Comprehensive Dermatology and Clinical Terminology Study Guide

Dermatological Terminology (A–L)

  • Abdominoplasty (ab-dom-ih-no-plas-tee): A cosmetic surgery to remove excessive ABD tissue (commonly known as a Tummy Tuck).

  • Abscess (ab-sess): A closed pocket containing pus that is caused by a bacterial infection.

  • Acne (ack-nee): Inflammatory disease of sebaceous glands and hair follicles.

  • Biopsy (bye-op-see): Removing tissue from a living person for laboratory examination.

  • Abrasion (uh-bray-zhun): Area of the skin or mucous membrane that has been scraped off.

  • Autoimmune (aw-toe-ih-myoon): Diseases in which the body makes antibodies against its own tissues.

  • Candida (kan-deeh-duh): A yeast-like fungus.

  • Carbuncle (kar-bung-kul): Infection of many hair follicles in a small area, often on the back of the neck.

  • Carcinoma (kar-sih-no-muh): A malignant and invasive epithelial tumor.

  • Cellulitis (sell-yoo-lye-tis): Inflammation of tissue.

  • Congenital (kun-jen-ih-tul): Present at birth.

  • Cryosurgery (kry-o-ser-jer-ee): Use of liquid nitrogen or argon gas in a probe to freeze and kill abnormal tissue.

  • Cyst (sist): Abnormal fluid-filled sac surrounded by a membrane.

  • Dermatitis (der-muh-tye-tis): Inflammation of the dermis.

  • Dermatologist (der-muh-tol-uh-jist): Medical specialist in disease of the skin.

  • Dermatology (der-muh-tol-uh-jee): Medical specialty concerned with disorders of the skin.

  • Eschar (ess-kar): Burnt or dead tissue.

  • Etiology (ee-tee-ol-uh-jee): The study of the cause of a disease.

  • Erythematous (air-ih-them-uh-tus): Superficial reddening of the skin.

  • Excoriate (ek-skor-ee-ayt): To scratch.

  • Excrete (ek-skreet): To pass waste products of metabolism out of the body.

  • Hematoma (hee-muh-toe-muh): Swelling of clotted blood trapped within the tissues.

  • Hyperhidrosis (hye-per-hye-droh-sis): A medical diagnosis due to excessive sweating.

  • Impetigo (im-puh-tye-go): Infection of the skin producing thick, yellow crusts.

  • Infection (in-fek-shun): Invasion of the body by disease-producing microorganisms.

  • Keloid (kee-loid): Abnormally raised or thickened scar that expands beyond the boundaries of the original injury.

  • Laceration (lass-er-ay-shun): A tear or jagged wound of the skin caused by blunt trauma, not a cut.

  • Liposuction (lip-o-suk-shun): A surgical removal of fatty tissue using a suction technique.

Dermatological Terminology (M–Z)

  • Macule (mak-yool): Small flat spot or patch on the skin.

  • Mammoplasty (mam-o-plas-tee): The surgical procedure to alter the size/shape of breast tissue.

  • Metastasis (muh-tas-tuh-sis): Spread of a disease from one part of the body to another.

  • Nevus (nee-vuss): Congenital lesion of the skin.

  • Necrotizing Fasciitis (nek-ruh-tye-zing fash-ee-eye-tis): Inflammation of fascia producing death of tissue.

  • Papillomavirus (pap-ih-loh-muh-vye-rus): Virus that causes warts and is associated with cancer.

  • Papule (pap-yool): Small circumscribed elevation on the skin.

  • Paronychia (pair-oh-nik-ee-uh): Infection of the skin fold around a nail.

  • Pruritus (proo-rye-tus): Itching.

  • Psoriasis (suh-rye-uh-sis): Rash characterized by reddish, silver-scaled patches.

  • Purulent (pyoor-yoo-lunt): Discharge containing pus.

  • Pustule (pus-tyool): Small protuberance on the skin containing pus.

  • Rash (rash): Skin eruption.

  • Rhinoplasty (rye-no-plas-tee): Surgical procedure to alter the size or shape of the nose.

  • Scabies (skay-beez): A skin disease produced by mites.

  • Seborrhea (seb-uh-ree-uh): Excessive amounts of sebum (oil).

  • Secrete (sih-kreet): To produce a chemical substance in a cell and release it from the cell.

  • Serosanguineous (seer-oh-sang-gwin-ee-us): Fluid consisting of both blood and serous fluid.

  • Shingles (shing-gulz): A herpes virus that attacks the nerve cells.

  • Shock (shok): Sudden physical or mental collapse or circulatory collapse.

  • Stasis (stay-sis): Stagnation in the flow of any body fluid.

  • Systemic (sis-tem-ik): Pertaining to the body as a whole.

  • Tinea (tin-ee-uh): Term for a group of related skin infections caused by different species of fungi.

  • Transdermal (trans-der-mul): Going across or through the skin.

  • Ulcer (ul-ser): Loss of tissue of the epidermis, usually with inflammation.

  • Vasoconstriction (vas-oh-kun-strik-shun): Reduction in diameter of a blood vessel.

  • Vasodilation (vas-oh-dye-lay-shun): Increase in diameter of a blood vessel.

  • Verruca (vuh-roo-kuh): Wart caused by a virus.

  • Vesicle (vess-ih-kul): Small sac containing liquid (herpes, chicken pox, blister).

  • Vitiligo (vit-ih-lye-go): A skin condition resulting from the destruction or absence of melanocytes.

  • Wheal (weel): Small (itchy) swelling of the skin.

Clinical Medical Abbreviations

  • Bx: Biopsy

  • Crm: Cream

  • Dx: Diagnosis

  • f/u: Follow up

  • Fx: Fracture

  • Gtts: Drops

  • I.V: Intravenous

  • UV: Ultraviolet

  • IM: Intramuscular

  • Inj.: Injection

  • lqd: Liquid

  • oint: Ointment

  • p.o: By mouth

  • p.r: By rectum

  • PHN: Post-herpatic neuralgia

  • Px: Prognosis

  • Sx: Symptom(s)

  • Tx: Treatment

Viral Classifications

  • HSV-1: Herpes simplex virus, type 1 (cold sores)

  • HSV-2: Herpes simplex virus, type 2 (genital herpes)

Supplementary Educational Video Resources

  • Dr. Pimple Popper: htti9ops://youtu.be/b1cvMnl2DoY

  • Tanning: https://youtu.be/9IW0HTcSdqQ