Dermatology Flashcards
When taking a dermatological history, what aspects should be explored?
- Presenting complaint
- History of presenting complaint
- Past medical history
- Family history
- Social history
- Drug history
- Quality of life impact
- ICE
What aspects of the presenting complaint should be explored?
- Nature (rash/lesion)
- Site
- Duration and changes
What aspects of the history of the presenting complaint should be explored?
- Initial appearance and evolution
- Symptoms (particularly itch/pain)
- Aggravating and relieving factors
- Previous and current treatments
What aspects of the past medical history should be explored?
- Systemic diseases
- History of atopy
- Skin cancer
- Sunburn/sun-bed use
- Skin type
What are the atopic conditions?
- Asthma
- Eczema
- Hay-fever
What system can be used to analyse skin type?
Fitzpatrick skin types
What aspects of family history should be explored?
- Family history of skin disease (e.g. psoriasis)
- Family history of atopy
- Family history of autoimmune disease (e.g. alopecia, vitiligo)
What aspects of social history should be explored?
- Occupation
- Sun exposure
- Exposure to chemicals
- Improvement of symptoms when away from work
What aspects of a drug history should be explored?
- Regular and recent drugs
- Systemic and topical treatments used
How should the use of topical treatments be explored?
- Where applied?
- How much?
- How long for?
How should quality of life impact and ICE be explored?
- Impact of skin on life
- Ideas Concerns Expectations
When examining the skin what parts should be examined?
All sites, including:
- Nails
- Mucosa
- Hair
How should a dermatological examination be conducted?
- Inspect
- Palpate
- Describe
When palpating the skin, what should be assessed?
- Flat/raised
- Rough/smooth
- Warmth
What mnemonic can be used to describe the skin?
- S - site and distribution/size and shape
- C - colour
- A - associated changes
- M - morphology
How can colour be described?
- Erythema (blanching redness)
- Purpura (red or purple non-blanching)
- Pigmented/hyperpigmented (brown/black)
- Hypopigmented
What colour change is this?
(And what is the lesion)
Erythema
(Erythema migrans)
What colour change is this?
Purpura
What colour change is this?
(What skin change is this?)
Hyperpigmentation
Acanthosis Nigricans
