skin, hair, and nail vocab

bulla

fluid filled sac or lesion that appears when fluid is trapped under a thin layer of skin

clubbing

when the angle of the nail base exceeds 180 degrees, caused by proliferation of the distal tissues, resulting in an thickening and widening of the extremities of the digits, the nails are abnormally curved and shiny, common with chronic hypoxia

confluent

individual spots or bumps that merge together to form a larger, solid patch or plaque

cyanosis

a medical sign that causes a bluish or purplish discoloration of the skin, lips, or nail beds due to a lack of oxygen in the blood

Ecchymosis

subcutaneous extravasation of blood within tissues; a flat bruise larger than one centimeter that forms when blood leaks from broken blood vessels into the tissue underneath the skin

Erythema

a common but no specific sign of skin irritation, injury, or inflammation caused by dilation of superficial blood vessels in the skin; reddening of tissue

Jaundice

a medical condition that turns the skin and the whites of the eyes yellow

keloid

a thick, raised overgrowth of scar tissue that grows past the edges of an original skin injury

leukonychia

white discoloration, spots, or bands that appear on the fingernails or toenails

linear

abnormal lesions that form in a line

macule

Flat, circumscribed area that is a change in the color of the skin; less than 1cm in diameter

nevi

congenital, raised, pigmented growth eg. mole

nodule

Elevated, firm, circumscribed lesion; deeper in dermis than a papule; 1–2cm in diameter

pallor

loss of pinkish color of skin due to lack of blood flow to the skin

papule

Elevated, firm, circumscribed area less than 1cm in diameter

patch

a flat, non- palpable, irregular shaped macule greater than 1cm in diameter, may have irregular border

petechiae

tiny purple spots on the skin

plaque

Elevated, firm, and rough lesion with flat top surface greater than 1cm in diameter

pustule

Elevated, superficial lesion; similar to a vesicle but filled with purulent fluid

rash

a noticeable change in the texture, color, or appearance of the skin, causing irritation, swelling, redness, or itching

scar

Thin-to-thick fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin following injury or laceration to the dermis

Turgor

if “tenting” is observed or the skin slowly recedes back into place. skins elasticity

vesicle

fluid filled sac; Elevated, circumscribed, superficial, not into dermis; fluid may be clear, white, yellow, or mixed with blood; less than 1cm in diameter

zosteriform

distribution of cutaneous lesions, a unilateral girdle like restricted to the sensitive nerve territory of a dermatome