Skin Flashcards
What are the functions of the skin?
Largest organ of the body, protective barrier against environmental insults, temperature and water loss regulation, sensation, vitamin D synthesis, appearance.
What is a macule?
A flat area of altered colour
What is a patch?
A flat area of altered colour or texture >0.5cm
What is a plaque?
Palpable scaling raised lesion >0.5cm
What is a papule?
Solid raised lesion
What is a nodule?
Solid raised lesion >0.5cm
What is a vesicle?
Raised, clear fluid-filled lesion
What is a bulla?
Raised, clear fluid-filled lesion >0.5cm
What are the different types of benign lesions?
Skin tags, moles, cysts, papillomas.
What are fibroepithelial polyps?
Common, flesh coloured bag like lesion. Generally in middle-aged and older people.
What is Naevi?
Proliferation of melanocytes (pigment-producing cell). Can occur in the derma-epidermal junction, D-EJ and dermis or just in dermis.
What is a sebaceous cyst?
Clinical term encompasses 2 types of cyst. Derived from invagination of epithelium.
What are the 2 types of sebaceous cysts?
Epidermoid cyst, Pilar cyst.
What is Seborrhoeic Keratosis?
Occurs in middle aged and older people. Arises spontaneously on trunk, head and neck. Brown/lumpy lesion.
What is Haemangioma?
Benign vascular tumours of the dermis. Bluey red surface. Tend to occur in children.
What are the different types of malignant lesions?
Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease, Melanoma.
What is basal cell carcinoma?
Most common human cancer. Slow growing tumours, rarely metastasise. Occur at sun exposed sites. Appear as a pearly nodule.
What is Bowen’s disease?
Epidermal dysplasia caused by sun damage. Can turn into squamous cell carcinoma.
What is squamous cell carcinoma?
Second commonest skin tumour of sun-exposed sites in older people
What is melanoma?
Fairly common, arises in sun damaged skin. Can be aggressive and widely spread.
What are symptoms of melanoma?
Asymmetry Border - irregular Colour - variable pigmentation in lesion Diameter Enlarge
What are rashes?
Inflammatory skin reactions.
What is an example of a common rash?
Eczema - ‘to boil over’. Itching, burning, rash, blisters.
What is psoriasis?
Commonly affects elbows, knees, scalp, lumbosacral area and glens penis. Salmon pink plaques with silver scaling.
What are the associations with psoriasis?
Nail changes, arthritis, myopathy, enteropathy and spondylic joint disease.
What is scabies?
Common and very itchy. Caused by human scabies mites. Burrows appear as small greyish lines on the skin.
How is scabies spread?
Direct skin to skin contact with someone who already has scabies.
What are the 3 types of skin conditions associated with systemic disease?
Meningitis, SLE, Internal malignancy
What are the symptoms of meningitis?
Unwell, headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright light. Aching limbs, cold hands and feet. Rash of tiny pink prick spots which can develop into purple bruising. Non-blanching rash.
