Textbook of Dermatosurgery and Cosmetology

2nd edition, 2005, 674 pages.

Publisher: ASCAD, Mumbai, IndiaNo didactic program can properly replace the importance of surgical training and experience. However, textual information can begin to provide a good part of the background necessary to properly plan and perform dermatologic surgical procedures.

Dr. Satish S. Savant, one of the pioneer dermatosurgeons in India, has inspired dermatologists to perform dermatosurgery in their day-to-day practice. This 2nd edition of a "Textbook of Dermatosurgery and Cosmetology" provides only of skin surgery and cosmetology. The book is well written and covers a wide range of topics in cutaneous surgery and cosmetology. It contains 59 chapters in dermatosurgery and 35 chapters in cosmetology. The last chapter is devoted to complications in dermatosurgery. Although this is a multiauthored text, Dr. Savant serves as coauthor on most chapters.

This book is arranged in a user-friendly and cohesive manner. Each chapter includes unique protocols for treatment, and pre- and post-operative photographs. Dr. Savant does a great job by including laser surgery in this textbook. He thoroughly describes laser basics and discusses lasers for hair removal, the carbon dioxide and Er: YAG lasers, laser treatment for pigmented lesions, laser treatment for vascular lesions and laser treatment for miscellaneous skin conditions. The chapter "Gems in dermatosurgery" is excellent. Elementary surgical procedures such as excision, incision and basic suturing are given considerable discussion. Other commonly performed procedures like cryosurgery, electrosurgery, and nail surgery procedures are also described in a lucid manner. The book also contains samples of a consent form, pre-anesthetic evaluation, operative report form and post-operative instruction sheet. The authors have devoted considerable attention to cosmetology and cosmetosurgical procedures. Topics delineated include personal care and cosmetics products, facials, cosmetic camouflage, non-surgical hair replacements (different wigs), common cosmetic techniques in beauty parlors, etc. As a good friend and also a great admirer of Dr. Satish Savant, I would suggest that he should omit chapters such as facials in the next edition.

The color photographs are of sufficiently good quality and adequately reflect topics discussed within the text. Line diagrams add considerable clarity to the procedural discussions. The references cited within the text are current but incomplete and miss many Indian authors. Had those been included in the textbook, they would have increased the dignity and prestige of the book, as these references are frequently cited by other pioneering dermatosurgeons internationally.

I must mention here that I would think twice before recommending some of the treatment methods described in the book to my junior colleagues, e.g. treatment of alopecia areata by 88% phenol, and liquid nitrogen cryosurgery to induce repigmentation in vitiligo. The scientific basis of any proposed procedure must be properly substantiated before its inclusion in a textbook. Nonetheless, I think that this text is a valuable aid to the dermatologist who hopes to understand and eventually to perform dermatosurgical procedures. The text is unusually easy to read and comprehend. I certainly believe that it will enhance even the most experienced dermatologist′s knowledge.

S. Malakar