Overview: Skin Flashcards
What are primary skin lesisons?
initial cutaneous pathologic changes. They are uncomplicated, and uninfluenced by secondary lesions.
What are secondary lesions?
Changes that occur to the primary lesions as a result of
1) progression of the disease
2) scratching
3) infection
What does a positive KOH prep support the diagnosis of?
dermatophytes
Is a gram stain commonly done in the clinic?
it has restricted use because it can only be done in certified labs
What is a tzanck smear for?
herpesvirus infections
When are fungal cultures most useful?
tinea capitis and tinea unguium
What is wood’s light mostly used for?
It is UV light, 360 nm used to help diagnose some fungal and bacterial infections and some disorder of pigmentation
What is macules:
circumscribed change in skin color without elevation or depression, <1 cm
what is a patch
a flat, nonpalable irregular shaped macule >1cm
papule:
solid, evlated <1cm in diameter, ex. wart
nodule:
solid, elevated circumscribed area similar to a papule but 1-2 cm in diameter and deeper in the dermis with visible elevation of skin ex. cyst
tumor:
elevated and solid lesion
may or may not be demarcated
>2cm
ex. lipoma
plaques:
elevated, firm, and rough lesion with flat top surface >1cm in diameter. Can evolve into a large one.
ex. psoriasis, actinic keratoses
vesicle:
elevated, circumscribed, superficial not into dermis. filled with serous fluid, <1cm in diameter.
ex. chicken pox
bullae:
vesicle >1cm in diamter. ex. blister
