skin terminology

Question 1

xerosis

Answer 1

dry skin

Question 2

excoriation

Answer 2

self-inflicted abrasion (on skin due to scratching)

Question 3

ulcer

Answer 3

deep depression, irregular shape, leaves a scar

Question 4

scar

Answer 4

normal tissue lost & replaced with CT (e.g. healed area of surgery, injury, or acne)

Question 5

atrophic scar

Answer 5

depressed resulting skin level, loss of tissue (e.g. striae)

Question 6

dermis

Answer 6

inner supportive layer of CT or collagen

Question 7

epidermis

Answer 7

outermost layer of skin, stratified

Question 8

subcutaneous layer

Answer 8

“fat”, adipose tissue below dermis, stores ENERGY

Question 9

nevi

Answer 9

moles

Question 10

nevus simplex

Answer 10

“stork bite”/salmon patch, flat red/pink irregular patch (location: forehead, eyelid, upper lip, back of neck)

Question 11

senile angiomas

Answer 11

raised red spots, appears on trunk (on 30yo+)

Question 12

senile lentigines

Answer 12

“liver spots”, small flat circumscribed brown macules

Question 13

acrochordons

Answer 13

“skin tags”, normal skin overgrows forming a stalk, polyp-like

Question 14

petechiae

Answer 14

tiny purple/red flat spots (hemorrhaging) (1-3mm), does not blanch

Question 15

purpura

Answer 15

dark red discolored areas, flat, extensive patch of petechiae

Question 16

pallor

Answer 16

paleness, looks like CT

Question 17

cyanosis

Answer 17

bluish discoloration (decreased perfusion), high in deoxygenated blood

Question 18

erythema

Answer 18

intense redness (excess blood in dilated superficial capillaries)

Question 19

jaundice

Answer 19

yellowing of skin (rising amounts of bilirubin in blood)

Question 20

blanching

Answer 20

turning white, (blood supply is squeezed/cut off)

Question 21

skin tear

Answer 21

break or rip in outer skin layer, separates epidermis from tissues

Question 22

discrete

Answer 22

distinct & individual lesions (e.g. skin tags, acne)

Question 23

target

Answer 23

‘iris”, concentric ring color

Question 24

urticaria

Answer 24

itchy wheals (allergic reaction) (e.g. hives)

Question 25

macule

Answer 25

flat, circumscribed, color change (e.g. freckles, nevi, petechiae)

Question 26

papule

Answer 26

solid, circumscribed, elevated (<1cm -diameter) (e.g. pimple)

Question 27

wheal

Answer 27

superficial, elevated, transient, erythematous, slightly irregular shape

Question 28

nodule

Answer 28

solid, elevated, hard/soft, (>1cm) (e.g. fibroma, intradermal nevi)

Question 29

vesicle

Answer 29

"blister", elevated, free fluid cavity (<1cm) (e.g. herpes simplex, contact dermatitis)

Question 30

cyst

Answer 30

encapsulated fluid-filled cavity (in dermis/fat layer), elevates skin (e.g. wen, sebaceous cyst)

Question 31

patch

Answer 31

macules >1cm (e.g. café au lait spot, measles rash)

Question 32

plaque

Answer 32

coalesced papules, surface elevation wider >1cm (e.g. psoriasis)

Question 33

bulla

Answer 33

>1cm in diameter, superficial, thin-walled, ruptures easily (e.g. burns, friction blister)

Question 34

tumor

Answer 34

> few cm in diameter, firm/soft, deep (e.g. lipoma, hemangioma)

Question 35

pustule

Answer 35

cloudy fluid (pus) in cavity, circumscribed, elevated (e.g. acne, impetigo)

Question 36

crust

Answer 36

thickened & dried out exudate (vesicles/pustules burst/dry up) (e.g. scab after abrasion)

Question 37

scale

Answer 37

compact desiccated flakes (dead skin cells shed)

Question 38

erosion

Answer 38

scooped out, shallow depression

Question 39

diaphoresis

Answer 39

profuse sweating

Question 40

fissure

Answer 40

linear crack, abrupt edges, into dermis (e.g. athlete's foot)

Question 41

keloid

Answer 41

scar at site of wound, grows beyond normal boundaries, smooth, rubbery, shiny, "clawliike"

Question 42

lichenification

Answer 42

thickened skin, tightly packed papules (intense scratching)

Question 43

leukonychia striata

Answer 43

white lines, through nail bed

Question 44

annular

Answer 44

circular, center to periphery (e.g. ringworm)

Question 45

linear

Answer 45

scratch, streak, line, stripe

Question 46

zosteriform

Answer 46

linear arrangement along nerve route (e.g. herpes zoster)

Question 47

ecchymosis

Answer 47

bruise (meds from vein leak out into tissue)

Question 48

contusion

Answer 48

bruise (blunt force trauma)

Question 49

hypopigmentation

Answer 49

absence of pigment, light/white splotches

Question 50

hyperpigmentation

Answer 50

darkened skin (excessive amounts of melanin)

Question 51

pruritus

Answer 51

itchy skin

Question 52

hirsutism

Answer 52

excessive hair growth

Question 53

alopecia

Answer 53

hair loss, baldness

Question 54

seborrhea

Answer 54

oily discharge

Question 55

exudate

Answer 55

fluid accumulated in wound, contains: serum, cellular debris, bacteria, & wbcs

Question 56

pedunculated

Answer 56

attached by stalk

Question 57

confluent

Answer 57

run together

Question 58

grouped

Answer 58

clusters

Question 59

gyrate

Answer 59

twisted, coiled spiral, snakelike