Common skin conditions

Question 1

Dermatitis

Answer 1

Acute or chronic inflammation of the skin due to exposure to an irritant or allergen

Localized papules; erythema and oozing vesicles in area of contact. Vesicles burst and crust. Intense itching.

Question 2

Acne

Answer 2

Common inflammatory disease of the sebaceous gland associated with a hair follicle (Excessive sebum production; accumulates in the follicle and swells)

Lesion blackheads, whiteheads, nodules, pustules, cysts and scars.

Question 3

Psoriasis

Answer 3

Chronic skin disease characterized by rapid turnover of epidermal cells (Every 3-4 days instead of every 28-30 days)

Well-demarcated erythematous plaques covered with silvery white scales.

Question 4

Chicken pox and shingles

Answer 4

Infections due to a herpes virus (chicken pox is the primary infection, shingles occurs years after chickenpox infection)

Chickenpox: vesicles start as red lesions, fill with fluid, burst and crust over

Shingles: Vesicles present on the skin unilaterally along the infected dermatome

Question 5

Warts

Answer 5

Caused by the HPV, benign papules that can occur anywhere on the skin

Question 6

Cellulitis

Answer 6

Bacterial infection of the dermis or subcutaneous layer of skin typically following a surface wound or bite.

Swollen, erythematous area on skin, tender and warm to the touch

Question 7

Scabies

Answer 7

Contagious skin disease caused by mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Tiny organism burrows itself into the superficial layer of epidermis.

Burrows appear like irregular lines on the skin and are most prominent between fingers and dorsal side of the wrist