A.M. Kligman – författare

Twenty-five years have elapsed since the first publication of this book. The growth of basic knowledge since then has been both enormous and momentous. This has been a joyous enterprise for us. Our ability to treat acne and rosacea ef­ fectively has outpaced the vastly expanded understanding of their etiologies. Acne today is not only an eminently treatable disease; in some cases, for exam­ is actually curable. We think that no case is so severe as to pIe acne conglobata, it be beyond help with the array of diverse drugs now available. Treatment failure is really physician failure. Prevention of acne in high-risk children has also be­ come a promising possibility, now that it is possible to identify small comedones in prepuberty, as early as the age of 7 years. Topical comedolytic agents such as retinoids prescribed at the incipient stage might then prevent the evolution of the full-fledged disorder. This therapeutic maneuver could prevent the dreaded sequel of scarring. We adhere firmly to the beliefs expressed in 1975 regarding our mission. This text is dedicated to the dermatologists and other practitioners who must diagnose and treat these disfiguring, remarkably protean, common disorders.

Our ability to treat acne and rosacea ef­ fectively has outpaced the vastly expanded understanding of their etiologies. Prevention of acne in high-risk children has also be­ come a promising possibility, now that it is possible to identify small comedones in prepuberty, as early as the age of 7 years.

Acne vulgaris is an extraordinarily common, worldwide dis­ ease. Some see the disorder as merely cosmetic. Nonetheless, few skin diseases cause as much physical and psychological misery as this scourge of adolescence. Dermatologists of course have more than a passing familiar­ ity with acne vulgaris. Recognition is easy but there is still an extraordinary amount of controversy concerning causa­ tive factors and the best modes of treatment. Recent studies have brought forth some important findings about which practicing physicians know too little. This volume" ACNE: MORPHOGENESIS AND TREAT­ MENT" is a surprising book. What features make it so unique? This is the first complete account of the great diver­ sity of clinical manifestations. Moreover, gross morphology is coordinated with a thorough microscopic analysis of evolu­ tion of the disease. The material is presented in a readable and stimulating way. References are limited because they have been carefully selected. The authors emphasize that this richly illustrated work is intended for physicians who care for acne patients. Accord­ ingly, this is above all a practical treatise to assist doctors to diagnose and treat acne, and not only acne vulgaris but all the species of acne. This work is an overview of the entire acne problem with contributions from bacteriology, endocrinology, physiology, anatomy, immunology, cellular kinetics, and experimental acne. Above all it concludes with an optimistic presentation of therapeutic strategies which make it possible for the in­ formed physician to control the abominable effects of this distressing disorder.