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