W19 70 skin diseases Flashcards
What are the different types of flat lesions?
Macula - flat circumscribed area of skin <0.5cm
Patch - flag circumscribed area of skin >0.5cm
What are the different kinds of lumpy lesions?
Papule - raised lesion <0.5cm
Nodule - raised lesion >0.5cm
Plaque - large flat topped areas
What is a vesicle and a bulla?
Vesicle = fluid filled lesion <0.5cm
Bulla = fluid filled lesion >0.5cm
What is a pustule?
Pus filled lesion
What is a weal?
Raised erythmatous lesion with surrounding flare/oedema (associated usually with hives)
What is lichenidication?
A flat topped thickening of the skin (epidermis) secondary to scratching
What is a scale?
Visible and palpable flakes due to aggregation/abnormal shedding of epidermal cells
What is an ulcer?
A loss of epidermis (often with loss of underlying dermis and subcutis)
What different inflammatory dermatoses are there?
Eczema - atopic, contact dermatitis
Urticaria and angioedema
Psoriasis
Lichen planus
What is eczema?
Dermatitis
What are the different types of eczema?
Endogenous - atopic (eg people more predisposed to hay fever, asthma etc) or seborrhoeic (more associated where there are lots of oral producing glands)
Exogenous - irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis
Describe atopic eczema
Usually occurs in childhood only
Mainly affects head and neck
Affects the flexures (creases and folds of body)
Causes erythema, scaling, lichenification, pruritus, secondary infection (staph aureus)
What is the treatment for atopic eczema?
Emollients (moisturises)
Topical corticosteroids
Antibiotics (anti-staph aureus)
Phototherapy
Immunosuppressant - ciclosporin, methotrexate, azathioprine
How does seborrheoic eczema present?
Facial rash, erythema, scaling, ‘cradle cap’ (in children)
Pityriasis Capitis (bad dandruff)
How do you manage seborrhoeic eczema?
Olive oil on the scalp - in children
In adults it is more chronic and recurrent affecting the face
What type of reaction is allergic contact dermatitis?
Type IV hypersensitivity (cell mediated response, CD4 and T helper cells recognise foreign antigens and present them to cause the response).
Caused by allergies
What things can cause irritant contact dermatitis?
Physical/chemical change/damage
H2O
Detergent
Acids/alkalis
How do you test for allergic contact dermatitis?
Patch testing - place lots of chemicals on back for a week and take off to see what was responded to
How do you test for type I hypersensitivity reactions eg house dust mites, grass, pollens etc?
Put allergens on skin, then prick it with skin prick. Don’t break the skin/make bleed. Histamine will be positive if allergic, control will be negative and compare the response.
What is the different between urticaria and angioedema?
Urticaria is more superficial
Angioedema is deeper
What type of reactions are urticaria and angioedema?
Type I (type II?) hypersensitivity reactions
Mast cell mediated
What can you get with urticaria and angioedema?
Erythema
Oedema
Pruritus (itchy skin)
What can urticaria and angioedema be associated with?
Drugs - aspirin/NSAIDs, opiates
Latex
What is psoriasis?
Inflammatory condition causing erythema and silver scale
Commonly affects more of the extensors
Classically affects the scalp
Usually strong family history related
What can lichen planus present as on the skin?
Itchy, usually wrists, symmetrical, purple/violaceous, shiny, polygonal and flat topped, wickham striae, cause unknown
Self-limiting
What is treatment for lichen planus?
Topical steroids
What is oral lichen planus?
White, scaly patches
Can be scratched off the mucosa like oral candidiasis