Skin Flashcards
Skin Facts
Largest organ, important in homeostasis, protection, regulation of body temperature, and synthesis vitamin D
Pale skin may indicate
malnutrition, anemia, hypoglycemia, shock, low blood flow
Erythema may indicate
increased blood flow, fever, burns, infection, immune disorders, medication
Fifth Disease
AKA Slapped cheeks, localized erythemia
Malar Rash
AKA Butterfly rash, typical of systemic lupus erythematosus
Generalized erythemia, infectious condition
Staphlococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome
Central cyanosis may indicate
Lung disease, congenital heart disease, abnormal hemoglobin
Peripheral cyanosis may indicate
Decreased local circulation or increased extraction of oxygen (CHF, circulatory shock, exposure to cold)
Central cyanosis seen where
Lips, oral mucosa, tongue
Peripheral cyanosis seen
toes, hands, feet
Jaundice
AKA icterus, high levels of bilirubin in the blood
Primary lesions
Arise from normal skin
Secondary lesions
Result from change in primary lesion
Lesion
Anything on skin that appears abnormal
Nodule
Elevated, solid, more than .5 cm, nodules are bigger than plaque
Macule
Flat, discolored skin; freckles, vitiligo
Papule
Elevated solid lesion, smaller than .5 cm; nevus, wart
Plaque
Elevated circumscribed lesion, firm, dry, any size
Wheal
superficial area of cutaneous edema; hives, insect bite
Vesicles
Smaller than .5 cm, filled with serous fluid; blister, herpes simplex
Bulla
Circumscribed lesion of greater than .5 cm, filled with serous fluid; blister, pemphigus vulgaris, could be more serious than vesicles
Pustule
Filled with pus, small, tender; acne, impetigo, paronychia
Comedo
Plugged opening of sebaceous gland; blackhead
Burrow
Smaller than 1 cm, raised tunnel; scabies, very few conditions
Cyst
Palpable lesion filled with semi-liquid material or fluid, very deep; Sebaceous cyst
Abcess
Deep infection, very tender, determine borders by palpitation
Furuncle
Specific type of primary lesion, necrotizing form of inflammation of a hair follicle, second deepest infection
Carbuncle
A coalescence of several furuncles
Milla
Tiny keratin-filled cysts representing an accumulation of keratin in the distal portion of the sweat gland; very common treat by cutting and squeezing out keratin
Erosion
Loss of part or all of the epidermis; from rupture of vesicle or bullae
Ulcer
Loss of epidermis and dermis, deeper than erosion, may bleed; stasis ulcer, gangrenousm
Fissure
Linear crack from epidermis into dermis; athlete’s foot, enzyma
Excoriation
Superficial linear or dugout traumatized area, usually self-induced; abrasion, scratch marks
Atrophy
Thinning of skin with loss of skin markings; striae
Erythema
Pink or red blanchable discoloration of the skin secondary to dilatation of blood vessels; erysipelas, cellulitis
Cellulitis
Form of erythema, very deep
Erysipelas
Type of erythema, not very deep, easy to treat
Petechiae
Reddish-purple, nonblanching, smaller than .5 cm; intravascular defects
Purpura
Reddish-purple, nonblanching, greater than .5 cm, areas of bleeding are deeper than petechiae
Ecchymosis
Reddish-purple nonblanching, variable size; vasculitis, trauma
Telangiectasia
Fine, irregular, dilated blood vessels, does not change color when palpitating; dilation of capillaries
Spider angioma
Central red body with radiating spider-like arms that blanch with pressure to central area, usually on trunk; liver disease
Keloid
Elevated, enlarged scar growing beyond boundaries of wound; burn scars, chest surgeries
Lichenification
Roughening and thickening of epidermis, accentuated skin markings associated with hyperpigmentation; many chronic skin conditions
Three important descriptors of a skin lesion
Morphology, configuration, distribution
Alopecia Areata
Round patch of hair loss, no visible scaling or inflammation
Trichotillomania/Trichotillosis
Hair loss from pulling, plucking or twisting; sign of psychological stress in young
Tinea Capitis
AKA Ringworm, Round scaly patches of alopecia
Paronychia
Superficial infection of proximal and lateral nail folds, red swollen, tender; most common infection
Clubbing of Fingers
Clinically a bulbous swelling of the soft tissue at the nail base, with loss of normal angle between the nail and the proximal fold; seen in congenital heart disease, lung cancer
Onycholysis
Painless separation of the whitened opaque nail plate from the pinker translucent nail bed; trauma, fungal, diabetes, anemia, peripheral ischemia, syphilis
Terry’s nails
Nail plate turns white with a ground-glass appearance, a distal band of reddish brown, and obliteration of the lunula; seen in liver disease, heart failure and diabetes
White spots (Leukonychia)
Trauma to the nails is commonly followed by nonuniform white spots that grow slowly out with the nail; over manicuring
Transverse White Bands (Mees’ Lines)
Curving transverse white bands that cross the nail parallel to the lunula; seen in arsenic poisoning, heart failure, Hodgkin’s disease, leprosy etc
Transverse Linear Depression (Beau’s Lines)
Transverse depressions of the nail plates, usually bilateral, resulting from temporary disruption of the proximal nail growth from systemic illness; Seen in severe illness
Pitting
Punctate depressions of the nail plate caused by defective layering of the superficial nail plate by the proximal nail matrix; Associated with psoriasis, also sarcoidosis, alopecia areata
