Question | Answer |
crust | collection of dried serum & cellular debris |
example of crust is | a scab |
when crust forms from the drying of a body exudate it can be linked to | eczema, impetigo, & seborrhea |
cyst | thick-walled, closed sac/pouch containing fluid/semisolid material |
examples of cysts are | pilondial & sebaceous |
pilondial cyst | found over sacral area in midline, contains hairs |
sebaceous cyst | collection of yellowish, cheesy sebum commonly found on scalp, vulva, & scrotum |
erosion | wearing away/loss of epidermis |
do not penetrate below dermoepidermal junction | erosion |
erosions occur as a result of | inflammation/injury & heal without scarring |
fissue | groove/crack-like sore |
break in the skin lining anal canal | anal fissue |
macule | discolored, often reddened flat lesion |
nodule | solid, round/oval elevated lesion, more than 1cm in diameter |
enlarged lymph node & solid growths are examples of | nodules |
papule | small (<1cm in diameter), solid elevation of skin |
pimples are examples of | papules |
when papules become confluent they form | plaques |
plaques | a superficial, solid, elevated skin lesion |
polyp | benign growth extending from surface of mucous membrane |
commonly found in nose & sinuses, urinary bladder & uterus | polyps |
pustule | small elevation of skin contanining pus |
small abcess on the skin | pustule |
abcess | collection of pus |
ulcer | open sore on skin/mucous membranes within body |
caused by pressure that results from lying in one position | decubitus ulcer |
decubitus ulcer | bedsore |
pressure ulcers usually involve | loss of tissue substance & pus/exudate formation |
exudate | a fluid with a high content of protein and cellular debris that has escaped from blood vessels and has been deposited in tissues or on tissue surfaces, usually as a result of inflammation |
vesicle | small collection of clear fluid (serum) |
blisters are considered | vesicles from a few mm to 1cm |
vesciles form in the case of | burns, allergies & dermatitis |
bulla | large vesicle <1cm |
plural for bulla | bullae |
wheal | smooth, slightly elevated, edematous area that is redder/paler than surrounding skin |
edematous | swollen |
as in a misquito bite, wheals are | circumscribed |
wheals may involve a wide area, as in the case of | an allergic reaction |
accompanied by itching & seen in the case of | hives, anaphylaxis & insect bites |
alopecia | baldness or absence of hair from areas where it normally grows |
may be hereditary or be caused by disease, injury, or treatment such as chemotherapy | alopecia |
alopecia areata | idiopathic condition in which hair falls out in patches |
ecchymosis | bluish-black mark (bruise) on the skin |
ecchymoses | plural of ecchymosis |
caused by hemorrhages into skin from injury or spontaneous leaking of blood from vessels | ecchymosis |
petechia | small, pinpoint hemorrhage |
smaller verion of ecchymoses | petechia |
purpura | bleeding into the skin |
petechia and ecchymoses are forms of | purpura |
pruritus | itching |
arises as a result of stimulation of nerves in skin by substances released in allergic reactions or by irritation caused by substances in blood/foreign bodies | pruritus |
pruritus is a symptom associated with | most forms of dermatitis |
urticaria | acut allergic reaction in which red, round wheals develop on skin; hives |
may be intense with localized edema, & commonly caused by allergy to foods | urticaria |
acne | chronic papular & pustular eruption of skin with increased production of sebum |
acne vulgaris | caused by buildup of sebum & keratin in pores of skin |
blackhead | comedo, plural comedones |
sebum plug partially blocking the pore | blackhead |
whitehead | if a por becomes completely blocked by a sebum plug, or blackhead |
papules, pustules & cysts can form when | bacteria in skin break down sebum, producing inflammation in tissue |
long-term antibiotic use & medications to dry out the skin are treatments for | acne |
these medications are used to prevent comedo | Benzoyl peroxide & tretinoin (Retin-A) |
used to treat severe cystic acne | isotretinoin (Accutane) |
burns | injury to tissues caused by heat contact |
may be caused by dry heat, moist heat, cheicals, lightening, electricity, or radiation | burns |
first-degree burns | superficial epidermal lesions, erythema, hyperesthesia, & no blisters |
sunburn is an example of | a first-degree burn |
second-degree burns | epidermal & dermal lesions, erythema, hyperesthesia, & blisters |
second-degree burns are also called | partial-thickness burn injury |
third-degree burns | epidermis & dermis are destroyed & subcutaneous layer damaged, leaving charred white tissue |
third-degree burns are also called | full-thickness burn injury |
cellulitis | diffuse, acute infection of skin marked by local heat, redness, pain & swelling |
