Huid Flashcards
Functions of the skin
1) Protection - barrier (physical and immunological)
2) Regulation - body temperature, fluid balance, vit D
3) Sensation - heat, cold, touch, and pain. Network of nerve cells detect and relay changes in the environment
What are the layers of the epidermis?
- Stratum corneum
- Stratum Lucidum
- Stratum Granulosum
- Stratum Spinosum
- Stratum Basale
• Basement membrane
In which layer of the epidermis is filaggrin found?
stratum corneum
Embryology of the skin
Epidermis is derived from the ectoderm
5th week - skin of the embryo is covered by simple cuboidal epithelium
7th week - single squamous layer (periderm), and a basal layer
4th month - an intermediate layer, containing several cell layers, is interposed between the basal cells and the periderm
Early foetal period - the epidermis invaded by melanoblasts, cells of the neural crest origin
Hair- 3rd month as an epidermal proliferation into dermis.
Cells of the epithelial root sheath proliferate to form a sebaceous gland bud.
Sweat glands develop as down growths of epithelial cords into dermis.
Where in the skin are Langerhans cells found?
basal layer
How does skin allergy develop?
Skin irritation can be nonallergenic or allergenic
Irritation by nonallergenic and allergenic compounds induces Langerhans cell migration and maturation
Langerhans cells migrate from epidermis to draining lymph nodes
Initial sensitization takes 10-14 days from initial exposure to allergen (nickel, dye, rubber etc.)
This is why there may be no response on initial exposure to an allergen
Once an individual is sensitized to a chemical, allergic contact dermatitis can then develop within hours of repeat exposure
Damaging effects of ultraviolet light on skin:
1) direct cellular damage
• Photoaging
• DNA damage
• Carcinogenesis
2) alterations in immunologic function.
• P53 TSGs are mutated by DNA damage
• implicated in development of (non-) melanoma skin cancers
What are effects of Chronic UV exposure?
- loss of skin elasticity
- fragility
- abnormal pigmentation
- haemorrhage of blood vessels - bruising/fragility
- Wrinkles and premature ageing
Merkel cells
Located at the base of the epidermis
respond to sustained gentle and localised pressure
remember: MerkeL respond to Localised pressure
Meissner corpuscles
situated immediately below epidermis
particularly well represented on the palmar surfaces of the fingers and lips
especially sensitive to light touch (cotton-wool type sensation)
remember: • MeiSSner respond to Soft (light) touch
Ruffini’s corpuscles
- situated in the dermis
- sensitive to deep pressure and stretching
remember: RUFFini corpuscles respond to “rough” (deep) pressure
Pacinian corpuscles
mechanoreceptors present deep in the dermis
sensitive only to deep touch, rapid deformation of skin surface and around joints for position/proprioception
Macule
- Flat area of the skin that is abnormal
* area of skin discoloration
Papule
• A circumscribed, elevated, solid lesion
Pustule
- Papule containing purulent material
* i.e. raised and full of puss
Plaque
elevated, superficial, solid lesion, greater than 1 cm in diameter
Raised, tends to be big
Vesicle
- Papule containing serous fluid
* i.e. a tiny blister
Bulla
A raised, circumscribed lesion greater than 0.5 cm that contains serous fluid.
I.e. a giant blister
Erythema
superficial reddening of the skin, usually in patches
result of injury or irritation causing dilatation of the blood capillaries
Ulceration
loss of the epidermis
Aetiology of acne
Androgens increase sebum production and viscosity
Lining of the hair follicles and sebaceous (oil) glands gets blocked by keratin and sebum build up
This causes narrowing
P. acnes bacteria on the skin thrives on trapped sebum
It invades into the oil glands causing a characteristic spot
Diagnosis of acne
Diagnosis of acne requires a mixture of all three of:
• Papules
• Pustules
• Erythema
May also have:
• Comedones (black heads/white heads)
Markers of much more severe disease:
• Nodules
• Cysts
• Scarring
Distribution of acne
- Face – most common area
- Chest
- Back / Shoulders – more common in males
- Occasionally legs, scalp
Acne subtypes
Acne vulgaris
• Papulopustular
• Nodulocystic
• Comedonal
Steroid induced – more truncal distribution than face
Acne fulminans – dermatological emergency
Acne rosacea – tends to affect adults
Acne Inversus (Hidradenitis suppurativa) - Papules, pustules and cysts on the groin, buttocks and other areas
How do you grade the severity of acne?
