Dermatology terms Flashcards
Pruitis
Itching
Lesion
Area of altered skin
Naevus
Localised malformation of tissue structure
Comedone
A plug in sebaceous follicle containing altered sebum, bacteria, cellular debris
Can present:
- open = blackhead
- closed = whitehead
Generalised
All over the body
Widespread
Extensive
Localised
In one area of skin only
Flexural
Body folds - groin, neck, behind ears, antecubital fossa, popliteal
Extensor
Elbows, shins, knees
Pressure areas
Sacrum
Buttocks
Ankles
Heels
Dermatome
An area of skin supplied by a single nerve
Photosensitive
Affects sun exposed sites such as face, neck and back of hands
Koebner phenomenon
A linear eruption occurring at the site of trauma
Discrete
Individual lesions separated from each other
Confluent
Lesions merging together
Linear
In a straight line
Target
In concentric rings
Annular
In a circle or ring
Discoid
A coin shaped/round lesion
Erythema
Redness (due to inflammation and vasodilation) which blanches on pressure
Purpura
Red/purple (due to bleeding into skin and mucous membranes) which does not blanch on pressure (petechiae - small pinpoint macules) and ecchymoses (larger bruise like patches)
Hypopigmentation
Areas of paler skin
Depigmentation
Areas of white skin due to absence of melanin
Hyperpigmentation
Areas of darker skin (many causes including inflammation)
Macule
A flat area of altered colour
Patch
A larger area of flat altered colour/texture
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
Vesicle
Raised clear fluid filled lesion <0.5cm in diameter
small blister
Bulla
Raised clear fluid filled lesion >0.5cm in diameter
large blister
Pustule
Pus containing lesion <0.5cm in diameter
Abscess
Localised accumulation of pus in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue
Wheal
Transient raised lesion due to dermal oedema
Boil/furnucle
Staph infection within or around a hair follicle
Carbuncle
Staph infection of adjacent hair follicles (multiple boils/furuncles)
Excoriation
Loss of the epidermis following trauma
Lichenification
Well defined roughening of the skin with accentuation of skin markings
Scales
Flakes of stratum corneum
Crust
Rough surface consisting of dried serum, blood, cellular debris and bacteria that has exuded through an eroded epidermis
Scar
New fibrous tissue which occurs post wound healing
Atrophic scar
Thinning
Hypertrophic scar
Hyperproliferation within the wound boundary
Keloidal scar
Hyperproliferation outside the wound boundary
Ulcer
Loss of the dermis and epidermis
Fissure
An epidermal crack usually due to excess dryness
Striae
Linear areas which progress from purple to pink to white, with histopathological appearance of a scar (associated with excess glucocorticoid production, use, growth spurts and pregnancy)
Alopecia
Hair loss
Hirsutism
Androgen dependent hair growth in a female
Hypertrichosis
Non-androgen dependent pattern of excessive hair growth
Clubbing
Loss of angle between posterior nail fold and nail plate
Associated with suppurative lung disease, IBD and cyanotic heart disease
Koilynchia
Spoon shaped depression of the nail plate
Onycholysis
Separation of the distal end of the nail plate from the nail bed
Pitting
Punctate depressions of the nail plate
