Question | Answer |
epidermis | outer layer of skin |
keratin | horny, or cornified, layer composed of protein |
melanin | color, or pigmentation, of the skin |
dermis | inner layer of skin |
sudoriferous (sweat) glands | tiny, coiled, tubular structures that emerge through pores on the skin's surface and secrete sweat |
sebaceous glands | secrete sebum (oil) into the hair follicles where the hair shafts pass through the dermis |
hair | compressed, keratinized cells that arise from hair follicles |
nails | originate in the epidermis; found on the upper surface of the ends of the fingers and toes |
cutane/o, derm/o, dermat/o | combing form for skin |
hidr/o | combing form for sweat |
kerat/o | combining form for horny tissue, hard |
onych/o, ungu/o | combining form for nail |
seb/o | combining form for sebum (oil) |
trich/o | combining form for hair |
aut/o | combing form for self |
bi/o | combing form for life |
coni/o | combining form for dust |
crypt/o | combining form for hidden |
heter/o | combing form for other |
myc/o | combing form for fungus |
necr/o | combining form for death (cells, body) |
pachy/o | combing form for thick |
rhytid/o | combining form for wrinkles |
staphyl/o | combining form for grapelike clusters |
strept/o | combining form for twisted chains |
xer/o | combining form for dry |
epi- | on, upon, over (prefix) |
intra- | within (prefix) |
para- | beside, beyond, around, abnormal (prefix) |
per- | through (prefix) |
sub- | under, below (prefix) |
trans- | through, across, beyond (prefix) |
-a | noun suffix, no meaning |
-coccus | berry-shaped (suffix) |
-ectomy | excision or surgical removal (suffix) |
-ia | diseased or abnormal state, condition of (suffix) |
-itis | inflammation (suffix) |
-malacia | softening (suffix) |
-opsy | view of, viewing (suffix) |
-phagia | eating or swallowing (suffix) |
-plasty | surgical repair (suffix) |
-rrhea | flow, discharge (suffix) |
-tome | instrument used to cut (suffix) |
dermatitis | inflammation of the skin |
dermatoconiosis | abnormal condition of the skin caused by dust |
dermatofibroma | fibrous tumor of the skin |
hidradenitis | inflammation of the sweat gland |
leiodermia | condition of smooth skin |
onychocryptosis | abnormal condition of a hidden nail |
onychomalacia | softening of the nails |
onychomycosis | abnormal condition of a fungus in the nails |
onychophagia | eating the nails (nail biting) |
pachyderma | thickening of the skin |
paronychia | diseased state around the nail |
seborrhea | discharge of sebum |
trichomycosis | abnormal condition of a fungus in the hair |
xeroderma | dry skin |
abrasion | scraping away of the skin by mechanical process or injury |
abscess | localized collection of pus |
acne | inflammatory disease of the skin involving the sebaceous glands and hair follicles |
actinic keratosis | a precancerous skin condition of horny tissue formation that results from excessive exposure to sunlight |
albinism | congenital hereditary condition characterized by partial or total lack of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes |
basal cell carcinoma | epithelial tumor arising from the epidermis |
candidiasis | an infection of the skin, mouth, or vagina caused by the yeast-type fungus candida albicans |
carbuncle | skin infection composed of a cluster of boils caused by staphylococcal bacteria |
cellulitis | inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by infection, leading to redness, swelling, and fever |
contusion | injury with no break in the skin |
eczema | noninfectious, inflammatory skin disease characterized by redness, blisters, scabs and itching |
fissure | slit or cracklike sore in the skin |
furuncle | painful skin node caused by staphylococcal bacteria in a hair follicle |
gangrene | death of tissue caused by loss of blood supply followed by bacteria invasion |
herpes | inflammatory skin disease caused by herpes vir |
impetigo | superficial skin infection characterized by pustules |
kaposi sarcoma | a cancerous condition starting as purple or brown papules on the lower extremities that spreads through the skin to the lymph nodes and internal organs |
laceration | torn, ragged-edged wound |
lesion | any visible change in tissue resulting from injury or disease |
pediculosis | invasion into the skin and hair by lice |
psoriasis | chronic skin condition producing red lesions covered with silvery scales |
rosacea | chronic disorder of the skin that produces erythema, papules, pustules, and broken blood vessels |
scabies | skin infection caused by the itch mite |
