Western Medicine: The Skin

3 layers of the skin

1. epidermis

2. dermis

3. subcutaneous tissue

forms melanin

very thin

no blood vessels

epidermis

made up of collagen (protein)

contains connective tissue & blood vessels to nourish the epidermis

has sebaceous glands

Dermis (lies on 3rd layer of skin aka subcutaneous tissue)

contains small lobes of fat cells (lipocytes)

contains fat, sweat glands & remainder of hair follicles

subcutaneous tissue

sebaceous glands produce a sebum/oil that goes to the skin via hair follicles

it’s on all skin surfaces EXCEPT:

palms and soles

out of the 2 types of sweat glands, this one

is the most numerous & widely distributed

is found all over the body particularly on the palms

soles of the feet, and forehead

They open directly to the skins surface via pores, and their main function is to

regulate body temperature.

Eccrine Sweat Gland

are found mostly in the armpits and other skin folds of the body.

They end in hair follicles instead of pores on the skins surface.

These sweat glands are stimulated by emotional stress.

Bacterial decomposition of these glands causes body odor.

Apocrine Gland

the ability of skin to “bounce back” when pinched (elastic quality)

If not: sign of fluid loss (dehydration)

but it does diminish with age

Skin Turgor

persistent dry scaling of the skin due to an absence or shortage of sebum.

Asteatosis

benign, easy bruising that affects older adults.

appears as a discolored patch of skin due to leaky capillaries in the dermis.

The blood extravasates out of vessels and into the

interstitial space.

This occurs because the skin and the blood vessels become more fragile as we age, making it easier for our skin to bruise

Senile Pupura

presents as a pustule, that occurs when the pores and sebaceous glands of your skin

become blocked or obstructed with oil, dead skin, or bacteria.

Acne (Acne Vulgaris)

a common skin problem that causes a red, itchy rash and white scales.

When it affects the scalp, it is called “dandruff.”

It can be on parts of the face as well, including the folds

around the nose and behind the ears, the forehead, and the eyebrows and eyelids.

Seborrhea

flat, distinct, discolored areas of skin, less than 1 centimeter (cm) wide.

No change in thickness or texture of the skin

Areas of discoloration that are larger than or equal to 1 cm are referred to as patches.

Macules

are stable, hyperpigmented patches or brown macules that increase in number with age, in sun-exposed areas like the hands and forearms.

-occur due to proliferation of melanocytes & increased melanin

Solar lentigines (SLs) aka Liver spots or aging spots

a common, noncancerous skin growth

-get more of them as you age

usually brown, black or light tan

look waxy, wartlike, scaly and slightly raised.

They usually appear on the face, neck, chest, shoulder or back.

Seborrheic Keratosis

a rough, scaly patch on your skin that develops from years of exposure to

the sun.

It is a precancerous growth.

most commonly found on your face, lips, ears, back of your hands, forearms, scalp or neck.

Actinic Keratosis

a skin disease that causes red, itchy scaly patches, most commonly on the knees,

elbows, trunk and scalp.

-a common, chronic disease with no cure

goes through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months, then subsiding for a while

Psoriasis

dermatophyte infection, or tinea, is a fungal infection of the skin.

-effects both humans and animals

-infection initially appears as red patches on affected areas of the skin and later may spread to other parts of the body.

-may affect the scalp, feet, nails, groin, beard, or other areas.

Ring worm (tinea corporis: ringworm of body)

“red moles” are common skin growths that can develop on most areas of

your body.

found on people aged 30 and older.

The collection of small blood vessels inside a cherry

angioma give them their reddish appearance.

Cherry Angioma/senile angioma/campbell de morgan spots

occurs most often on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun,

primarily the face, above the nose.

thought to be caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

often appears as a slightly transparent bump on the skin, though it can take other

forms.

the second most common form of skin cancer,

characterized by abnormal, accelerated growth of squamous cells.

can appear as scaly red patches, open sores, rough, thickened or wart-

like skin, or raised growths with a central depression.

may crust over, itch or bleed.

- commonly arise in sun-exposed areas of the body and the face, below the

nose.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

-curable if caught early

is a type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes, the cells that give the skin

its tan or brown color, start to grow out of control

Is much less common than others

more dangerous bc will spread to other parts of the body if not caught and treated

Melanoma

a viral infection that causes a painful rash.

can occur anywhere on your body

often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or

the right side of your torso.

Shingles (varicella zoster virus: chicken pox virus)

alopecia is male or female pattern baldness

• it’s the most common form of alopecia and it is hereditary.

This occurs at first

at the temples (ST8) and then continues at the vertex (DU 20).

Androgenic Alopecia

is caused by loss of melanocytes in the hair follicle.

This happens as we age

there’s no treatment that can restore these cells and the pigment they produce, melanin.

Gray hair