| Term | Definition |
| Acne | Inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands and the hair follicles; pimples |
| Acrochordon
(acr/o= extermity)
(chord= cord)
(-on= pertaining to) | Small outgrowth of epidermal and dermal tissue; skin tags |
| Actinic Dermatitis
(actin= ray)
(-ic= pertaining to)
(dermat= skin)
(-itis= inflammation) | Inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to radiant energy, such as x-rays, ultraviolet light, and sunlight. |
| Albinism
(albin= white)
(-ism= condition) | Genetic condition in which there is partial or total absence of pigment in skin, hair, and eyes |
| Alopecia
(a-= without, lack of)
(lopec= fox mange)
(-ia= condition) | Absence or loss of hair, especially of the head; baldness |
| Anhidrosis
(an-= without, lack of)
(hidr= sweat)
(-osis= condition) | Abnormal condition in which there is lack of or complete absence of sweating. May be congenital or disease related, generalized or localized, temporary or permanent. |
| Autograft
(auto-= self)
(-graft= pencil, grafting knife) | Graft taken from one part of the patient's body and transferred to another part of that same patient |
| Avulsion
(a-= away from)
(vuls= to pull)=
(-ion= process) | Process of forcibly tearing off a part or structure of the body, such as a finger or toe |
| Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
(carcin= cancer)
(-oma= tumor) | Epithelial malignant tumor of the skin that rarely metastasizes. It usually begins as a small, shiny papule and enlarges to form a whitish border around a central depression. |
| Bite | Injury in which a part of the skin is torn by an insect, animal, or human, resulting in combination of an abrasion, puncture, or laceration |
| Boil | Acute, infected, painful nodule formed in the subcutaneous layers of the skin, glands, or hair follicle; most often caused by the invasion of staphylococci; furuncle |
| Bulla | Larger blister; bleb |
| Burn | Injury to tissue caused by heat, fire, chemical agents, electricity, lightning, or radiation; classified according to degree or depth of skin damage. The three classifications are first degree, second degree, and third degree. |
| Candidiasis | Infection of the skin or mucous membranes with any species of Candida but chiefly Candida albicans. |
| Carbuncle | Infection of the subcutaneous tissue, usually composed of a cluster of boils |
| Causalgia
(caus= burning)
(-algia= pain) | Intense burning pain associated with trophic skin changes such as thinning of hair and loss of sweat glands due to peripheral nerve damage |
| Cellulitis
(cellul= little cell)
(-itis= inflammation) | An acute, diffuse inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue characterized by local heat, redness, pain, and swelling. |
| Cicatrix | Scar left after the healing of a wound |
| Comedo | Blackhead |
| Corn | Condition of horny induration and thickening of the skin that may be soft or hard depending on location; caused by pressure, friction, or both from ill-fitting shoes |
| Cryosurgery | Technique of using subfreezing temperature (usually with liquid nitrogen) to produce well-demarcated areas of cell injury and destruction |
| Cutaneous
(cutane= skin)
(-ous= pertaining to) | Pertaining to skin |
| Cyst | Closed sac that contains fluid, semifluid, or solid material |
| Debridement | Removal of foreign material or damaged or dead tissue, especially in a wound. It is used to promote healing and prevent infection. |
| Decubitus (decub) Ulcer
(de-= sown)
(cubit= lie down)
(-us= pertaining to) | An area of skin and tissue that becomes injured or broken down. Also known as bedsore or pressure ulcer. |
| Dermabrasion | Surgical procedure to remove acne scars, nevi, tattoos, or fine wrinkles on the skin by using sandpaper, wire brushes, or other abrasive materials on an anesthetized epidermis |
| Dermatitis
(dermat= skin)
(-itis= inflammation) | Inflammation of the skin |
| Dermatologist
(dermat/o= skin)
(log= study of)
(-ist= one who specializes) | Physician who specializes in the study of skin |
| Dermatology (Derm)
(dermat/o= skin)
(ology= study of) | Study of skin |
| Dermatome
(derm/a= skin)
(-tome= instrument to cut) | Surgical instrument used to cut the skin for grafting |
| Dermomycosis
(derm/o= skin)
(myc= fungus)
(-osis= condition) | Skin condition caused by a fungus; also called dermatomycosis or tinea |
| Ecchymosis
(ec-= out)
(chym= juice)
(-osis=condition) | Abnormal condition in which the blood seeps into the skin causing discolorations raging from blue-black to greenish yellow; bruise |
| Eczema | An acute or chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by erythema, papules, vesicles, pustules, scales, crust, or scabs alone or in combination. |
| Erythema | Redness of the skin; may be caused by capillary congestion, inflammation, heat, sunlight, or cold temperature. |
| Erythroderma
(erythr/o= red)
(-derma= skin) | Abnormal redness of the skin occurring over widespread areas of he body |
| Eschar | Slough, scab |
| Excoriation
(ex-= Out)
(coriat= corium)
(-ion= process) | Abrasion of the epidermis by scratching, trauma, chemicals, or burns |
| Exudate | An oozing of pus or serum |
| Folliculitis
(follicul= little bag)
(-itis= inflammation) | Inflammation of a follicle of follicles. |
| Gangrene | Literally means an eating sore. It is a necrosis, or death, of tissue or bone that usually results from a deficient or absent blood supply to the are. |
| Herpes Simplez | An inflammatory skin disease caused by herpes virus (type 1); cold sore or fever blister. |
| Hidradenitis
(hidr= sweat)
(aden= gland)
(-itis= inflammation) | Inflammation of the swat glands |
| Hives | Eruption of itching and burning swellings on the skin; uricaria |
| Hyperhidrosis
(hyper-= excessive)
(hidr= sweat)
(-osis= condition) | Abnormal condition of excessive sweating |
| Hypodermic
(hypo-= Under)
(derm= skin)
(-ic= pertaining to) | Pertaining to under the skin or inserted under the skin, as a hypodermic injection |
| Icteric
(icter= jaundice)
(-ic= pertaining to) | Pertaining to jaundice |
| Impetigo | Skin infection marked by vesicles or bullae; usually caused by streptococcus (strep) or staphylococcus (staph) |
| Integumentary
(integument= a covering)
(-ary= pertaining to) | Covering; the skin, consisting of the dermis and the epidermis |
| Intradermal (ID)
(intra- within)
(derm= skin)
(-al= pertaining to) | Pertaining to within the skin, as an intradermal injection |
