Integumentary System — Part 2: Skin Conditions & Disorders

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering skin functions, disease mechanisms, clinical signs, and patient-care guidelines for integumentary conditions.

Protect (Integumentary Function)

The barrier function of the skin that shields the body against physical injury and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Sense (Integumentary Function)

The sensory function of the skin that detects external stimuli, specifically touch, pain, and temperature.

Regulate (Integumentary Function)

The homeostatic mechanism of the skin responsible for controlling internal body temperature.

Prevent Water Loss (Integumentary Function)

The skin barrier function that prevents excessive fluid loss to maintain overall fluid balance.

Defend (Integumentary Function)

The skin's protective biological role that supports the body's immune defenses against pathogen invasion.

Acne Vulgaris

A common inflammatory disorder involving hair follicles and sebaceous glands, where sebum and dead skin cells clog follicles, leading to blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules, or cysts.

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

A chronic inflammatory disorder involving a compromised skin barrier and immune dysfunction, characterized by water loss, dry skin, severe itchiness, and an itch-scratch cycle.

Contact Dermatitis

An exposure-related skin inflammation triggered by external contact with an irritating substance or allergen.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis

A subtype of contact dermatitis where an external substance directly damages or irritates the epidermal barrier without requiring an immune response.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

A subtype of contact dermatitis occurring when the immune system mounts a sensitized allergic reaction upon contact with a specific foreign substance.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

A common inflammatory condition affecting sebum-rich areas (such as the scalp, eyebrows, ears, and chest) driven by inflammation and interactions with normal skin yeast.

Psoriasis

A chronic, non-contagious immune-mediated inflammatory disorder where immune signals trigger rapid keratinocyte hyperproliferation, creating raised plaques with silvery scale.

Rosacea

A chronic facial condition involving inflammation and microvascular changes, characterized by facial erythema, flushing, telangiectasias (visible vessels), and inflammatory papules or pustules.

Alopecia Areata

An autoimmune condition in which the immune system targets hair follicles, disrupting their growth cycle and producing distinct, smooth, round or oval patches of sudden hair loss.

Androgenetic Alopecia

The most common form of hereditary pattern hair loss, driven by genetic predisposition and androgen hormone sensitivity that causes gradual follicle shrinkage and thinning.

Vitiligo

A non-contagious pigment disorder characterized by the progressive loss or autoimmune destruction of melanocytes, resulting in well-demarcated depigmented patches of skin.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)

A chronic inflammatory disorder localized to intertriginous skin folds (underarms, groin, buttocks) characterized by follicular occlusion, painful nodules, sinus tract tunneling, drainage, and scarring.

Impetigo

A highly contagious superficial bacterial skin infection that enters through epidermal abrasions, producing vesicular lesions that rupture to form honey-colored crusts.

Cellulitis

An acute bacterial infection of the dermis and underlying subcutaneous tissues, characterized by rapidly spreading erythema, localized warmth, edema, pain, and systemic fever.

Urticaria (Hives)

Edematous, pruritic, raised welts caused by inflammatory mediators such as histamine that increase vascular permeability and leak fluid into superficial dermis tissues.

Anaphylaxis (Clinical Red Flag)

A life-threatening systemic medical emergency characterized by urticaria or angioedema accompanied by respiratory compromise and swelling.

Melanoma

A malignant skin neoplasm arising from the uncontrolled proliferation and genetic alteration of melanocytes, capable of aggressive invasion and metastasis.

ABCDE Warning Signs

A clinical screening guideline for melanoma: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter greater than $6\,\text{mm}$, and Evolving presentation.

Pemphigus Vulgaris

A rare, life-threatening autoimmune disorder in which autoantibodies attack desmosomal adhesion proteins, causing acantholysis (cell separation) and painful, flaccid blisters on mucosal membranes and skin.

Patient-Care Framework

A systematic five-step healthcare delivery method: 01 Observe, 02 Think, 03 Protect, 04 Support, and 05 Report.