Book excerpt: This publication presents currently available evidence about the extent to which dermatological diseases may, through their own nature as well as a multitude of comorbidities and their important interactions with social life, impair the life course of patients. Divided into four parts, the book starts with a brilliant introduction that highlights the importance of a life course approach in medicine from a medical as well as from a psychosocial point of view. The second part provides a basic presentation of the theoretical aspects of life course research and, more specifically, to the concepts of allostatic load and cumulative life course impairment (CLCI). The third part examines concepts related to CLCI, such as the 'quality of life in dermatology' or the 'major life changing decisions' influenced by dermatological diseases. The book concludes with an in-depth investigation of specific diseases where the concept of CLCI strikes as particularly relevant. The new and innovative evidence presented in this publication makes it essential reading to anyone who has to take social implications of skin diseases into account in their decision making: dermatologists, allergologists, pediatricians and general practitioners as well as researchers in medical sociology or opinion leaders in public health.