"When nature’s phenomena are elucidated, pay attention to all its phases. Nothing is inside, noroutside, because what is inside is also manifested outside."  -Goethe

The skin is the largest organ system of the body. It is a protective barrier between the individual and the external environment. It impedes the penetration of microorganisms, absorbs and blocks radiation, and inhibits the loss of water. It contains several types of sensory receptors, is involved in temperature regulation, and functions in immunologic surveillance.

The skin of the face comprises only nine percent of the total skin surface, yet it is our "passport" to society. It cannot be covered easily or disguised. Among the most important and frequent causes of social maladjustment are the disorders of the skin.

Medicine traditionally has been most concerned with diseases and disorders that end life. Today, greater attention is being directed to those medical conditions that ruin life without ending it.