Skin Diseases and Disorders Study Guide

SKIN DISEASES AND DISORDERS

Overview

  • The focus of this lesson is on various skin diseases and disorders, which include:
    • Lesions
    • Skin disorders
    • Skin infections
    • Skin cancer

Importance of Recognition

  • Recognizing skin issues helps clients obtain necessary care.
  • Estheticians need to identify potential skin diseases to determine when to recommend a dermatologist.
  • Only qualified medical personnel should diagnose and treat skin conditions.
  • The esthetician's role involves identifying when medical advice is necessary.

Learning Outcomes

  • After this lesson, you will be able to:
    • Identify the characteristics of primary and secondary lesions.
    • Explain common skin disorders affecting skin care services.
    • Describe skin infections relevant to skin care services.
    • Summarize the various types of skin cancer.

Recognizing Lesions

  • Lesions are described as abnormal changes in skin structure.
    • Primary Lesions:
    • The foundation of a disease; occur first.
    • Indicative of early skin changes; often benign but can appear unattractive.
    • **Secondary Lesions: **
    • Develop from primary lesions due to irritation or disease progression.
    • Many are contraindicated for esthetician services, except for scars in the final healing phase.

Types of Lesions and Growths

Primary Lesions
  • Characterized by changes during the early stages of a disease.
    • Often seen as the first visible indicators.
    • Common examples include:
    • Macules
    • Papules
    • Vesicles
Secondary Lesions
  • Result from primary lesions and are part of the disease process, including:
    • Erythema
    • Scabs
    • Crusts
Benign Skin Growths
  • Also termed as hypertrophies, which involve the non-malignant overgrowth of skin.
    • Attention: Such growths should not be removed by estheticians but services can be performed on them.

Skin Disorders

  • Defined as abnormalities within the skin:
    • Disorders can affect multiple skin components like cells, glands, and capillaries, and may include birthmarks.
    • Disorders do not always signify a skin disease.
    • Identification is crucial, but diagnosis should be left to medical professionals.
Vascular Disorders
  • Relate to abnormalities in capillary growth or bruising.
    • Causes may include diseases, trauma, or genetics.
    • Indicators of systemic problems; treatments allowed unless hemorrhage or injury is present.
    • Examples:
    • Cherry angioma
    • Telangiectasia
    • Petechiae
    • Ecchymosis
Pigmentation Disorders
  • Abnormal color variations in skin areas:
    • Hyperpigmentation: Overactivity of melanocytes, leading to conditions like:
    • Solar Lentigo
    • Melasma
    • Hypopigmentation (Leukoderma): Decreased melanocyte activity causing conditions such as:
    • Vitiligo
    • Albinism

Disorders of Sebaceous Glands

  • Overactivity or underactivity can lead to several conditions:
    • Acne: Chronic inflammatory response potentially linked to genetic predispositions.
    • Grades range from 1 (mild) to 4 (cystic); treatments vary accordingly.
    • Comedones: Blackheads (open comedo) vs. whiteheads (closed comedo).
Inflammation (Dermatitis)
  • A group of inflammatory conditions can include:
    • Atopic dermatitis
    • Contact dermatitis
    • Psoriasis

Skin Infections

  • Types include viral, fungal, and bacterial conditions, with signs of infections being:
    • Pain, swelling, redness, local heat, throbbing, and discharge.
  • Viral Infections
    • Commonly range from mild to severe, some being contagious.
  • Fungal Skin Infections
    • Manifest as red, itchy rashes, thriving in moisture:
    • Classified as:
      • Tinea Capitis: Scalp
      • Tinea Corporis: Body
  • Bacterial Skin Infections
    • Result from rapid bacterial growth in skin areas.
    • Examples:
      • Impetigo
      • Folliculitis
Infestations
  • Infestation by parasites like:
    • Scabies: Mites burrowing under the skin.
    • Pediculosis: Presence of head lice.

Skin Cancer Overview

  • Estheticians often identify precursors to skin cancer:
    • Basal Cell Carcinoma: A malignant growth that appears translucent.
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Notable for irregular, crusted red papules.
  • The ABCDE rule for melanoma screening includes:
    • A: Asymmetry
    • B: Border irregularity
    • C: Color variation
    • D: Diameter greater than 6 mm
    • E: Evolution of the lesion

Professional Terminology

  • It is critical to use proper medical terms in communication to gain client trust and respect.

Review Questions

  1. True/False: A flat discoloration less than 1 cm is called a wheal.
  2. True/False: A papule is a hardened elevation without fluid.
  3. What skin disorder presents as silvery patches?
  4. What vascular disorder appears as thread-like lines?
  5. What describes a lack of pigmentation due to decreased melanocyte activity?