The origins of ESCAD
and J Cos Derm
For many years in Europe cosmetic dermatology was not taught
as a subject in its own right. Dermatologists only learnt
the subject by apprenticeship and by attending congresses.
In the last 50 years, life expectancy has increased considerably
and people have become much more concerned with their appearance.
Dermatologists are the best trained people to meet these
new needs.
In 1997, three dermatologists
and longstanding friends, Pierre André from Paris,
Leonardo Marini from Trieste and Christopher Rowland
Payne from London, felt there was a need for a scientific
Society which would gather together research scientists
from the fields of cosmetics and skin ageing together
with clinicians specialized in the therapeutic techniques
of cosmetic dermatology. The idea of the European
Society for Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dermatology (ESCAD)
was born. The first meeting of ESCAD took place in
January 1998 and was attended by four dermatologists:
Pierre André (France), Nick Lowe (UK), Patrick Rabineau
(France) and Christopher Rowland Payne (UK). The
group elected Nick Lowe to serve as the first president.
ESCAD is a democratic,
non-commercial, non-profitmaking medical scientific
Learned Society, which is registered in Paris. There
is an executive board and
the president and members of the executive board
are elected each year at the annual general meeting.
ESCAD is supported by a scientific
committee which includes many members
from Europe and a good number of colleagues from
other continents. ESCAD cooperates with other international
and national cosmetic dermatological societies (Table
3). The aims and goals of ESCAD are listed in Table
4. ESCAD aims to foster the highest standards of
patient care in cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology,
and aims to facilitate continuing professional development
and a friendly forum for the exchange of scientific
research and innovative techniques. ESCAD tries to
bring together clinical dermatologists, academic
dermatologists, and scientists working in the pharmaceutical
and cosmetic industries. Every year, at the congress
of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
(EADV), ESCAD organizes a scientific meeting and
an annual general meeting. All EADV registrants are
welcome. In the last two years, ESCAD has been actively
involved in the scientific organization of the EADV
itself and has representation at the board of the
EADV. In July 2000, in Cannes, France, ESCAD held
its first independent congress, a 3-day meeting entitled
Cosmoderm (Joint Congress Presidents: Pierre André
and Christopher Rowland Payne). Cosmoderm was organized
by ESCAD in association with the International Academy
of Cosmetic Dermatology (President: Lawrence Charles
Parish), the International Federation of Societies
of Cosmetic Chemists (President: Tatsuya Osawa),
the International Society for Dermatological Surgery
(President: William Hanke), the European Society
for Dermatological Surgery (President: Eckart Haneke),
the European Nail Society (President: Robert Baran),
the European Scalp and Hair Society (President: Pierre
Bouhanna), the European Society for Laser Dermatology
(President: Leonardo Marini) and the European Expert
Group on Efficacy Measurement of Cosmetics and Other
Topical Products (President: Gérald Piérard). The
success of this meeting has led ESCAD, in association
with various other sister societies, to plan a large
Cosmoderm meeting each year. Cosmoderm II/Laserderm
I takes place in Trieste, Italy, 31 August–3 September
2002.
With the encouragement
of Dr Robert Baran and Blackwell Science, we now
have the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. With your
help, the Editorial Board and Journal Advisory
Committee aim to make J Cos Derm the point
of reference for cosmetic dermatology.
Pierre André & Christopher
Rowland Payne
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