Integumentary System (Skin)

Integumentary System

Includes hair, nails, & glands; heaviest organ in the body (weighing around 20 - 25 lbs); protects you head to toe

Epidermis

Outer layer of skin. Made up of dead skin cells that constantly shed & renew. Acts as your body’s armor.

Dermis

Busy middle layer. Holds your sweat glands, hair follicles, oil glands, & nerve endings. This is where you feel touch & temperature.

Hypodermis (Subcutaneous Layer)

Mostly fat. Stores energy, helps keep you warm, & acts like a shock absorber for your organs.

Abrasion

scrape, usually from falling or rubbing against a rough surface. Affects only the epidermis & heals on its own with cleaning & care.

Abscess

swollen bump filled with pus caused by a bacterial infection. May need antibiotics or drainage.

Ulcer (with stages)

a skin ulcer is an open sore that doesn’t heal easily. It has 4 stages, from redness to deep wounds that can expose muscle & bone. Common in patients with diabetes or who are bedridden.

Contusion

Medical term for a bruise. Caused by blunt trauma & looks bad but usually heals without help.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Type of skin cancer caused by too much sun. Rarely spreads but should always be removed by a doctor.

First-Degree Burn

Affects only the epidermis. It’s read & painful, like a mild sunburn, but usually heals on its own.

Second-Degree Burn

Reaches into the dermis. Causes blisters & can leave scars. May come from hot water or flames.

Third-Degree Burn

Destroys all skin layers May look white or charred & can be painless if nerve endings are damaged. Often requires surgery or skin grafts.

Nail plate

Hard part you see of your nail

Lunula

White half-moon on your nail

Matrix

where the nail grows (only part that’s alive)

Ingrown Nails

Happen when nails grow into the skin

Nail trauma

can bruise or break the nail

Melanonychia

brown or black stripes — have this checked by a doctor

Erythema

Redness of skin

Fissure

crack in dry skin

biopsy

sample taken for testing

alopecia

baldness or hair loss

cellulitis

skin infection that can spread

Furuncle

a boil (pus-filled bump)

Cauterization

burning tissue to stop bleeding or remove growths

Cyanosis (cyano = blue, osis = condition)

a blue tint caused by lack of oxygen

Epilipotomy (epi = upon, lip = fat, tomy = cutting)

A surgery to remove fat

Pyorrhea (pyo = pus, rrhea = flow)

A discharge of pus

Alopecia

Hair loss