Leeds grading system, grades 1 to 12
Treatment of acne
Reduce plugging
• Topical retinoid
• Topical benzoyl peroxide
Reduce bacteria
• Topical antibiotics (erythromycin, clindamycin)
• Oral antibiotics (tetracyclines, erythromycin)
• Benzoyl peroxide reduces bacterial resistance
Reduce sebum production
• Hormones – anti-androgen i.e. Dianette / OCP
• Changes the viscosity of the oil produced and also leads to less sebum production
Oral isotretinoin
Roaccutane
- Oral retinoid for severe acne vulgaris
- Concentrated vitamin A
- Reduces sebum, plugging and bacteria
- Remission of acne in around 80% teenagers
- Standard course for 16 weeks
Multiple side effects – most are trivial • Dry lips • nose bleeds • dry skin • myalgia
Serious side effects • Deranged LFTs • Raised lipids • Mood disturbance • Teratogenicity - pregnancy prevention programme
Keloid scarring
• Overgrown scar tissue
Causes:
• Physical trauma
• Burns
• Hugely exaggerated scars as a result of acne
Cannot be reversed
Which two pathways lead to the development of skin cancer?
Direct action of UV on target cells (keratinocytes) for neoplastic transformation via DNA damage
Effects of UV on the host’s immune system
What is the most common type of skin cancer?
basal cell carcinoma
Which gene mutation may predispose to BCC?
PTCH gene mutation may predispose to BCC (pronounced ‘patch gene’)
Basal cell carcinoma subtypes
- Nodular
- Superficial
- Pigmented
- Morphoeic
Nodular Basal cell carcinoma
- Nodule i.e. raised lesion ( > 0.5cm)
- Rolled shiny margin
- Shiny “pearly”
- Telangectasia (broken blood vessels)
- Often ulcerated centrally
Superficial Basal cell carcinoma
- No raised nodular appearance
- Rolled shiny margin
- Broken blood vessels
- Usually doesn’t ulcerate
- Indolent superficial spread
Pigmented Basal cell carcinoma
- Rolled shiny margin
- Telangiectasia
- Ulceration
Treatment – Basal cell carcinoma
Gold standard – Surgical excision with an adequate margin
3-4mm margin of normal looking skin
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Originates from keratinocytes
- 2nd commonest skin cancer
Appearance:
• keratin – crusty
• no rolled shiny margin
• inflamed, but no specific blood vessels
• no area of skin ulceration unless very aggressive
Pre-malignant variants of Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- actinic keratoses
* Bowens disease = SSC in situ
Treatment – Squamous cell carcinoma
- Gold standard - Surgical excision
- 4-5mm margin due to risk of metastasis
- Curettage and cautery in elderly patients
- Symptomatically debulk the tumour
management of Pre-malignant skin lesions
• Topical imiquimod / 5-fluorouracil cream
Malignant melanoma
- Malignant tumour of melanocytes
- Most common in skin (but can be bowel/eye)
- Accounts for 75% of deaths from skin cancer
- Often affects young, fit people – hard to diagnose
Depth of tumour penetration into skin at presentation determines prognosis
Spread of malignant melanoma
Metastatic spread is via lymphatics, but rarely can spread haematogenously or along the skin
Risk factors for development of malignant melanoma
family history UV irradiation sunburns during childhood high SE status intermittent burning in fair unacclimatised skin skin type I/II
what determines melanoma prognosis?
