scope:

Preface

Photodermatology, the study of the biological effects of ultraviolet and visible light on the skin, has, as an area of knowledge, expanded rapidly over the past 20 years.

Following introductory chapters on elementary photobiology and photophysics, equipment, and photoprotection, this book focuses on the clinical presentation, investigation, and discussion of treatment options for various photodermatoses (lightsensitive skin disorders), along with a discussion of the rapidly evolving subject of cutaneous laser surgery. Doctors and nurses have an important role to play not only in the diagnosis of the photodermatoses, but also in the administration of phototherapies. More recent additions under the umbrella of photodermatology include laser and photodynamic therapy.

This book provides an introduction into these various areas. It is intended to whet your appetite and to stimulate further interest in these areas. While this book is primarily photographic in content, a significant amount of standardized text has been included to provide an up-to-date view of what is a rapidly changing subject.