Disorders of the Skin Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering skin disorders, assessment, terminology, types of skin cancer, and dermatologic medication treatments based on lecture notes.

Primary skin lesions

Lesions that develop on previously unaltered skin.

Secondary skin lesions

Lesions that change with time or occur because of factors such as scratching or infection.

Turgor

The elasticity of the skin, assessed by gently pinching an area under the clavicle or on the back of the hand.

Macule

A circumscribed, flat area with a change in skin color that is less than $0.5\,cm$ in diameter.

Papule

An elevated, solid lesion less than $0.5\,cm$ in diameter.

Vesicle

A circumscribed, superficial collection of serous fluid less than $0.5\,cm$ in diameter, such as in chickenpox or shingles.

Plaque

A circumscribed, elevated, superficial, solid lesion greater than $0.5\,cm$ in diameter.

Wheal

A firm, edematous, irregularly shaped area with a variable diameter, such as an insect bite.

Pustule

An elevated, superficial lesion filled with purulent fluid, typically seen in acne or impetigo.

Fissure

A linear crack or break from the epidermis to the dermis which may be dry or moist.

Scale

Excess, dead epidermal cells produced by abnormal keratinization and shedding.

Ulcer

The loss of the epidermis extending into the dermis, characterized by a crater-like, irregular shape.

Excoriation

An area in which the epidermis is missing, exposing the dermis, often from an abrasion or scratch.

Annular

A lesion distribution that is circular, beginning in the center and spreading to the periphery.

Confluent

Lesions that merge together, such as in urticaria.

Zosteriform

A linear arrangement of lesions along a dermatome area, typical of herpes zoster.

Keloid

An overgrowth of collagenous tissue at the site of a skin injury.

Vitiligo

Total loss of pigment in the affected area.

Nevus of Ota

A slate-gray or blue-gray birthmark located on the forehead and face around the eye area.

Curettage

The removal and scooping away of tissue using a curette, which resembles a small spoon with sharp edges.

Patch testing

A diagnostic procedure used to assess for allergic dermatitis by applying allergens to the skin for $48\,hr$.

Vitamin A

A nutrient essential for maintenance of normal cell structure and wound healing; deficiency causes dryness of conjunctiva.

Actinic keratosis

Premalignant skin lesions consisting of hyper-keratotic papules and plaques occurring on sun-exposed areas; also known as solar keratosis.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

A locally invasive malignancy arising from epidermal basal cells; it is the most common and least deadly type of skin cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

A malignant neoplasm of keratinizing epidermal cells that has the potential to metastasize and is associated with sun exposure and smoking.

Dysplastic nevi (DN)

Atypical moles larger than $5\,mm$ with irregular borders and varied color that identify an individual at increased risk of melanoma.

ABCDE Rule

A mnemonic for detecting melanoma: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color change, Diameter > $6\,mm$, and Evolving appearance.

Breslow measurement

A method to determine tumor thickness by indicating the depth of a melanoma tumor in millimeters.

Cellulitis

Inflammation of subcutaneous tissues, often caused by Staphylococcus aureus or streptococci, presenting as a hot, tender, erythematous area with diffuse borders.

Pruritus

The medical term for itching, which can be caused by dry skin, chemical stimuli, or scaling disorders.

Acne vulgaris

An inflammatory disorder of sebaceous glands causing noninflammatory lesions (comedones) and inflammatory lesions (papules/pustules).

Psoriasis

An autoimmune chronic dermatitis involving excessively rapid turnover of epidermal cells, characterized by silvery scaling plaques.

Fluorouracil (5-FU)

A topical cytotoxic agent with selective toxicity for sun-damaged cells, used to treat actinic keratosis.

Acyclovir [Zovirax]

The agent of first choice for treating infections caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) or varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

Isotretinoin [Accutane]

A highly teratogenic vitamin A derivative used for severe nodulocystic acne; managed under the iPLEDGE program.

Spironolactone [Aldactone]

A drug that blocks androgen receptors, used as an add-on therapy for females with acne that has not responded to oral contraceptives.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

An index that measures protection against ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.