Wen-Yuan Zhu (editor) - Atlas of Skin Disorders: Challenging Presentations of Common to Rare Conditions

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Professor Wen-yuan Zhu is the editor-in-chief emeritus of Journal of Clinical Dermatology , and he is an experienced and well-respected dermatologist as well. After collecting the pictures of difficult, complicated, and unusual cases published in the journal and from his clinical practice, he compiled and edited the atlas.

The atlas consists of 387 cases and 1215 pictures including clinical, histopathological, and other laboratory findings. The pictures are clear, true to life, and sufficiently big. It is really a color atlas of high quality and provides a valuable reference and textbook for dermatologists.

This atlas is illustrated and explained in English, and undoubtedly, this makes it much easier for dermatologists outside China to read and understand the dermatology in China, such as what are the difficult and complicated skin diseases and how do they manifest. I believe this publication will broaden the international academic exchanges, enhance mutual understanding between Chinese dermatologists and their foreign counterparts, and promote the development of dermatology of China.

I warmly congratulate the publication of this atlas edited by Professor Zhu Wen-yuan and other contributors.

I am eagerly awaiting and anticipating the publication of this most important volume on skin diseases in the Chinese population. For Western dermatologists, the world of Chinese skin and skin diseases is still largely a mystery. We know that all of the common diseases must occur in this huge and diverse population, but there must be many unusual variations on the common as well as many unusual and rare disease entities that are still uncommon or unknown outside of China. Therefore, the images in the atlas will tell the long-awaited story of Chinese skin and skin disease to the outside world. The importance of this work is further underscored by the considerable intermingling of our populations that has occurred in recent years due to intense commercial interactions, ever-more common tourism, and visitations among relatives of Chinese in all parts of the world. It will be important for the Western dermatologist, therefore, to have this volume close at hand as a reference work during his/her increasingly frequent interactions with these groups of patients. Finally, increased awareness will not only improve diagnostic capabilities but also open up new treatment options for formerly isolated patients with both common and rare skin diseases. Therefore, I must once again congratulate you on this important effort.

China is the third largest country and comprises 9.6 million square kilometers. It has the worlds largest population, including 56 nationalities and 1.3 billion individuals, and it is noted for its 5000-year history of ancient civilization. Increasing evidence suggests that there is no ethnic preponderance for skin diseases between the Chinese population and foreigners. Based on these considerations, China undoubtedly comprises the largest patient population of rare to challenging skin disorders. China has a unique geographical environment and diverse climate. Thus, it is likely that the same disease may develop various clinical manifestations and outcomes. We propose that the overwhelming majority of skin diseases recently discovered overseas will soon be identified in China. Moreover, I would like to confidently predict that in the imminent future, an increasingly greater number of novel skin entities will be identified and investigated by Chinese dermatologists if they take advantage of these conditions.

Furthermore, the process of new disease discrimination will be accelerated in terms of the large number of registered dermatologists. According to statistical data in 1995, China had 11,144 registered dermatologists. These individuals serve different hospitals at unequal levels throughout the country. As living standards increase, it becomes increasingly affordable to obtain better medical care in advanced hospitals. Diseases that were once misdiagnosed may now be recognized with the availability of more advanced medications. Therefore, many rare and challenging skin diseases will be consistently identified and will accordingly require publication in journals or books.

The practice of dermatology is based on a visual approach to clinical disease. Visualization also plays a critical role in how new information is integrated into pre-existing frameworks, which serve as the hard drives for the development of modern dermatology. Thus, I have encouraged myself to implement a meaningful publication project that comprises an atlas for rare skin disorders in China. I am an emeritus editor-in-chief for a well-known journal, the Clinical Journal of Dermatology