Preface

Clinical Dermatology: Diagnosis and Management of Common Disorders is the product of decades of interaction with our primary care colleagues and residents. It features concise and practical information on the diagnosis and management of common skin disorders. Diagnostic features, cost-effective management, evidence-based medicine, and patient-centered care are emphasized.

Clinicians, residents, and medical students will find this textbook helpful in their understanding and management of skin disorders. Our advisory group, consisting of primary care physicians, residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and medical students was instrumental in the design and review of this textbook.

Clinical Dermatology is divided into three sections.

• Section One covers the principles of diagnosis, management of common skin disorders, diagnostic and surgical procedures.

• Section Two covers common skin disorders and selected less common disorders with high morbidity. The information on each disease is formatted into 11 sections: introduction, pathogenesis, history, physical examination, laboratory findings, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, management, clinical course and prognosis, indications for consultation, and patient information. Evidence-based reviews and national and international guidelines are used when available in the management sections.

• Section Three focuses on the differential diagnosis of diseases in specific body regions based on history and physical examination. This section also includes the differential diagnosis of purpura, fever and rash, hospital-acquired rashes, pruritus, and skin ulcers.

The online learning center for this textbook at mhprofessional.com/clinicaldermatology has videos with detailed demonstrations of common cutaneous diagnostic and surgical procedures.

Clinical unknown cases with self-assessment questions and PowerPoint presentations that cover the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of common skin disorders are available at AccessDermatologyDxRx, dermatology.mhmedical.com, which is available at many institutions or as a paid subscription.

The editors would like to thank our McGraw Hill editors: Leah Carton, Associate Editor and Christina Thomas, Senior Project Development Editor for all their assistance in the development and publication of this textbook and Dr. Sudhi Singh, Thomson Digital Project Manager. We thank our reviewers Jamie Santilli, MD, Cynthia Olson, MD, Dori Henderson, PhD, Elizabeth Norheim NP, Brittney Busse PA, Deana Gruenhagen PA, and our medical student reviewers Carissa Klarisch and Brett Macleod.

We are grateful for contributions of photographs from Doctors Whitney Tope, Spencer Holmes, and Charles Crutchfield III.

We want to especially acknowledge Robert W. Goltz, MD, who was our mentor and chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota (1971–1985). His mastery of the art, science, and practice of medicine influenced all who were privileged to train with him.

We are especially grateful for our husbands’ support and patience during this project.