Andrews’ Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology, 13th Edition

By William D. James, MD, Dirk Elston, MD, James R. Treat, MD, Misha A. Rosenbach, MD and Isaac Neuhaus, MD

ISBN: 9780323547536

Pub Date: 10 Apr 2019

Reviewed by: Patricia Wong, MD (Private Practice)

Description

As time has gone on, editions of this book have matured from a friendly introductory overview of dermatologic diseases to a more comprehensive book with in-depth discussions of pathophysiology and treatment. Excellent detailed color clinical photographs have replaced black-and-white photos. The accompanying ebook version has supplemental clinical photographs, which are referenced at the end of each chapter. The content is always available even when there are updated editions. The previous edition was published in 2016.

Purpose

The purpose is to provide an accessible reference for diagnosing and treating the majority of skin diseases encountered in a dermatology practice. These objectives are achieved.

Audience

The audience is medical students, dermatology residents, and clinical dermatologists. The needs of these intended groups are for the most part satisfied. The authors are credible experts in dermatology.

Features

The strength of this book is how it skillfully weaves treatment recommendations with the discussions of clinical presentations. Without burdening the discussion with the minutiae of studies, the rationale for a particular therapy is explained succinctly. I like the matter of fact approach style of writing and how it is combined with the themes of pathophysiology.

Assessment

This continues to be a solid reference for diagnosing and treating skin disorders. The discussions of treatment have greatly improved and rival those in the encyclopedic two-volume books, Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology, 9th edition, Kang et al. (McGraw-Hill, 20199) and Dermatology, 4th edition, Bolognia et al. (Elsevier, 2018), but without the weight. This book continues to be an all-time favorite of mine and it will continue to occupy a prominent place in my medical office library. This update includes information not in the previous edition, such as the Zika virus, new discoveries of immunogenetics for various diseases, new diseases, etc., so it is definitely warranted.

Doody’s Review Service Weighted Numerical Score: 90-4 Stars!