As the cultural and ethnic makeup of the United States continues to diversify, dermatologists are seeing greater numbers of "nonwhite" patients. Understanding physiologic differences and therapeutic responses between skin types is indispensable, particularly to physicians practicing in metropolitan areas with a large immigrant population.

Skin in the Tropics: Sunscreens and Hyperpigmentations, a first-edition text by Dr Verallo-Rowell, is divided into 2 parts. The first part is divided into 6 sections in a question-and-answer format addressing ecology and photobiology in the tropics, pigmented skin physiology and pathology, and sunscreens. It contains useful information, such as ozone depletion and climate changes, not found in most other dermatology textbooks. The question-and-answer format is a particularly useful guide for patient-directed discussions. The tables and figures are well designed and easy to comprehend.