Chapter 16~ skin

ABCDE

A mnemonic for assessing moles: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolution.

BCC

Basal Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.

BX

Biopsy, a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing.

DERM

Abbreviation for Dermatology.

DLE

Discoid lupus erythematosus, a chronic skin condition.

ppd

Purified protein derivative, used in tuberculosis testing.

PUVA

Psoralen -ultraviolet A light therapy treatment for psoriasis & other skin conditions.

SCC

Squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.

SLE

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, an autoimmune disease.

SubQ

Subcutaneous, referring to the layer of tissue beneath the skin.

Adip/o

Fat

Albin/o

White

Caus/o

Burning

Cauter/o

Heat , Burn

Cutane/o

Skin

Diaphor/o

Profuse sweating

Erythem/o

Redness

Hidr/o

Sweat

Ichthy/o

Dry, Scale (Fish-Like)

Kerat/o

Hard

Leuk/o

White

Lip/o

Fat

Melan/o

Black

Myc/o

Fungus (Fungi includes yeasts, Molds & Mushroom)

Onych/o

Nail

Phyt/o

Plant

Pil/o

Hair (Hair Follicle)

Py/o

Pus

Rhytid/o

Wrinkle

Seb/o

Sebum (Oily secretion from sebaceous glands)

Squam/o

Scale-like

Steat/o

Fat

Trich/o

Hair

Ungu/o

Nail

Xanth/o

Yellow

Xer/o

Dry

Alopecia

Absence of hair from areas where it normally grows

Alopecia areata

An autoimmune disease in which hair falls out in patches without scarring or inflammation

Ecchymosis

Bluish-purple mark bruises on the skin; result of hemorrhages into the skin from injury or spontaneous leaking of blood from vessels

Petechiae

Small, pinpoint hemorrhage

Pruritus

Itching

Acne

Chronic papular & pustular eruption of skin with increased production of sebum

Acne Vulgaris

Caused by the buildup of sebum & keratin in the pores of the skin

Blackhead

Also called Open Comedo; is a partially blocked sebum plug

Whitehead

Closed Comedo; forms if a pore is completely blocked

First degree burn

Superficial; affects the epidermis and causes reddening

Second degree burn

Partial-thickness burn with blisters; the burn goes into the dermis

Third degree burn

Full-thickness burn with epidermis & dermis burned through, affecting the subcutaneous layer with charred skin

Debridement

Removal of dead tissue (necrotic tissue) in order for it to heal

Cellulitis

Diffuse, acute infection of the skin marked by local heat, redness, pain & swelling

Exanthem

An eruption of the skin or rash due to a viral infection

Viral exanthem

Can be caused by several viral infections, such as Rubeola (Measles) and Varicella (Chickenpox)

Fifth disease

Marked by fever and 'slapped cheek appearance'; also appears on arms, buttocks & cheek

Gangrene

Death of tissue associated with loss of blood supply; can be caused by injury, diabetes, arteriosclerosis & frostbite

Eczema (atopic dermatitis)

Inflammatory skin disease with erythematous, papulovesicular or papulosquamous lesions

Atopic dermatitis

Rash often begins on face, hands, elbows, or knees; tends to happen with patients that have a family history

Impetigo

Contagious pyoderma caused by a bacterial inflammatory skin disease usually caused by Staphylococci or Streptococci, characterized by vesicles, pustules & crusted over lesions

Psoriasis

Chronic recurrent dermatosis marked by itchy, scaly, red plaques covered by silvery gray scales; it is not contagious & not an infection

Steroids

Treatment for various skin conditions.

Ultraviolet light therapy

Treatment for skin conditions using UV light.

Scabies

Highly contagious parasite infection of the skin with intense pruritus.

Scleroderma

Chronic progressive disease of the skin & internal organs with hardening & shrinking of connective tissue.

Scar-like tissue

Forms in the organs due to scleroderma.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of collagen in the skin, joints & internal organs.

Butterfly pattern redness

Characteristic rash over the cheeks & nose in SLE.

Tinea

Infection of the skin caused by fungus.

Tinea unguium

Fungus affecting the nail beds.

Onycholysis

Fungus causes the nail bed plate to turn yellow or white & move away from the nail bed.

Tinea corporis

Ringworm fungal infection which presents itself as a ring-like pattern.

Tinea barbae

Fungal infection affecting the skin under the beard.

Tinea pedis

Athlete's foot, fungus between the toes.

Urticaria

Acute allergic reaction in which red, round wheals develop on the skin.

Angioderm

Swelling around the face & lips usually due to an allergic reaction.

Vitiligo

Loss of pigment in the skin, characterized by milk-white patches.

Callus

Increased growth of cells in the keratin layer of the epidermis caused by pressure or friction.

Keloid

Excessive hypertrophied, thickened scar developing after trauma or surgical incision.

Keratosis

Thickened rough lesion of the epidermis; associated with aging or skin damage.

Actinic keratosis

Precancerous thickened lesion of the epidermis.

Seborrheic keratosis

Benign lesion of the skin.

Leukoplakia

White, thickened patches on mucous membrane tissue of the tongue or cheek that can turn cancerous.

Nervus (plural nevi)

Pigmented lesions of the skin also known as moles.

Dysplastic nevi

Moles with atypical cells that could become cancerous.

Verruca

Epidermal growth (wart) caused by a virus.

Plantar warts

Warts that occur on the sole of the feet.

Venereal warts

Warts that occur on the genitals.

Basal cell carcinoma

Malignant tumor of the basal cell layer of the epidermis, usually on the nose caused by sun exposure & slow growing.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells in the epidermis.

Malignant melanoma

Cancerous growth composed of melanocytes.

Kaposi sarcoma

Malignant vascular, neoplastic growth characterized by cutaneous nodules.

Alopecia

Absence of hair from areas where it normally grows

Alopecia areata

An autoimmune disease in which hair falls out in patches without scarring or inflammation

Ecchymosis

Bluish-purple mark bruises on the skin; result of hemorrhages into the skin from injury or spontaneous leaking of blood from vessels

Petechiae

Small, pinpoint hemorrhage

Pruritus

Itching

Acne

Chronic papular & pustular eruption of skin with increased production of sebum

Acne Vulgaris

Caused by the buildup of sebum & keratin in the pores of the skin

Blackhead

Also called Open Comedo; is a partially blocked sebum plug

Whitehead

Closed Comedo; forms if a pore is completely blocked

First degree burn

Superficial; affects the epidermis and causes reddening

Second degree burn

Partial-thickness burn with blisters; the burn goes into the dermis