Question | Answer |
thin sheet squamous epithelial cells, several layers thick | epidermis |
epidermis is constantly renewed as | deepest layer grows out to replace surface cells |
provides mechanical toughness for epidermis | keratin |
imparts skin to characteristic color | melanin |
tough layer connective tissue containing blood vessels, sensory nerves, hair follicles & sebaceous/sweat glands | dermis |
protects body surface & provides thermal insulation | hair |
localized zone of inflammation due to staphylococcal infection, pus forms in tissue space walled off from surrounding tissues by fibrous, coagulated tissue fluids & eventually fibrous tissue | abscess |
local/widespread loss of scalp hair | alopecia |
ripping/tearing away of a part | avulsion |
inflammation of one/both eyelids | blepharitis |
fluid-filled epidermal sac larger than a vesicle | bulla |
a bulla can also be referred to as | blister |
spreading lesion made up of furuncles communicating by subcutaneous passages | carbuncle |
infection occurring in soft tissues, incl skin, cardinal features diffuse/spreading tissue swelling, redness, pain & fever | cellulitis |
cellulitis is often caused by | streptococci |
zone fibrous tissue at site of healed injury/inflammatory/destructive lesion extending into dermis | cicatrix |
cicatrix is also referred to as | scar |
nard, friable, irregular layer dried blood, serum, pus, tissue debris/any combination adherent at surface of injured/inflamed skin | crust |
crust is also referred to as | scab |
cryosurgical instrument containing circulating refrigerant, which can rapidly chill to deliver subfreezing temp to tissues | cryoprobe |
inflammation of skin | dermatitis |
gen term for any abnormal condition of skin, usually excluding inflammatory conditions | dermatosis |
property of abnormally sensitive skin by which strokes/writing w/pointed object are reproduced on skin surface as raised red lines | dermatographism |
consisting of small, flat plaques | discoid |
surface defect in epidermis produced by rubbing/scratching | erosion |
crust that forms on a burn | eschar |
increase in severity of disease, particularly when occurring over period of remission | exacerbation |
abrasion of epidermal surface by scratching | excoriation |
linear defect/crack in continuity of epidermis | fissure |
crumbly, fragmented, or bleeding easily on touch/manipulation | friable |
friable is said usually of | diseased tissue |
deep, solitary abscess | furuncle |
overgrown, usually as result of increase in size of cells | hypertrophic |
firm, nodular, irregular, often pigmented mass of fibrous tissue representing hypertrophic scar | keloid |
thickening, coarsening, & pigment change of skin due to chronic irritation, usually scratching | lichenification |
flat patch/mark differing in color from surrounding skin | macule |
pertaining to or situated on cheeks | nevus |
hidden/not obvious, sometimes able to be inferred from indirect evidence | occult |
small elevated zone of skin | papule |
small depression in skin resulting from local atrophy/scarring after trauma/inflammation | pit |
pertaining to sole of feet | plantar |
itching | pruritus/pruritic |
gen term for any purulent infection of skin | pyoderma |
pus-forming | purulent |
flake of epidermis shed from skin surface | scale |
enlargement & deformity of external nose | rhinophyma |
rhinophyma usually occurs as result of | rosacea |
pertaining to telangiectasia | telangiectatic |
permanent dilation of small blood vessels, visible through skin/mucous surface | telangiectatic |
cutaneous defect extending into dermis | ulcer |
animal that transmits a pathogenic organism from one host to another | vector |
small thin-walled sac containing clear fluid | vesicle |
wheals are characteristic lesions of | hives |
small zone of edema in skin, which may be red/white; typically multiple & appear/disappear abruptly | wheal (weal, welt) |
athlete's foot is the lay term for | tinea pedis |
baldness is the lay term for | alopecia |
bruise is the lay term for | contusion |
blackhead is the lay term for | comedo |
blister is the lay term for | vesicle |
hives is the lay term for | urticaria/wheals |
wrinkles is the lay term for | rhytids |
zit is the lay term for | pustule (acne) |
local/general eruptions/rashes, itching, dryness/scaling, pigment changes & solid tumors of various kinds | most common skin complaints |
disorders of hair (abnormal appearance of hair, excessive hair, hair loss) & nails (deformity, discoloration) are also part of | dermatological history |
