The Encyclopedia of Skin and Skin Disorders (Facts on File Library of Health and Living)

Book by Turkington, Carol, Dover, Jeffrey S.

This is the book to turn to to find out why one shouldn't wear makeup during air travel until a few minutes before landing; why a southwestern critter with a name as innocuous as the Kissing Bug should be avoided if at all possible; whether you really do want to wash your face, and if so, how; or which slug's shells are crushed and used to provide the reddish pigment in many cosmetics. Readers will use this work as an initial source for information regarding such topics as the possible risks of suicide associated with the use of certain acne medication or the treatment of varicose veins with endovascular lasers.

More than 1,100 cross-referenced entries range in length from the single line devoted to Tumbu fly bites to multiple pages, such as the entry for Burns. Most seem to be in the two- to five-paragraph range. New to this second edition are entries on news makers like Botox and information on the possible link between the foaming agent diethanolamine and cancer. There certainly is enough updated information to warrant libraries replacing the first edition (called Skin Deep: An A-Z Encyclopedia of Skin Disorders, 1996).

The few images are clear black-and-white drawings. A nice example is the cross-section of a fingertip that accompanies the entry Nails. Several appendixes provide readers with helpful lists such as "Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid," "Types of Lesions," and contact information for skin-related organizations as well as a glossary, a bibliography, and a well-developed index.

The volume will surely be welcome in high-school and college libraries, public libraries of all sizes, and consumer-health collections. RBB
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