Skin Lesions (Secondary)

Scale

heaped-up keratinized cells; flakey exfoliation; irregular; thick or thin; dry or oily; variable size; can be white or tan

• i.e. psoriasis and fungal infection

Crust

a slightly elevated area of variable size; a collection of dried serum, blood, or purulent exudate

• i.e. warts and lichen planus

Fissure

a split in all epidermal layers

• i.e. chapped lips and athletes foot

Ulcer

loss of skin through the epidermis and damage into dermis with necrotic tissue loss

• i.e. stasis ulcer (stasis dermatitis with venous stasis ulcer) and pressure injury

Scar

permanent fibrotic skin changes

• i.e. healed wound and healed surgical incision

Atrophy

localized shrinking of the skin

• i.e. stretch marks (stria) and acne scarring

Excoriation

linear scratches that may or may not be denuded

• i.e. repetitive scratching from (eczema, insect bites, or picking at a pimple)

Lichenification

rough, thickened epidermis; accentuated skin markings caused by rubbing or scratching (eg, chronic eczema and lichen simplex)

• i.e. atopic dermatitis and eczema