type, #, grouping, location of lesions; comb features occurring together; signs of evolutionary chng, 2ndary infection, effect of treatment; presence of assoc symptoms | factor considered for cutaneous diagnosis |
during exam of skin examiner palpates any area that appears abnormal & observes its | temp, texture, tenseness/laxness, moistness/dryness & tenderness/crepitation |
degree to which tissue spaces are filled w/extracellular fluid, especially skin & subcutaneous spaces | turgor |
maintains a triangular or tent like appearance when gently pinched; indicative of dehydration | tenting |
glass/plastic plate pressed against skin permitting observation changes produced in underlying areas after blood vessels emptied & skin is blanched | diascope |
fading of redness on pressure indicates redness is probably due to dilatation of skin capillaries | blanching |
redness due to hemorrhage/abnormal pigment will not fade on | pressure |
chronic pruritic condition of skin | atopic dermatitis |
atopic dermatitis is also referred to as | eczema |
dermatitis resulting from contact with an irritant/allergen | contact dermatitis |
spreading bacterial infection of skin causing itching & crusted sores | impetigo |
cause of impetigo can be | staphylococci, sometimes streptococci |
refers to development of impetigo in area of skin already damaged by noninfectious dermatitis | impetiginization |
most patient have personal/family history of allergy; exacerbated by irritants, emotional stress | cause of atopic dermatitis |
superficial fungal infection of skin | tinea corporis, tinea circinata, ringworm of body |
fungi of genera Epidermophyton, Microsporum, & Trichophyton are | causes tinea corporis, tinea circinata, ringworm of body |
occurs on area remote from site of infection, usually hands, wrists/sides of fingers | dermatophytid |
localized/generalized, sterile 2ndary skin eruption occurring in sensitized patients as result of circulation of allergenic products from primary site of infection | id reaction |
ringworm of scalp; infected hairs break off at scalp surface, leaving patches often with black dots representing roots of broken-off hairs | tinea capitis |
complication with boggy edema & exudation of pus through hair follicle openings | kerion |
erythema, itching, scaling, fissuring, maceration & vesicle formation of varying degree, particularly btwn toes | caused by tinea pedis |
jock itch; similar infection to tinea pedis but in groin region | tinea cruris |
consists of variable #s of white to tan macules with very fine scales | tinea versicolor |
tinea versicolor is caused by | Malassezia furfur |
fungal disease of the nails; nails become opaque, white, thickened, & friable | onychomycosis |
starting w/white patches/pits on nail surface/around margins & sometimes spreading beneath nail plate | tinea unguium |
infection of skin & mucous membranes w/yeastlike fungus | candidiasis |
local viral infection of skin/mucous membranes causing vesicular lesions, typically recurrent | herpes simplex |
virally induced coarse papules of skin & mucous membranes | warts/verrucae |
chronic eruption of comedones, papules, pustules & cysts occurring primarily in adolescence | acne vulgaris |
reddish facial eruption occurring in middle-aged & elderly | acne rosacea |
acute, often transitory eruption of intensely itchy papules/wheals | urticaria (hives) |
chronic skin disorder characterized by scaly plaques | psoriasis |
mild, benign, self-limited scaly eruption | pityriasis rosea |
slowly, growing, waxy or pearly papule w/telangiectatic vessels, appearing usually on parts exposed to sunlight, especially face | basal cell carcinoma |
hard red nodule appearing on sun-exposed skin, usually in middle-aged/elderly | squamous cell carcinoma |
pigmented malignancy of skin, progresses rapidly. metastasizes widely & fatal w/out treatment | melanoma |
caused by contact of skin/mucous membrane w/hot objects, liquids or vapors | thermal burns |
redness of skin surface w/out blistering | 1st degree burns |
redness & blistering of skin | 2nd degree burns |
redness, blistering & charring | 3rd degree burns |
total removal of part, normal/abnormal, by surgical/chemical means | ablation |
complete excision/removal of some adjacent normal-appearing tissue also removed for comparison skin lesion; | biopsy, excisional |
partial removal of lesion by making incision into lesion & removing section; some adjacent normal-appearing tissue also removed for comparison | biopsy, incisional |