abcesses & tissue destruction can occur if antibiotics are not taken for treament of | cellulitis |
area susceptible to cellulitis | areas of poor lymphatic drainage |
eczema | inflammatory skin disease with erthymetous, papulovesicular lesions; chronic/acute atopic dermititis |
eczema tends to occur in patients with | family history of allergic reactions |
rash can occur on face, neck, elbows & kness in the case of | eczema |
eczema treatment is on a case-by-case basis, but usually includes | corticosteriods |
exanthematous viral disease | rash of skin due to viral infection |
rubella, rubeola & varicella are examples of | exanthematous viral disease |
exanthema means | rash |
rubella | german measles |
rubeola | measles |
varicella | chickenpox |
gangrene | death of tissue associated with loss of blood supply |
can result from injury, inflammation, frostbite, diabetes, or arteriosclerosis | gangrene |
in patients with gangrene, | ischemia leads to necrosis of tissue follwed by bacterial invasion & putrefaction |
putrefaction | proteins are decomposed by bacteria |
impetigo | bacterial inflammatory skin disorder |
contagious pyoderma usually caused by staphylococci or stretococci | impetigo |
effective treatments for impetigo include | systemic use of antibiotics & proper cleansing of lesions |
pyoderma | inflammatory, purulent (pertaining to or consisting of pus) dermatitis |
psoriasis | chronic inflammatory skin disorder; thick, scaly lesions form because of excess epithelial cell growth rate |
psoriasis commonly involves | elbows, knees, scalp, back & genetalia |
psoriasis is caused by an increased rate of growth of | the basal layer of the epidermis |
cause is unknown, condition may run in families & may be worsened by anxiety | psoriasis |
psoriasis treatment includes | topical lubricants, keratolytics, & steriods |
psoralen-ultraviolet A (PUVA) light therapy cay also be used to | treat psoriasis |
scabies | contagious, parasitic (scabies itch mite)infection of stratum corneum with intense pruritus |
scabies commonly affects areas such as | the groin, nipples, & skin between the fingers |
treatment for scabies mites includes | topical medication cream to destroy the tiny parasites |
scabies comes from the Latin word scabere, which means | to scratch |
systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE) | chronic autoimmune disease of collagen in the skin of joints & internal organs |
characteristic "butterfly" pattern of redness over the cheeks & nose is found in | patients with SLE |
severe cases of SLE can also include | increased erthema & all exposed areas of the skin may be involved |
SLE treatment includes | corticosteriods & immunosuppressive drugs to control symptoms |
discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) | milder, scaling, plaque-like, superficial eruption os skin |
discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is confined to | the face, scalp, ears, chest, arms & back |
reddish patches heal leaving scars on patients with | discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) |
tinea | means ringworm |
tinea corporis | infection is in a pink to red, ring-like pattern, highly contagious & causes severe pruritus |
tinea pedis | athlete's foot; affects skin between toes |
tinea capitis | affects skin on the scalp |
tinea barbae | affects skin under a beard |
tinea unguium | affects the nails |
anitfungal agents are used to treat forms of | tinea |
Latin tinea means | worm or moth |
Romans thought that skin affected with tinea looked | "moth-eaten" |
vitiligo | loss of pigment in areas of skin |
depigmentation & milk-white patches occur with | vitiligo |
vitiligo is also known as | leukoderma |
vitiligo has an increased association with autoimmune conditions, such as | thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, & diabetes mellitus |
callus | increased growth of cells in keratin layer of epidermis caused by pressure/friction |
feet and hands are common sites for the formation of | calluses |
corn | type of callus that forms a hard core |
whitish, corn-like central kernal | hard core of a corn |
keloid | hypertrophied, thickened, scar occuring after trauma/surgical incision |
keloids result from | excessive collagen formation in skin during connective tissue repair |
the term keloid comes from the Greek kelis, meaning | blemish |
treaments for keloids are usually | surgical excision combined with intralesional steriod injections/low-dose radiotherapy |
cicatrix | normal scar left by a healed wound |
keratosis | thickened & reddened area of epidermis, usually associated with aging/skin damage |
actinic keratoses are caused by | thickening of outer layer of skin due to overexposure to sun; sometimes precancerous lesions |
seborrheic keratoses result from | overgrowth of basal cells, well circumscribed, slightly elevated, pigmented ^ often pruritic growths |
