| Term | Definition |
| Abrasion | An injury in which superficial layers of the skin are scraped or rubbed away |
| Acne vulgaris | Chronic disorder of sebaceous gland |
| Alopecia | Loss of hair; baldness |
| Arrector pili muscle | A smooth muscle on the side of each hair follicle; when cold, it stimulates the skin to pucker around the hair |
| Athlete's foot | Fungal infection of the foot |
| Avascular | Without blood vessels |
| Basal cell carcinoma | Most common and least malignant type of skin cancer |
| Boil | Bacterial infection of sebaceous gland |
| Cortex | Outer part of an internal organ |
| Cyanosis | Bluish color of the skin due to insufficient oxygen in the blood |
| Decubitus ulcer | A deterioration of the skin due to constant pressure on the area |
| Dermatitis | Inflammation of the skin |
| Dermis | True skin; lying immediately beneath the epidermis |
| Eczema | Acute or chronic non-contagious inflammation of the skin |
| Epidermis | Outermost layer of skin |
| Erythema | Redness of the skin due to dilation of the capillary Network |
| Eschar | Black and skin that is usually a result of third-degree Burns |
| First-degree (superficial) burn | Burn that affects only the epidermal layer |
| Fissure | A groove or cracklike break in the skin |
| Genital herpes | A sexually transmitted recurrent disease caused by a virus |
| Hair follicle | Inpocketing of the epidermis that holds the hair root |
| Herpes | Contagious viral infection in which small blisters appear |
| Hyperthermia | Condition in which the body temperature rises above normal |
| Hypothermia | A condition in which the body temperature drops below normal |
| Impetigo | Acute and contagious skin disease |
| Integumentary system | All organs and structures that make up the skin |
| Jaundice | Yellowish coloring of the skin |
| Keratin | Chemical belonging to albuminoid or scleroprotein Group found in horny tissue, hair, and nails |
| Laceration | A tear or Jagged wound in the skin |
| Lice | Parasitic insects found usually in the hair; highly contagious |
| Malignant melanoma | A type of tumor that develops in the pigmented cells of the skin called melanocytes |
| Medulla | Inner portion of an organ |
| Melanin | Pigment that gives color to Hair, Skin, and eyes |
| Melanocytes | Cells that make the protein melanin to protect against ultraviolet rays |
| Moles | Benign growths that occur when melanocytes grow in a cluster with tissue surrounding them |
| Papillae | Ridges formed in the lower edge of the stratum germinativum, they raise the skin into permanent ridges that form fingerprints |
| Psoriasis | Chronic inflammatory skin disease with silvery patches |
| Ringworm | Contagious fungal infection with raised circular patches |
| Root | (1) the part of a tooth that is embedded into the alveolar process of the jaw; (2) the part of the hair that is implanted in the skin |
| Rosacea | A common inflammatory disorder characterized by chronic redness and irritation to the face |
| Rule of nines | Pertains to patients with Burns; measurement of the percentage of body burned: the body is divided into 11 areas, with each area accounting for 9% of the total body surface |
| Sebaceous gland | Gland that secretes sebum, a fatty material |
| Sebum | Secretion of sebaceous glands that lubricate the skin |
| Second degree (partial-thickness) burn | Affects the epidermis and dermis layers |
| Shaft | (1) the part of the hair that extends from the skin surface;(2)the diaphysis of a long bone |
| Shingles(Herpes zoster) | Virus infection of the nerve endings |
| Skin cancer | A tumor that develops on the skin |
| Squamous cell carcinoma | Cancer of the epidermis |
| Stratum corneum | The surface layer of the skin |
| Stratum germinativum | The deepest epidermal layer of the skin |
| Stratum granulosum | The epidermal layer where the keratinization process occurs when keratin cells change their shape, lose their nucleus, those most of their water, and become mainly hard protein or keratin |
| Stratum lucidum | The epidermal layer found only in the palms of the hands or soles of the feet; the cells in this layer appear clear |
| Stratus spinosum | The epidermal layer that under a microscope looks prickly, this layer contains melanocytes, keratinocytes, and Lambert and cells |
| Sweat gland | Sudoriferous gland that produces sweat or perspiration |
| Third-degree (full thickness) burn | Burn that involves complete destruction of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layers of the skin |
| Urticaria (hives) | |
| Skin condition characterized by itching wheals or welts and usually caused by an allergic reaction |
