Skin conditions Flashcards
What is folliculitis?
It’s when hair follicles get infected and inflamed, causing small red pimples with pus. It usually happens on the scalp or arms and legs.
What is a furuncle (boil)?
A painful lump filled with pus that starts from an infected hair follicle and spreads. It can leave a scar.
What is a carbuncle?
A group of boils joined together, usually on the neck, shoulders, or thighs. It’s painful, swollen, leaks pus, and may cause fever.
What is cellulitis?
A skin infection that spreads fast and affects deeper layers of skin. It’s more common in older people or those with diabetes or poor blood flow.
What are the signs and symptoms of cellulitis?
Red, swollen, warm, and painful skin. You might also get a fever and feel unwell.
How is cellulitis treated and prevented?
It’s treated with antibiotics. To prevent it, keep skin clean, avoid injuries, and treat any skin problems early.
What is dermatitis (eczema)?
A common skin condition that makes skin itchy, red, and sometimes scaly or cracked. It can be caused by allergies, irritants, or dryness.
What is acne vulgaris?
Pimples that happen when oil glands in the skin get inflamed, mostly in teens. It can cause blackheads, whiteheads, and sometimes scars.
What is psoriasis?
A long-term skin condition where skin cells grow too fast, causing red patches with silvery scales. Stress, infections, and smoking can make it worse.
What are the three types of skin cancer?
Basal cell: Slow-growing, doesn’t spread much.
Squamous cell: Grows deeper and can spread.
Melanoma: The most serious type—can spread quickly and start in moles or freckles.
What is a pressure injury?
A sore that happens when someone lies or sits in one position for too long, usually over bony areas like the tailbone or heels.
What are the 6 stages of a pressure injury?
Stage 1: Red skin that doesn’t go away when pressed (blanch able)
Stage 2: Skin peels or blisters.
Stage 3: Deep sore showing fat.
Stage 4: Very deep sore showing muscle or bone.
Unstageable: Too much dead tissue to see how deep it is.
Deep tissue injury: Dark purple or red area under the skin.
What’s the difference between venous and arterial leg ulcers?
Venous ulcers: Moist, shallow, near the ankle, and better when you lift your leg.
Arterial ulcers: Dry, deep, on toes or shin, and better when you hang your leg down.
What is basal cell carcinoma?
A common and slow-growing skin cancer that starts in the bottom layer of the skin. It usually appears on sun-exposed areas like the face and rarely spreads to other parts of the body.
What is squamous cell carcinoma?
A type of skin cancer that starts in the outer layer of the skin. It can grow deeper and is more likely to spread than basal cell carcinoma. It often shows up on areas exposed to the sun.
What is melanoma?
The most serious type of skin cancer. It starts in pigment cells (melanocytes), can grow quickly, and often spreads to other parts of the body. It can develop from moles or appear as new, unusual-looking spots on the skin.
How does a pressure injury begin (pathophysiology)?
A pressure injury starts when constant pressure on the skin (usually over a bony area) squeezes the small blood vessels underneath. This reduces blood flow and oxygen to the area, causing the skin and tissues to become damaged. If the pressure isn’t relieved, it can lead to tissue death (necrosis) and open sores.
Which of the following conditions is characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes and dermal vascular changes?
Dermatitis (eczema)
Basal cell carcinoma
Psoriasis
Cellulitis
Psoriasis
Hyperproliferation of keratinocytes results in scaly patches
Furuncles occur when bacterial infection of hair follicles spreads to the dermis.
TRUE
FALSE
True
Describe cellulitis and outline its key signs & symptoms.
Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the dermis and hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue). It typically presents with erythema, swelling, warmth and pain on one leg (this begins small, but can rapidly spread)
what is Basal cell carcinoma?
slow growing cancer arising in epidermal basal cells
what is squamous cell carcinoma?
cancer arising in outer layer keratinocytes that eventually invades the dermis
what is melanoma?
agressive and invasive cancer originating in melaocytes