scleroderma | a disease characterized by chronic hardening of the connective tissue of the skin and other body organs |
shingles | development of painful, inflamed blisters that follow the nerve routes |
squamous cell carcinoma | a malignant growth that develops from scale-like epithelial tissue |
tinea | fungal infection of the skin |
urticaria | an itching skin eruption composed of wheals of varying size and shape |
biopsy | view of life (the removal of living tissue from the body to be viewed under the microscope |
dermatoautoplasty | surgical repair using one's own skin |
dermatoheteroplasty | surgical repair using skin from others |
dermatome | instrument used to cut skin |
dermatoplasty | surgical repair of the skin |
onychectomy | excision of a nail |
rhytidectomy | excision of wrinkles |
rhytidoplasty | surgical repair of wrinkles |
cauterization | destruction of tissue with a hot or cold instrument, electric current, or caustic substance |
cryosurgery | destruction of tissue by using extreme cold, often by using liquid nitrogen |
debridement | removal of contaminated or dead tissue and foreign matter from an open wound |
dermabrasion | procedure to remove skin scars with abrasive material |
excision | removal by cutting |
incision | surgical cut or wound produced by a sharp instrument |
incision and drainage | surgical cut made to allow allow the free flow or withdrawal of fluids from a lesion, wound, or cavity |
laser surgery | procedure using an instrument that emits a high-powered beam of light used to cut, burn, vaporize, or destroy tissue |
mohs surgery | technique of microscopically controlled serial excisions of skin cancers |
suturing | to stitch edges of a wound surgically |
dermatologist | a physician who studies and treats skin (diseases) |
dermatology | study of the skin |
epidermal | pertaining to upon the skin |
erythroderma | red skin |
hypodermic | pertaining to under the skin |
intradermal | pertaining to within the skin |
keratongenic | originating in horny tissue |
leukoderma | white skin |
necrosis | abnormal condition of death |
percutaneous | pertaining to through the skin |
staphylococcus | berry-shaped (bacteria) in grapelike clusters |
streptococcus | berry-shaped (bacteria) in twisted chains |
subcutaneous | pertaining to under the skin |
trandermal | pertaining to through the skin |
ungual | pertaining to the nail |
xanthoderma | yellow skin (jaundice) |
adipose | fat, fatty |
allergy | hypersensitivity to a substance |
alopecia | loss of hair |
bacteria | sing-celled microorganisms that reproduce by cell division and may cause infection by invading body tissue |
cicatrix | scar |
cyst | a closed sac containing fluid or semisolid material |
ctyomegalovirus | a herpes-type virus that usually causes disease when the immune system is compromised |
diaphoresis | profuse sweating |
ecchymosis | escape of blood into the tissues, causing superficial discoloration; a black and blue mark |
edema | puffy swelling of tissue from the accumulation of fluid |
emollient | agent that softens or soothes the skin |
erythema | redness |
fungus | organism that feeds by absorbing organic molecules from its surrounding and may cause infection by invading body tissue |
induration | abnormal hard spots |
jaundice | condition characterized by a yellow tinge to the skin |
keloid | overgrowth of scar tissue |
leukoplakia | condition characterized by white spots or patches on mucous membrane, which may be cancerous |
macule | flat, colored spot on the skin |
nevus | circumscribed malformation of the skin, usually brown, black, or flesh colored |
nodule | a small knotlike mass that can be felt by touch |
pallor | paleness |
papule | small, solid skin elevation (pimple) |
petechia | a pinpoint skin hemorrhage |
pressure ulcer | eroded sore on the skin caused by prolonged pressure, often occurring in bed ( also called decubitus ulcer or bed sore) |
pruritus | severe itching |
purpura | disorder characterized by hemorrhages into the tissue, giving the skin a purple-red discoloration |
pustule | elevation of skin containing pus |
ulcer | eroded sore on the skin or mucous membrane |
verruca | circumscribed cutaneous elevation caused by a virus |
visicle | small elevation of the epidermis containing liquid |
virus | minute microorganism, much smaller than bacterium, characterized by a lack of independent metabolism and the ability to replicate only within living host cells |
wheal | transitory, itchy elevation of the skin with white center and a red surrounding area |
lunula | the white area at the base of the nail |