leukoplakia | white, thickened patches on mucous membrane tissue of tounge/cheek |
may be caused by chronic inflammation, and is common in smokers | leukoplakia |
nevus (plural nevi) | pigmented lesion of skin |
nevi include | vascular spiders, hemangiomas, & moles |
dilated blood vessels radiating out from a point | vascular spiders |
may be present at birth, but some are acquired | nevus |
dysplastic nevi | moles that do not form properly & may progress to form a melanoma |
verruca | epidermal growth caused by a virus |
verruca vulgaris | common wart, most frequent type |
verrucae | plantar warts |
plantar warts occur on | soles of feet |
juvenile warts occur on | hands & face |
venereal warts occur on | genitals & around anus |
treatments for warts includes removal with | acids, electrocautery, or cryosurgery |
cryosurgery to remove warts is | freezing with liquid nitrogen |
warts frequently regrow when | the virus remains in the skin |
basal cell carcinoma | malignant tumor of basal layer of epidermis |
most frequent type of skin cancer | basal cell carcinoma |
basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing tumor that usually occurs on | the face, especially near or on the nose |
basal cell carcinoma almost never | metastasizes |
squamous cell carcinoma | malignant tumor of squamous epithelial cells of epidermis |
may grow anywhere squamous epithelium is found | squamous cell carcinoma |
actinic keratoses are | premalignant lesions in people with sun-damaged skin |
is lesions are not removed actinic keratoses | progresses into squamous cell carcinoma |
treatment of squamous cell carcinoma includes | surgical excision, cryotherapy, curettage, & electrodessication/radiotherapy |
malignant melanoma | cancerous growth composed of melanocytes |
malignant melanoma is attributed to | intense exposure to sunlight |
usually begins as mottled, light brown to black, flact macule with irregular borders | malignant melanoma |
in malignant melanoma lesions may turn to | shade of red, blue & white; also may crust on surface |
melanomas often arise in | preexisting moles (dyplastic nevi) |
frequently appear of upper back, lower legs, arms head & neck | melanomas |
diagnosis of melanomas requires | a biopsy |
prognosis of melanomas is commonly determined by | measuring tumor tickness in millimeters |
melanomas often metastasize to | the lung, liver, bone & brain |
treatment for melanomas include | excision of tumor, regional lymphadenectomy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy & radiotherapy |
Kaposi sarcoma | malignant, vascular, meoplastic growth characterized by cutaneous nodules |
Kaposi sarcoma frequently arises on | the lower extremities |
Kaposi sarcoma nodules ranges in color from | deep pink to dark blue & purple |
condition associated with AIDS | Kaposi sarcoma |
bacterial analysis | samples of skin are sent to a lab to detect presence of microorganisms |
purulent | pus-filled |
exudate | fluid that accumulates |
purulent material or exudate are often taken for examination using | bacterial analysis |
fungal tests | scrapings from skin lesions, hair specimens, or mail clipping are sent to a lab for culture & microscopic examination |
specimens for fungal tests mar be treated with | a potasium hyroxide (KOH) preparation & examined microscopically |
a positive KOH test often eliminates the need for | a culture, in regards to a fungal test |
cryosurgery | use of subfreezing temperature via liquid nitrogen application to destroy tissue |
curettage | use of sharp dermal curette to scrap away a skin lesion |
curette is shaped like | a spoon or scoop |
electrodesiccation | tissue is destroyed by burning with an electric spark |
procedure used along with curettage to remove & destroy small cancerous lesions with well-defined borders | electrodesiccation |
Mohs surgery | thin layers of malignant growth removed & each is examined under microscope |
specialized form of excision to treat basal squamous cell carcinomas & other tumors | Mohs surgery |
Mohs surgery is also known as | microscopically controlled surgery |
skin biopsy | suspected maliganant skin lesions are removed & sent to pathology lab for microscopic examination |
punch biopsy | surgical instrument removes a core of tissue by rotation of its sharp, circular edge |
shave biopsy | tissue is excised using a cut parallel to surface of surrounding skin |
skin test | reaction of body to substance by observing results of injecting the substance/applying it topically to the skin |
skin test are used to diagnose | allergies & disease |
patch test | allergen-treated piece of gauze/filter paper applied to skin |
if a patch test is positive | the skin will turn red or swollen |
scratch test | several scratched made in skin & minute amount of test material inserted into scratches |
Schick test | skin test for diptheria |
