Basic dermatological terms Flashcards
Flexural
Body folds i.e. groin, neck, behind ears, popliteal and antecubital fossa
Extensor
Knees, elbows, shins
Dermatome
An area of skin supplied by a single spinal nerve
Annular
Circle or ring e.g. ringworm (Tinea corporis)
Discoid
A coin-shaped/round lesion e.g. Discoid eczema
Erythema
Redness which blances on pressure e.g. Palmar erythema
Purpura
Red or purple colour (due to bleeding into the skin or mucous membrane) which does not blanch on pressure e.g. Henoch-Scholnelin purpura
Macule
A flat area of altered colour e.g. freckles
Patch
Large flat area of altered colour or texture e.g. Vascular malformation
Papule
Solid raised lesion < 0.5cm in diameter
Nodule
Solid raised lesion > 0.5cm in diameter with a deeper component
Plaque
Palpable scaling raised lesion >0.5cm in diameter e.g. Psoriasis
Vesicle
Raised, clear fluid-filled lesion <0.5cm in diameter
Bulla
Raised, clear fluid filled lesion >0.5cm in diameter
Pustule
Pus-containign lesion <0.5cm in diameter e.g. Acne
Abscess
Localised accumulation of pus in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue
Wheal
Transient raised lesion due to dermal oedema
Scales
Flakes of stratum corneum
Ulcer
Loss of epidermis and dermis (heals with scarring) e.g. Leg ulcers
Clubbing
Loss of angle between the posterior nail fold and nail plate (associations include suppuprative lung disease, cyanotic heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic)
Kolionychia
Spoon-shaped depression of the nail plate (associated include iron-deficiency aneamia, congenital and idiopathic)
Onycholysis
Separation of the distal end of the nail plate from nail bed (assoications include trauma, psoriasis, fungal nail infection and hyperthyroidism)
Pitting
Punctate depressions of the nail plate (associations include psoriasis, eczema and alopecia areata)