removal of one section of lesion using sharp surgical instrument | biopsy, punch |
removal of all/part skin lesion; tissue sent to path lab for histologic diagnosis & determine if malignant | biopsy, skin |
abbreviation for biopsy | bx |
application of liquid nitrogen, at temp -196degrees C, to destroy superficial skin lesions | cryosurgery |
local treatment of neoplasms or other lesions by freezing | cryotherapy |
successive scraping away of dead skin down to viable tissue that bleeds, especially for burns | debridement |
application of electrical current to destroy superficial skin lesions | fulguration |
desiccates tissue by dehydration, using electrical current/fulguration | electrodesiccation |
section of skin transplanted to area of body | graft |
skin test in which antigen is injected below skin & resulting reaction is evaluated | intradermal test |
application of filter paper containing allergen to skin of sensitive patient 24-48hrs | patch test |
surgery concerned with restoration, reconstruction, correction/improvement in shape/appearance of body structures that are defective, damaged/misshapen by injury, disease/anomalous growth & development | plastic surgery |
1/more small scratches/superficial cuts made in skin; minute amount of substance to be tested inserted in scratches & allowed to remain there for short time | scratch test |
ultraviolet lamp w/filter that selects wavelengths under which fungi infecting skin/hair fluoresce bright | Wood light |
may identify underlying, perhaps systemic, conditions/provide addt'l info about skin disorder | blood studies |
exudate, pus, crusts, or scrapings for bacteria, fungi, or viruses | culture |
identify fungal material, mites of scabies, & distinctive kinds of scales | microscopic exam of scrapings from skin |
skin scrapings are usually treated with ____ & heat which partially/completely dissolve human tissue but leave fungal elements unchanged | potassium hydroxide KOH |
used to remove oil & dead skin | keratolytic action |
closes up pores | astringent action |
inhibits growth of skin bacteria | antiseptic action |
kills skin bacteria | antibiotic action |
may be prescribed orally for systemic treatment of acne vulgaris | tetracycline |
severe cystic acne that is unresponsive to antibiotic treatment may be treated with | Retin-A or Accutane |
form of vitamin A, as tretinoin, cause epithelial to multiply rapidly preventing pore blockage/infection, decreasing cyst formation | Retin-A |
isotretinoin, used systemically, causes epithelial to multiply rapidly preventing pore blockage/infection, decreasing cyst formation | Accutane |
decreases rate of epidermal cell prod, correct abnormalities of keratinocytes, cleanses away dead skin & decrease itching | psoriasis treatment with coal tar lotions, gels, shampoos & bath liquids |
synthetic vitamin D, calcipotriene, applied topically to activate Vitamin D receptors in keratinocytes & slow abnormal cell growth | Dovonex |
drug sensitizes skin to effects of ultraviolet light, damaging cell DNA & decreasing rate of cell division for severe psoriasis | psoralens |
psoralens are a combination of | Oxsoralen-Ultra & 8-MOP (methoxsalen) |
PUVA | psoralen/ultraviolet wavelength A |
combination therapy of methoxsalen & ultraviolet light | PUVA |
over-the-counter & prescription forms used to relieve contact dermatitis, poison ivy, & insect bites | topical corticosteroids |
topical corticosteroids are also used to treat conditions including | psoriasis, seborrhea & eczema |
used to treat minor, superficial bacterial infections by inhibiting growth of/kill bacteria by blocking ability to maintain cell wall | topical antibiotics |
topical antibiotics are manufactured as | gels, lotions, creams, & sprays |
treat tinea & onychomycosis by altering cell wall of fungus & disrupt enzyme activity, resulting in cell death | topical antifungal drugs |
topical antifungal drugs are manufactured in | cream, ointment, lotion & shampoo forms |
Desenex, Micatin, Monistat-Derm, Aftate & Tinactin are all | over-the-counter topical antifungal drugs |
oral drugs such as griseofulvin, itraconazole, ketoconazole & terbinafine are used to treat | severe topical fungal skin infections |
topical corticosteroids inhibit | inflammation & itching |
antihistamines inhibit | inflammation, redness & itching |
applied topically to relieve itching, redness & inflammation; combination of topical corticosteroids & antihistamines | antipruritics |