Mantoux test | PPD (purified protein derivative) is a skin test for tuberculosis |
Candidiasis | Candida changes to a pathogen & casues localized/generalized mucocutaneous disease |
paronychial lesions in areas of body where rubbing of opposing surfaces is a common cause of | Candidiasis |
thrush | white plaques attached to oral/vaginal mucous membranes; type of Candidiasis |
vulvovaginitis | intense itching around the vagina, almost complete lack of vaginal secretions, and tissue atrophy; type of Candidiasis |
usual means of entry for bacteria, in cellulitis | surgical wound, puncture, insect bite, skin ulcer, or patch of dermatitis |
cellulitis on the face needs to be given special attention because | infection may extend directly to the brain |
mycosis fungoides | rare, chronic skin condition caused by infiltration of skin by malignant lymphocytes |
cutaneous T cell lymphoma is another name for | mycosis fungoides |
mycosis fungoides is characterized by | generalized erythroderma & large reddish, raised tumors that spread & ulcerate |
effective treatments to control mycosis fungoides include | cortisone ointments, topical citrogen mustard, & ultraviolet light PUVA |
excessive warmth, taking birth control pills, antibiotics, & corticosteriods can cause | normal Candida on mucous membranes to change to Candidiasis |
lesions | pathological change in body tissue caused by injury/disease; can assume variety of forms depending on specific cause |
Primary lesions | arise from normal skin as the result of a pathologic process |
secondary lesions | develop from changes to the primary injury |
erosion | wearing away/loss of epidermal tissue |
erosion & crust are examples of | secondary lesions |
many lesions are associated with no | sensations |
example of lesion's that do have sensations | ulcer |
a cyst is considered | a primary lesion |
forms in response to a parasitic infections or obstruction of duct/gland | a cyst |
examples of a primary lesion | a vescile |
wheals following an insect bite would be a(n) | primary lesion |
fissures may form in response to | inflammation, infection or injury worsening |
fissures are | crack-like secondary lesions |
uticaria is characterizes vy | eruption of edematous wheals |
ulcer | formation of crate-like sore resulting from deterioration in response to inflammation, infections, malignancy, or response to external pressure on skin |
exanthuem | skin eruption/rash accompanied by inflammation |
exanthematous viral disease | highly commucable illness caused by viral infections |
characterized by | outbreak of maculopapular lesions |
lesions asociated with impetigo commonly form around | the mouth & nostrils |
begin as macules, progressing to viscles becoming purulent & encased | lesions associated with impetigo |
bacterial analyses of samples of purulent material are performed to determine which bacterial agent caused the infection | impetigo |
dermabrasion | surgical procedures for removing scars |
chemabrasion | application of chemicals that remove surface layers of skin cells |
chemabrasion is also called | chemical abrasion |
phenol peel is an example of | chemabrasion |
onycholysis is seen most often with the use of | artificial fingernails |
used often to identofy causative agent in ezcema | skin testing |
fungal infection of skin which may affect stratum corneum, hair or nails with ring-like pattern of lesions | tinea |
fungal tests using scrapings from the skin lesions help to identify the type of fungal growth | tinea |
characterized by a papular, puritic rash; transmitted by direct contact | scabies |
scabies most often affects | webs of fingers, flexor surfaces of wrist & thighs |
scleroderma | hardening of skin; chronic progressive disorder of connective tissue |
degenerative changes from scleroderma can involve | the skin, blood vessels, skeletal muscles, & internal organs |
collagen is over produced as part of this disease process | scleroderma |
scleroderma has no known etiology, although | systemic spread of the disorder may be linked to an autoimmune dysfunction |
debridement | removing damaged tissue |
debridement is an important step in | burn healing therapy |
debridement may be performed in | a hydrotherapy bath |
most skin neoplasms are | benign |
benign skin growths can arise from | the epidermis, sweat/sebaceous glands or connective tissue |
keratosis | lesion that develops as a result of excessive growth & thickening of epidermis |
common benign neoplasm | keratosis |
commonly observed among elderly, occuring on face, neck, chest & upper back | seborrehic keratosis |
lesions are reddened, irregular & raised with a rough surface | actinic keratosis |
actinic keratosis lesions are usually found on | face, hands, neck & arms |
hemangioma | benign tumor made up of a bundle of blood vessels |
mole/nevus | circumscribed, hyperpigmented area of skin |