Skin Disorders

Question 1

Dermatitis (Eczema)

Answer 1

inflammation of skin that causes itching, redness, skin lesions

Question 2

What causes dermatitis?

Answer 2

allergic or contact, actinic (photosensitivity to UV/sunlight), atopic (unknown)

Question 3

Stages of dermatitis

Answer 3

acute - red, oozing, crusting rash, scaling, scattered plaques

subacute - erythematous skin, scaling, scattered plaques

Chronic - thickened skin, increased skin marking secondary to itching, fibrotic papules & nodules.

Question 4

How do bacterial infections occur?

Answer 4

enter through portals in skin

Question 5

What is impetigo?

Answer 5

superficial bacterial infection caused by staph/strept

inflammation, small pus-filled vesicles, itching

Question 6

What is cellulitis

Answer 6

suppurative inflammation of cellular or CT in or close to skin caused by bacterial infection

tends to be poorly defined/widespread
strept/staph infection
hot, red, edematous

Question 7

How is cellulitis managed?

Answer 7

elevation, antibiotics, cool/wet dressings

Question 8

Abscess

Answer 8

cavity containing pus & surrounded by inflamed tissue resulting from infection (staph)

Question 9

Herpes 1 (simplex)

Answer 9

viral infection characterized by itching/soreness followed by vesicular eruption of skin on face/mouth

e.g. cold sore, fever blister

Question 10

Herpes 2

Answer 10

common cause of genital vesicular eruption

spread by sexual contact

Question 11

Herpes zoster (shingles)

Answer 11

caused by varicella-zoster virus (reactivation)
pain & tingling affecting spinal/cranial nerve dermatome progressing to red papules along distribution of infected nerve

fever, chills, malaise, GI disturbances

Question 12

viral warts

Answer 12

benign infection by HPV virus
direct contact

manage w/ cryotherapy, acids, electrodessication, OTC meds

Question 13

Ringworm (tinea corporis)

Answer 13

fungal infection involving hair, skin, nails
itchy, transmission through direct contact
topical/oral antifungal

Question 14

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)

Answer 14

fungal infection of foot, between toes
erythema, inflammation, pruritis, itching/pain
antifungal creams
can progress to bacteral infections/cellulitis

Question 15

Psoriasis

Answer 15

chronic disease of skin of erythematous plaques covered with silvery scale

itching/pain

may be associated w/ psoriatic arthritis/joint pain

managed w/ systemic drugs (methotrexate), topical preparations (corticosteroids)

Question 16

Lupus erythematosus

Answer 16

chronic, progressive inflammatory disorder of CT

discoid - skin flare-ups with UV exposure

Question 17

Scleroderma

Answer 17

chronic, diffuse disease of CT causing fibrosis of skin, joints, blood vessels, internal organs

Usually accompanied by raynaud’s

managed w/ corticosteroids, vasodilators, analgesics, immunosuppressive agents

Question 18

Polymyositis

Answer 18

disease of CT of edema, inflammation, degeneration of muscles

primarily proximal muscles

managed w/ corticosteroids/immunosuppressants

can damage muscle fibers w/ too much exercise