Skin, Hair, & Nails Flashcards
Purpose / Function of the integumentary system
- Protection
- Prevents penetration
- Perception
- Temperature regulation
- Identification
- Communication
- Wound repair
- Absorption and excretion
- Production of Vitamin D
How to check for melanoma
Use ABCDEF categories
What are the ABCDEF categories?
Asymmetry Border irregularity Color variation Diameter > 6 mm (size of a pencil eraser) Evaluation or Evolution Funny looking
What is the most important thing to ask if a pt suspects a mole with melanoma?
Has this changed?
Additional symptoms that are warning signs of melanoma
- Rapidly changing lesion
- Itching, burning, or new onset bleeding of mole
- Color change of lesion to dark, black, or gray
What percentage of skin cancer cases is melanoma?
1%
How much more likely are white people to get melanoma compared to Hispanics and black people?
21 times higher than Hispanics
26 times higher than black people
Based off gender, who is more likely to get melanoma?
- Before age 50, women more likely
- By 65 yrs, rates in men doubled than in women
- By 80 yrs, rates in men tripled than in women
What are most melanoma cases due to?
95% due to UV radiation
Subjective data regarding skin
- History of skin disease
- Change in pigmentation
- Change in mole
- Excessive dryness or moisture
- Pruritus
- Medications
- Excessive bruising
- Rash or lesion
- Hair loss
- Change in nails
- Environmental and occupational hazards
- Ask about self-care
What should you ask pt about history of skin disease?
- Personal history of disease and how it was treated
- Allergic skin problems? Hives?
What should you ask pt about change in pigmentation?
All over? Or Localized?
What should you ask patient about change in moles?
Ask about ABCDEF
Tender? Bleeding? Itching?
Medical term for excessive dryness (spelling?)
Xerosis
Medical term for excessive oil (spelling?)
Seborrhea
Medical term for excessive itching (spelling?)
Pruritus
What should you ask patient about pruritus?
When did it start?
How long has it been going on?
Is it waking you up at night?
What should you ask pt about medications, regarding skin?
Bruises? (Blood thinners)
Rashes?
Hyperpigmentation? (Some diabetes medications)
What should you ask a pt about a rash or lesion?
Ask if they have been there for a long time / aren’t healing
Medical term for hair loss (spelling?)
Alopecia
What should you ask pt about hair loss?
Where at?
When did it start?
Is it diffuse?
Shape of W?
What should you do if your pt is female and has hairloss?
Know that hairloss in women is not normal, it can be due to hormones or medications
What should you ask pt about change in nails?
Brittle?
Fissures?
Thickening? (Diabetes)
Color?
What should you at about self care?
Do they wear sunscreen?
Sit in the shade?
Look for changes in moles?
Emotions that can affect skin color
Fear, anger, embarassment
How does fear or anger affect skin color?
Peripheral vasoconstriction - false pallor
How does embarassment affect skin color?
Flushing in face and neck - false erythema
What environmental factors affect skin color?
Hot room
Cold room
Cigarette smoking
How does a hot room affect skin color?
Vasodilation - false erythema
How does a chilly room affect skin color?
Vasoconstriction - false pallor, coolness
How does cigarette smoking affect skin color?
Vasoconstriction - false pallor
Physical factors that affect skin color
Prolonged elevation
Dependent position
Immobilization, prolonged inactivity
How does prolonged elevation affect skin color?
Decreased arterial perfusion - pallor, coolness
How does dependent position affect skin color?
Venous pooling - redness, warmth, distended veins
How does immobilization or prolonged inactivity affect skin color?
Slowed circulation - pallor, coolness, pale nail beds, prolonged capillary filling time
What are we looking at when we are inspecting the color of skin?
General pigmentation Freckles Moles Birthmarks Widespread color change
Medical term for pale (spelling?)
Pallor
Medical term for redness (spelling?)
Erythema
Medical term for blue (spelling?)
Cyanosis
Medical term for yellow skin (spelling?)
Jaundice
Medical term for green/frosty skin (spelling?)
Uremia
What is vitiligo?
Body stops producing melanin in some areas of skin
What should skin temperature feel like?
Should be warm
Temperature equal bilaterally
What does warm skin suggest?
Normal circulatory status
Factors we look at when inspecting and palpating skin
Color Temperature Moisture Texture Thickness Edema Mobility and turgor Vascularity or bruising