Written in Partnership with Amir Bakian
In 2018, Yousef Abo Zarad was a refugee fleeing from the destruction of war in Syria. Today, Dr. Yousef is a highly successful dermatologist with millions of social media followers. His expertise has made him a major celebrity in Germany.
The Abo Zarad family welcomed the birth of Yousef on October 6, 1990, in Aleppo Syria. Little did they know their son would go on to be one of the most successful influencers on the internet. Yousef Abo Zarad got his nickname Doctor Yousef from his high school friends due to his father being a paediatrician. Seeing his father’s relationship with his patients, Yousef was inspired to become a doctor. He then went on to study at Al-Baath University in Homs, Syria in 2008 and graduated in 2014 with excellent scores.
Unfortunately, life wasn’t always pleasant for the young aspiring doctor. Yousef became a refugee after his hometown was affected by the ongoing war in Syria. The only item he took was his university diploma with the hopes of making a new life in a safe country.
Yousef moved to Germany and became a citizen. He changed his university certificate to German in 2018 and earned his German Certificate of Amendment.
After establishing himself in Germany, Yousef worked for 2 years as an orthopaedic surgeon. During this time he perfected his surgical capabilities, managing emergency cases and even working long night shifts.
He decided to change his career to dermatology and cosmetology to work in an industry where he felt he could truly help his patients. Yousef has completed many successful surgeries such as removing malignant skin cancers and benign growths. Additionally, he’s provided laser interventions for most skin problems such as warts and rosacea and cosmetic skin surgeries.
Yousef’s mother, father, brother and wife all support his thriving career. What’s more, his brother, Anas Abo Zarad, is also a med student with whom he is extremely close.
Dr. Yousef’s hard work didn’t stop him from leading a healthy lifestyle or building a side hustle. He works out every day and states, “Sport is an essential part of my life to stimulate growth hormone and increase mental activity.”
What’s even more inspiring is that Yousef has also built an incredibly successful social media presence making him a strong influencer in his industry. Within a year of opening his YouTube channel , he gained a massive 1.5 million subscribers. On TikTok he gained 1,1 million followers! His Instagram has 425k followers and his Facebook has 1,1 million ollowers. On his channels, he discusses everything related to skin, hair, the latest cosmetic treatment and how to lose weight. In 2022 Abo Zarad received the best young syrian Dermatologist Award in Landau, Germany.
Today, Yousef is a well-known social media presence in Europe and the Middle East. As a result, many network companies have asked to interview him. He attends many scientific conferences to build his knowledge and to keep up to date with the latest technology, treatments and research. His latest appearance was at the largest conference in Germany where he accompanied Professor Dr. Klaus Fritz.
Yousef isn’t slowing down any time soon. He is an optimistic, ambitious and diligent person who has overcome many battles to be the person he is today. He’s determined to keep an excellent balance between his personal life, social media presence and his work.
His goal is to educate people about the latest skin treatments and the best products and brands people can use based on his experience. Yousef’s motto in life is “Every optimist has a share.” And that rings true because, through optimism and hard work, Yousef was able to create a successful and inspiring career.
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