Skin, Hair, and Nails Assessment Flashcards

30 vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical structures, developmental considerations, assessment parameters, and abnormal conditions of the skin, hair, and nails.

Epidermis

The outer layer of skin that guards and adapts the body to environmental stressors, consisting of the basal cell layer and horny cell layer, and determining skin color.

Dermis

The inner supportive layer of skin consisting of connective tissue or collagen.

Subcutaneous Layer

The skin layer positioned beneath the dermis that is composed of adipose tissue.

Vellus Hair

Fine hair covering most of the body.

Terminal Hair

Thick, long, dark hair that grows on the scalp, eyebrows, pubis, axilla, and on the face and chest in men.

Capillary Refill

An assessment technique serving as an indicator of heart perfusion to extremities, performed by squeezing fingernail or toenail until white and observing color return, with normal return occurring in less than $2\text{--}3\,sec$.

Lanugo

Fine downy hair present on a newborn infant.

Vernix Caseosa

A thick, cheesy substance present on the skin of a newborn infant.

Linea Nigra

Increased pigmentation appearing along the midline of the abdomen during pregnancy.

Chloasma

An irregular brown patch of hyperpigmentation on the face referred to as the "mask of pregnancy," which occurs during pregnancy or in women taking OCPs.

Striae Gravidarum

Stretch marks that develop over the abdomen, breast, and thighs during pregnancy due to hormonal and mechanical factors.

Senile Purpura

Skin discoloration observed in aging adults resulting from increasing capillary fragility.

Erythema

Intense redness of the skin due to excess blood in dilated superficial capillaries.

Cyanosis

A bluish, mottled color signifying decreased perfusion or hypoxia.

Jaundice

A yellow color to the skin indicating rising amounts of bilirubin.

Pallor

Unnatural pale skin color resulting from reduced blood flow or red blood cells, presenting as white/pale in light skin, yellowish-brown in brown skin, or ashen grey in dark skin.

ABCDE Rule

Health promotion assessment guide for skin lesions: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variegation, Diameter greater than $6\,mm$, and Elevation, enlargement, or Evolution.

Acanthosis Nigricans

Thickened, velvety, gray-brown hyperpigmented plaques seen on the posterior/lateral neck and axillae, associated with obesity and insulin resistance-related disorders like type 2 diabetes.

Xanthelasma

A skin lesion formed by cholesterol and fatty deposits around the eyelids.

Primary Skin Lesion

A physical change on the skin that develops directly on healthy skin, which is not associated with other conditions and can be present at birth or acquired over time.

Secondary Skin Lesion

A skin change that evolves over time or occurs due to external factors such as scratching, infection, or trauma.

Keloid

A raised, firm, shiny, and sometimes lumpy or ridged scar that can develop after an injury or condition such as acne, surgical incision, or burn.

Lichenification

A secondary skin lesion resembling the surface of moss, resulting from prolonged intense scratching that eventually thickens the skin.

Excoriation

A self-inflicted, superficial skin abrasion.

Fissure

A linear crack or split in the skin extending into the dermis layer.

Sebaceous Cyst

A slow-growing, noncancerous bump that forms under the skin, commonly found on the face, neck, trunk, scalp, ears, back, or groin.

Kaposi Sarcoma

An AIDS-related cancer that produces primary skin lesions progressing through patch stage, plaque stage, and advanced disease.

Stage 1 Pressure Injury

Intact skin presenting with non-blanchable erythema, where the skin is unbroken but inflamed.

Unstageable Pressure Injury

Full-thickness skin and tissue loss where the true depth and base of the wound cannot be determined because it is covered by slough or eschar.

Beau's Lines

Transverse depressions occurring across the nail bed following trauma, acute illness, or toxic reactions.