Initially we asked Springer-Verlag why they thought the world needed another book about aesthetic surgery. They pointed to the popularity of the Compre­ hensive Manual of Surgical Specialties Series, suggesting that completeness required our contribution. We recalled the current masters of aesthetic surgery: Rees, Sheen, among others. Each had produced his own monograph-all of them established classics. What could we add? Furthermore none of us was recognized exclusively for aesthetic surgery achievements. Nevertheless, each of us was committed to the challenge of teaching residents aesthetic surgery during their residency, not afterward as was done in the past. Furthermore, Dick Egdahl, Senior Editor and designer of CMSS, made clear to us the specific orientation of the manuals to residents-in-training. as did Springer-Verlag, well known for their commitment He won our support, to high-quality color illustrations. We appreciate being asked by Dr. Egdahl to contribute to CMSS. We were not even offended by his original plan to embrace all of plastic surgery in one volume. He should have known better! The Manual of Reconstructive Surgery will follow this volume in 2 years. Defining its scope remains an unmet challenge. Limiting the scope of Manual of Aesthetic Surgery has been an easier task. It is a sourcebook for beginning residents, not an encyclopedic reference.