Foreword

The skin of individuals of Asian descent spans the full range of Fitzpatrick skin pigmentation types but differs from other races, such as Caucasians, Hispanics, and Africans, in skin thickness, density and size of cutaneous appendages, and hair and nail thickness and texture. Even among Asian races, physiological differences can occur, e.g., between lighter races, such as northern Chinese, and darker races, such as East Indians. As a result, the presentation of skin disease can vary both between Asian and other races and among different Asian races.

During the last century, due to rapid globalization and ease of travel, Asians have moved to every continent, especially to the Americas, Europe, and Australia. Indeed, based on the 2020 US Census data, 19.9 million people in the United States self-identified as Asian and another 4.1 million as Asian in combination with other races. During the past two decades, numerous textbooks, atlases, and journal articles have focused on Asian populations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the skin and skin disease in this vast group of individuals. While pediatric dermatology as a field has expanded greatly since the late 20th century, there are few textbooks or atlases dedicated to pediatric dermatology in Asian children and adolescents.

The Atlas of Pediatric Dermatology in Asian Skin provides comprehensive and concise information on common pediatric skin conditions, as well as high-resolution photographs of dermatoses as they present in the various Asian races. Co-edited by Drs. Koh, Gan, and Wee, with chapters co-authored by colleagues from Singapore and elsewhere in the Southeast Asian and South Asian region, the atlas exemplifies the strong collaboration among pediatric dermatologists from the region, bolstered by the efforts of the Asian Society of Pediatric Dermatology (ASPD) and International Society of Pediatric Dermatology (ISPD).

I am confident that this atlas will be an excellent tool to aid in recognition and understanding of skin conditions in children and a useful resource for pediatricians, dermatologists, general practitioners, nurses, and pediatric dermatologists in daily clinical practice.