Breslow depth score
Subungual melanoma
under the nail (nailbed is skin)
Acral melanoma
- Affects hands and feet
- Tend to present late
- Poor prognosis
- More common in darker skin types
Lentigo maligna
• melanoma in situ lesion on sun-damaged skin
Melanoma treatment
Surgical excision:
• (Breslow < 1mm) – 1cm margin
• (Breslow > 1mm) – 2cm margin
If metastatic:
• Chemotherapy
• isolated limb perfusion
Biologic therapies for melanoma
- Immunotherapy (ipilimumab)
- Immune checkpoint/MEK inhibitors
- antibodies to BRAF genetic defects (vemurafenib)
Name 2 Cutaneous tumour syndromes
Gardner Syndrome – soft tissue tumours, polyps, bowel ca
Cowden’s Syndrome – multiple hamartomas thyroid, breast ca
Eczema
= Dermatitis - inflammation of the skin
Inflammation in eczema is primarily due to inherited abnormalities in skin “barrier defect”, causing increased permeability and reduces its antimicrobial function
An inherited abnormality in filaggrin expression is considered a primary cause of disordered barrier function.
The gene for filaggrin is on Chromosome 1
what is filaggrin?
Filaggrins are filament-associated proteins which bind to keratin fibres in the epidermal cells.
Types of eczema
Endogenous
• Atopic eczema – classical type
• Seborrhoeic eczema
• Varicose eczema
Exogenous (external irritants to the skin)
• Contact (allergic, irritant)
• Photoreaction (allergic, drug)
Atopic eczema
- Itchy inflammatory skin condition
- Yellow crusting suggests a secondary bacterial infection
Associated with atopic conditions: • Asthma • allergic rhinitis • conjunctivitis • hay fever
- high IgE levels
- Genetic and immune aetiology
- 10% of infants affected
- Remission occurs in majority by 15 years
- 2/3 have a family history of atopy
Infant atopic eczema
- Itchy
- occasionally vesicular (small blisters)
- often facial component
- secondary infection (yellow crusting)
- < 50% still have eczema by 18 months
occasionally aggravated by food (i.e. milk, eggs, wheat) unlike in adult eczema
Symmetrical distribution
complications of infant atopic eczema
- Growth reduction
- Psychological impact
- Bacterial infection due to broken skin
- Viral infection
Management of infant atopic eczema
Emollients – ‘reseal’ the skin with a protective film
Topical steroids – targets the inflammatory component
Bandages, antihistamines (sedative) – to prevent scratching
Antibiotics / antivirals (if prone to HSV/eczema herpeticum)
Education for parents and child – specialised eczema nurses
Avoidance of exacerbating factors
Systemic drugs – immune modifications. Very potent drugs
• Ciclosporin
• Methotrexate
Newer biological agents
• Dupilumab – IL-4/IL-13 blocker
Contact dermatitis
Precipitated by an exogenous agent
Two types:
• Irritant - direct noxious effect on skin barrier
• Allergic - Type IV hypersensitivity reaction. Immune system is sensitised and reaction occurs on repeated exposure
Common allergens causing contact dermatitis
Nickel - Jewellery, zips, scissors, coins, door handles
Fragrance - Cosmetics, creams, soaps
Chromate - Cement, tanned leather
Cobalt - Pigment
Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
- Chronic, scaly inflammatory condition
- Often thought to be “dandruff”
- Face, scalp, and eyebrows
- Overgrowth of Pityrosporum Ovale yeast. Natural commensal organism. Thrives on oily parts of the skin
- Can be worse in teenagers
- Identifying illness for HIV
Management of Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
Scalp - medicated anti yeast shampoo
Face - anti-microbial, mild steroid
Simple moisturizer
Often improves with UV/sunlight
Venous dermatitis
Underlying venous disease causing incompetence of deep perforating veins
This leads to increased hydrostatic pressure
Skin gradually starts to stretch out, and ultimately this causes inflammation and external dermatitis
Symmetrical
Usually in the area with the most gravitational pressure - affects lower legs
Brown discolouration due to haemosiderin deposition
Can cause areas of superficial ulceration