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Essentials of Aesthetic Surgery is a multi-author book, compiled and edited by Jeffry E. Janis. It has a 'take me with you' appeal and will prove to be a vital addition to a plastic surgeon\'s library for easy referencing. The book has the same didactic high-yield format of the author\'s previous book 'Essentials of Plastic Surgery', which is now in its second edition. The chapters in this book seem to seamlessly continue from the previous one, in which Aesthetic Surgery was described briefly in 16 chapters. Easily understandable language, interesting subheadings, bulleted text, clear-line diagrams and simple flowcharts all make this book an exciting reading material.

A very interesting format that catches the eye is that most of the chapters are authored by a younger author but co-authored also by a senior colleague, and the pearls of wisdom the latter has to offer makes the text priceless. The long-term perspectives of the individual procedures, the tips and tricks to improve the results and the caution they offer to avoid pitfalls are all invaluable for the readers.

The book has 65 chapters and is divided into nine parts encompassing the entire spectrum of aesthetic surgery.

Part I is on Basic Considerations, and it has four introductory chapters on 'The Aesthetic Surgery Patient', 'The Artistry of Plastic Surgery', 'Photography for Aesthetic Surgeons' and 'Medico-legal considerations in Aesthetic Surgery'. The importance of formulating and adhering to standard set of protocols regarding lens magnification, lighting, patient preparation and positioning for accurate clinical photography is the best takeaway from this section.

Part II on Anaesthesia in Aesthetic Surgery patients again has four chapters elaborating the basics and the pre-operative considerations in two chapters and procedure-specific anaesthesia guidelines and multimodal analgesia in the remaining two.

Part III is a vital section on safety considerations in aesthetic surgery, and it dwells on how to decrease complications of surgery in these otherwise healthy patients. Thoughtfully, a full chapter has been devoted to venous thromboembolism as the risk of encountering it perioperatively depends on both patient-level factors as well as procedure-level factors.

Part IV is on skin care which has an introductory chapter on anatomy, physiology and disorders of the skin and a very informative chapter on cosmeceauticals and other office products such as cleansers, moisturisers, retinoids, antioxidants, sunscreens, botanicals etc. Ethnic skin care has been judiciously added to fill the crucial gap in our understanding of managing these patients, as their needs are distinctly different from those with Caucasian skin. A chapter on 'Medi Spa and other office considerations' is aimed at making a young surgeon market ready by offering invaluable tips on practice setting, office, staff, marketing, advertising and finances.

Part V is on non-invasive and minimal invasive therapy, and there are nine chapters in this section describing commonly used procedures in great details with tips on improving results and how to judiciously combine them. Three chapters are dedicated to lasers describing their basics and their usage in ablative and non-ablative laser resurfacing. Chapters on chemical peel, dermabrasion, botulinum toxin, fillers, fat grafting and treatment of prominent veins are all very precise and ideal for ready referencing.

Part VI is on adjuncts to aesthetic surgery and brief chapters on tissue glue, fixation devices, implants and alloplasts and progressive tension sutures comprise this section.

Part VII is on facial plastic surgery. In this section, the first two chapters on anatomy of the periorbital region and anatomy of the face and neck are simply superb. Neatly labelled diagrams and crisp bulleted descriptions help the readers to carry this knowledge to the operating table so that the underlying anatomy of the problem can be understood and addressed, preserving the function maximally. Three chapters on blepharoplasty -- upper, lower and Asian -- succeeds in bringing out the subtleties in each of them. Chapters on browlift, tear trough deformity, lateral canthopexy and blepharoptosis complete the periorbital section.

Rhinoplasty is described in three chapters detailing the intricacies of primary rhinoplasty, secondary rhinoplasty and ethnic rhinoplasty. Other soft-tissue procedures such as facelift, midface rejuvenation, nasolabial folds and neck lift are described in individual interesting chapters which are precise and to the point. Chapters on lip augmentation, genioplasty, otoplasty and hair restoration complete this section.

Part VIII is on breast surgery. After detailing the breast anatomy in the first chapter with useful information on embryology, development, physiology and shape and aesthetics of the organ, there are five excellent chapters on commonly performed breast surgeries -- augmentation, mastopexy, augmentation mastopexy, reduction and gynaecomastia. There are priceless tips in every chapter of this section such as 'Avoid mastopexy in all smokers' and in gynaecomastia delayed skin excision after liposuction leaves least scars. The algorithm for managing recurrent mammary hyperplasia is again outstanding.

Part IX is on body contouring and is dedicated to liposuction, brachioplasty, abdominoplasty, buttock augmentation and median thigh lift. A very contemporary chapter on body contouring after massive weight loss guides the readers to understand and treat post-bariatric surgery patients. The spectrum of aesthetic surgery is completed with a chapter each on non-invasive body contouring, female genital aesthetic surgery and aesthetic gender affirmation surgery.

The book has an online version and the key to it is available in the inside front cover. The code can be redeemed by creating an account at ebookstore.thieme.com/register and then follow the easily understandable instructions. For handheld devices, thieme bookshelf app has to be downloaded from iTunes or Google Play.

The book has 956 pages and is meant to be read once and then kept handy for ready referencing. Hence, thoughtfully, the publishers have created it in a shape that fits the pocket of your hospital apron. It boasts of a very rich foreword by Prof. Foad Nahai, and he has justifiably praised the book, the contributors and the author. I strongly recommend this book to all those plastic surgeons who have made up their mind to practice aesthetic surgery and also to those who are in active practice. There is a lot for everyone in it.
