WEEK TWO: Skin Lesions & Skin Disorders (Lesty)

Question 1

Macule characteristics and examples

Answer 1

• Nonpalpable
• A spot, circumscribed, up to 1 cm
• Not elevated above or depression below surrounding skin surface
• Hypopigmented, hyperpigmented, or erythematous
• Examples: freckles
• Macules are referred to as “patch” if greater than 1 cm. Ex: Cafe au lait spots, Mongolian spots

Question 2

Papule characteristics and examples

Answer 2

• A bump
• Palpable
• Circumscribed
• Elevated and less than 5 mm in diameter
• May be pigmented, erythematous, or flesh-toned
• Example: Elevated nevus (mole)

Question 3

Nodule characteristics and examples

Answer 3

• Same characteristics as papule, except diameter is 5 mm to 2 cm
• May have a large amount of palpable dermal component (shit inside of the bump)
• (Bump, palpable, circumscribed, elevated, may be pigmented, erythematous, or flesh-toned)
• Examples: Fibroma, xanthoma, intradermal nevi

Question 4

Tumor characteristics and examples

Answer 4

• Any mass lesion lesion; generally larger than a nodule; maybe either malignant or benign
• Example: Lipoma

Question 5

Plaque characteristics and examples

Answer 5

• Usually, well-circumscribed lesion with large surface area and slight elevation
• Examples: Psoriasis, lichen planus

Question 6

Wheal characteristics and examples

Answer 6

• Elevated
• Smooth surface
• Sloping borders
• Usually, light pink color
• Caused by acute areas of edema in the skin
• May appear, disappear, or change form abruptly within minutes or hours
• Size ranges from 3 mm to 20 cm
• Example: Mosquito Bite

Question 7

Vesicle characteristics and examples

Answer 7

• Small blister (up to 5 mm in diameter)
• Fluid-filled (fluid may be subcorneal, intraepidermal, or subepidermal)
• Example: Herpes simplex (early stages)

Question 8

Bulla characteristics and examples

Answer 8

• Blister larger than 5 mm
• Fluid-filled; fluid may be located at various levels
• Examples: Pemphigus, pemphigoid

Question 9

Pustule characteristics and examples

Answer 9

• An elevated, well-circumscribed lesion containing purulent exudate (pus)
• Example: Acne vulgaris

Question 10

Erosion characteristics and examples

Answer 10

• Loss of epidermis that does not extend into dermis
• Example: ruptured chickenpox vesicle

Question 11

Ulcer characteristics and examples

Answer 11

• Loss of skin through the epidermis; healing results in scar formation
• Example: statis ulcer

Question 12

Fissure characteristics and examples

Answer 12

• A split in all epidermal layers of skin
• Example: Athletes foot

Question 13

Atrophy characteristics and examples

Answer 13

• Diminution of epidermal surface; skin looks thinner and more translucent than normal; atrophy of the dermal layers may result in wasting or depression of the skin surface
• Example: arterial insufficiency

Question 14

Excoriation characteristics and examples

Answer 14

• Loss of outer skin layers from scratching or rubbing
• Example: Scratched insect bite

Question 15

Crust characteristics and examples

Answer 15

• A collection of serous exudate and debris on the surface of damaged or absent outer skin layers
• Example: Impetigo

Question 16

Scale characteristics and examples

Answer 16

• A compact portion of desquamating stratum corneum
• May vary in size, thickness, and consistency
• Examples: Psoriasis scale (compact and thick), pityriasis rosea scale (thin and small)

Question 17

Lichenification characteristics and examples

Answer 17

• Epidermal thickening and roughening of the skin
• increased visibility of skin surface furrows
• Example: Chronic atopic dermatitis

Question 18

Scar characteristics and examples

Answer 18

• A collection of fibrous tissue that forms to replace lost epidermal and dermal tissue
• Examples: surgical scar, acne scar

Question 19

Keloid characteristics and examples

Answer 19

• Augmentation of scar tissue, creating a significant elevation on the skin surface after healing
• Examples: post-surgical scar, post-acne scar