A comprehensive and practical overview In the last two decades, there has been a virtual explosion in the use of lasers in medicine, especially in the field of cosmetic dermatology. In fact, many of the clinical conditions presented today are solely treated by lasers. When discussing the term lasers', many different types of lasers and other similar energy-based devices have to be considered. Physicians who look upon this vast field often find themselves facing an extremely complex physics-based area of medicine with a veritable jungle of different devices on offer. This book provides a structured and comprehensive overview of the physical knowledge required to understand laser medicine and surgery. Moreover, the various clinical indications and treatments are clearly laid out and discussed. The authors, all experts in their field, have provided concise and topical chapters, which have purposely been kept generic when talking about the various lasers in order to increase the longevity of this volume.

This publication presents currently available evidence about the extent to which dermatological diseases may, through their own nature as well as a multitude of comorbidities and their important interactions with social life, impair the life course of patients. Divided into four parts, the book starts with a brilliant introduction that highlights the importance of a life course approach in medicine from a medical as well as from a psychosocial point of view. The second part provides a basic presentation of the theoretical aspects of life course research and, more specifically, to the concepts of allostatic load and cumulative life course impairment (CLCI). The third part examines concepts related to CLCI, such as the 'quality of life in dermatology' or the 'major life changing decisions' influenced by dermatological diseases. The book concludes with an in-depth investigation of specific diseases where the concept of CLCI strikes as particularly relevant. The new and innovative evidence presented in this publication makes it essential reading to anyone who has to take social implications of skin diseases into account in their decision making: dermatologists, allergologists, pediatricians and general practitioners as well as researchers in medical sociology or opinion leaders in public health.

With about 10–20% of the adult population in Europe being tattooed, there is a strong demand for publications discussing the various issues related to tattooed skin and health. Until now, only a few scientific studies on tattooing have been published. This book discusses different aspects of the various medical risks associated with tattoos, such as allergic reactions from red tattoos, papulo-nodular reactions from black tattoos as well as technical and psycho-social complications, in addition to bacterial and viral infections. Further sections are dedicated to the composition of tattoo inks, and a case is made for the urgent introduction of national and international regulations. Distinguished authors, all specialists in their particular fields, have contributed to this publication which provides a comprehensive view of the health implications associated with tattooing. The book covers a broad range of topics that will be of interest to clinicians and nursing staff, toxicologists and regulators as well as laser surgeons who often face the challenge of having to remove tattoos, professional tattooists and producers of tattoo ink.

In the early 20th century, tanned skin was associated with good health. However, people began to protect themselves against potential overexposure to avoid sunburns. Around 1945, the first sunscreen products became available. In the years to follow, a vast number of different sunscreen filters and frameworks regulating filter substances and preparations, and methods characterizing sunscreen products were developed. The perception regarding the tasks of sunscreen products changed several times – initially it was promoted as a lifestyle product, then as a skin cancer preventive means, and more recently also for anti-aging. Different purposes and the widespread use of these products have led to myriad studies and a wealth of information. In this volume, the editors present a current collection of information analyzing and discussing issues related to sunscreen products and their use. These include challenges regarding the ideal sunscreen product including filter selection and formulation issues, measurement methods, performance characterization, safety, and regulatory issues. Further papers address topics related to the use of sunscreen products in everyday life, in vulnerable cohorts and outdoor workers. Controversial topics such as environmental effects of sunscreen products and the risks and benefits of UV radiation in the context of skin cancer, vitamin D and cardiovascular and metabolic health are also covered.

Tattooing breaches the skin and can, therefore, cause a variety of complications. This book covers the full spectrum of issues clinical practitioners may encounter when treating affected patients. Introductory chapters include educational information on methods for tattooing, types of tattoos, tattoo inks, and tattoo ink toxicology. The focus is on the diagnosis and classification of tattoo complications. In this regard, a comprehensive atlas of acute and chronic complications serves as a valuable tool. Further chapters summarize available therapies, their rationale, and indication. This includes various medical and surgical treatments with a review of dermatome shaving. Lastly, tattoo removal by gold standard YAG lasers and the more recent pico-second lasers is discussed with the optimal therapeutic outcome in mind.

Although a very fragile structure, the skin barrier is probably one of the most important organs of the body. Inward/out it is responsible for body integrity and outward/in for keeping microbes, chemicals, and allergens from penetrating the skin. Since the role of barrier integrity in atopic dermatitis and the relationship to filaggrin mutations was discovered a decade ago, research focus has been on the skin barrier, and numerous new publications have become available. This book is an interdisciplinary update offering a wide range of information on the subject. It covers new basic research on skin markers, including results on filaggrin and on methods for the assessment of the barrier function. Biological variation and aspects of skin barrier function restoration are discussed as well. Further sections are dedicated to clinical implications of skin barrier integrity, factors influencing the penetration of the skin, influence of wet work, and guidance for prevention and saving the barrier. Distinguished researchers have contributed to this book, providing a comprehensive and thorough overview of the skin barrier function. Researchers in the field, dermatologists, occupational physicians, and related industry will find this publication an essential source of information.

The concept of expressing acidity as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration was defined and termed pH in the beginning of the 20th century. The general usefulness of the pH concept for life science was recognized and later gained importance to analytical research. Reports on results of pH measurements from living skin established the term acid mantle - the skin's own protective shield that maintains a naturally acid pH. It is invisible to the eye but crucial to the overall wellbeing of skin. Chronic alkalization can throw this acid mantle out of balance, leading to inflammation, dermatitis, and atopic skin diseases. It is therefore no surprise, that skin pH shifts have been observed in various skin pathologies. It is also obvious that the pH in topically applied preparations may play an important role. Optimal pH and buffer capacity within topical preparations not only support stability of active ingredients and auxiliary materials, but may also increase absorption of the non-ionized species of an acidic or a basic active ingredient. They may even open up opportunities to modify and "correct" skin pH and hence accelerate barrier recovery and maintain or enhance barrier integrity. Further efforts are needed to standardize and improve pH measurements in biological media or pharmaceutical/cosmetic vehicles to increase and ensure quality, comparability, and relevance of research data. In this volume, we present a unique collection of papers that address past, present and future issues of the pH of healthy and diseased skin. It is hoped that this collection will foster future efforts in clinical and experimental skin research.