours in Sinai, Egypt and Baghdad, Iraq. Dr. Arora has provided care to service members in operational theaters worldwide and to civilians through humanitarian missions. His extensive experience in the Department of Defense and in the private sector—including work in nonprofit health systems, private equity, and independent practices—has shaped his ability to manage both common and complex conditions of the skin, hair, and nails across all ages and ethnicities.
Renowned for his diagnostic expertise, Dr. Arora is often sought after for second opinions and management of challenging cases. He is especially passionate about caring for children and, as a father, brings a deep understanding of the concerns families may have about their children’s skin health.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Arora has authored numerous publications in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. He also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he lectures, mentors, and trains the next generation of dermatologists.
Dr. Rachel Cymerman was born and raised on Long Island. She attended the University of Pennsylvania for college where she graduated Summa Cum Laude as a member of the esteemed Benjamin Franklin Scholars Honor Society.
Dr. Cymerman attended medical school at NYU School of Medicine where she graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha Honors and received a Women in Cancer Research award for her melanoma research.
Dr. Cymerman performed an internal medicine internship at NYU and continued on at NYU to complete her dermatology residency. She was selected as chief resident and received a Rising Derm Star award two years in a row during that time.
In addition to her role at Borealis Dermatology, Dr. Cymerman is a voluntary faculty member at NYU where she enjoys teaching residents dermatology every week. Her clinical interests include complex medical dermatology, women’s health, hair loss, and cosmetic dermatology.
Pamela Lachs is a board-certified physician assistant at Borealis Dermatology. She is a native New Yorker, who graduated from SUNY Albany. She then went on to complete her physician assistant education at South University in Savannah, Georgia.
Prior to completing her physician assistant degree, Pamela worked in dermatology as a medical assistant where she developed a passion for the field. She currently works under the guidance of Dr. Arora providing care to a wide demographic of patients with a special focus on medical dermatology. Pamela is known for her caring, compassionate, and competent nature even when dealing with the most challenging cases. Over the years her experience includes treatment of patients with psoriasis, acne, eczema, rosacea, warts, hair loss, skin cancer screenings, and rashes.
Pamela is a proud member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA). She was granted the prestigious title of “Diplomate Fellow” following a dermatology fellowship program offered by the SDPA.
In her free time, Pamela enjoys being active, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Elaine Lai is a board-certified physician assistant at Borealis Dermatology. She graduated from the accelerated PA program at the New York Institute of Technology and brings over five years of experience as a medical assistant in diverse fields, including pediatrics and dermatology, where she has gained her passion for providing compassionate and dedicated care.
Currently, Elaine works as a dermatology PA under the guidance of Dr. Arora. Fluent in both Chinese and English, Elaine is known for her hardworking nature, always striving to make a positive impact on her patients’ lives.
Outside of work, she enjoys dancing, playing volleyball, traveling, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Lydia Lee is a board-certified physician assistant at Borealis Dermatology.She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and went on to complete her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Weill Cornell Medicine.
During her training at Weill Cornell, Lydia gained extensive clinical experience, including multiple dermatology and plastic surgery rotations at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Prior to becoming a PA, she also worked as a medical assistant in dermatology for over a year, further strengthening her foundation in patient care.
At Borealis Dermatology, Lydia works under the supervision of Dr. Navin Arora, bringing a detail-oriented and compassionate approach to every patient encounter. She is fluent in English and conversational in Korean, allowing her to provide care to a diverse patient population.
Outside of medicine, Lydia enjoys playing tennis, discovering new restaurants, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Luke Renda is a board-certified Physician Assistant at Borealis Dermatology. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Luke is a double alumnus of St. John’s University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences with Honors and a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, serving as the Student Representative for his graduating class.
Before entering PA school, Luke worked as a medical assistant in Rheumatology during his gap year. There, he gained firsthand experience with the dermatologic manifestations of various autoimmune conditions, an experience that sparked his passion for dermatology and deepened his commitment to providing high-quality care to a diverse patient population.
Luke completed a clinical rotation at Borealis Dermatology during his PA training and now works under the supervision of Dr. Navin Arora. He is an active member of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA), the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), and the New York State Society of Physician Assistants (NYSSPA).
Known for his friendly, charismatic personality and unwavering dedication to his patients, Luke also devotes time outside of work to mentoring pre-PA and current PA students. When he’s not in the clinic or mentoring, he enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Katerina is our new, in-house Medical Esthetician.
She went to Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics, allowing her to perfect her skills in treating various skin types efficiently. Katerina graduated in 2017 and has worked in the skincare industry since.
Katerina discusses your skin concerns in depth to provide customized facials, best-fit for your skin. She also provides more advanced treatments, including Hydrafacials, Microdermabrasion, LED light therapy, chemical peels and laser treatments.
Borealis Dermatology only uses the most advanced devices, equipment, and techniques for premier medispa experience.
Appointments with Katerina are available on weekdays and select weekends.
