Question | Answer |
Burns | tissue damage and cell death caused by intense heat in the form of chemical, thermal, UV radiation, or electrical agents |
one of the most serious threats to skin | Burn |
leading cause of death among burn victims | Infection; Dead skin is breeding ground for bacteria; heat/water loss causes electrolyte imbalance which causes kidney failure and lose ability to protect against infection |
Characteristics of Burns that Threaten life | Dehydration, Electrolyte imbalance, Inadequate circulation, Suppresses immune system, Infection, Open to environment, body temp regulation |
Rule of Nines | Determines what percentage of the body surface area is burned, Estimates fluid loss; Divides body into 11 areas of 9% plus 1 area of 1% |
Parts of the Rules of Nine | (1)head 9%, (2) right arm 9%, (3) left arm 9%, front of trunk (counts as two) 18%, back of trunk (counts as two) 18%, right leg (counts as two) 18%, left leg (counts as two) 18%, genitals = 1% |
What percentage makes up the head | 9% |
What percentage makes up each arm | 9% |
What percentage makes up each side of the trunk | 18% front and back, each count as two, 36% total |
What percentage makes up each leg | 18% both legs together make up 36% |
What percentage makes up the genitals | 1% |
Burns are classified according to | severity & depth |
Critical burns | more than 25% is second degree, or more than 10% is third degree, or burns to face, hands, and/or feet |
facial burns | associated with inhalation burns & can cause respiratory damage & swelling; limits gas exchange |
First degree burn | red and swollen skin, only the epidermis is damaged; Temporary discomfort; Partial thickness burn; Sunburn; Regeneration of skin possible |
Second degree burn | Injury to epidermis and upper level of dermis, skin gets Red, swollen, blisters, and painful; Partial thickness burn; Regeneration of skin possible |
Third degree burn | Destroys entire thickness of skin “full thickness burn”; Gray-white, black color with nerves destroyed (Not painful); Regeneration not possible; Must receive skin graft |
Skin Cancer | Most common type of cancer (CA); 1 in 5 Americans have skin CA at some point in their life |
Greatest risk factor of skin cancer | over-exposure to sunlight (UV radiation) |
Ways to Prevent skin cancer | Wear sunscreen & protective clothing; limit sun exposure; Annual skin checks with dermatologist |
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) | Cells of stratum basale effected, Shiny, dome-shaped pearly beaded edge, Rarely metastasize (spread), slow growing, only at sun-exposed areas, requires surgical removal, easy to cure |
Most common type of skin CA | Basal Cell carcinoma (BCC) |
Least malignant type of skin cancer | Basal Cell carcinoma |
Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Arises from stratum spinosum, Scaly, shallow ulcer with firm raised border, Metastasizes to lymph nodes, Rapid growth, Sun induced, Surgically removed, Good chance of complete cure |
Metastatic (Malignant) Melanoma | Cancer of melanocytes, Arises from pigmented mole, Metastasizes to lymph nodes or blood vessels, Rapid Spreading of brown/black patch, Extensive surgical excision, 50% chance of survival, even if removed it can grow back |
Which skin cancer can develop into brain cancer | Metastatic (Malignant) Melanoma |
Examination of Pigmented Areas | ABCDE; Asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter, elevation |
Asymmetry(examining for skin cancer) | two sides of pigment in mole or spot do not match(examining for skin cancer) |
border irregularity(examining for skin cancer) | borders of lesions are not smooth, have indentions(examining for skin cancer) |
Color(examining for skin cancer) | the pigmented area contains different colors(examining for skin cancer) |
Diameter (examining for skin cancer) | spot is >6 mm across (examining for skin cancer) |
Elevation(examining for skin cancer) | changes in the height of skin surface(examining for skin cancer) |
Pressure Ulcer | decubitus ulcers; Ischemic necrosis formed from prolonged external pressure over bony prominences; Tissue lacks oxygen (because no bloodflow) for long time |
Necrosis | tissue death |
Common areas for pressure ulcers | Sacrum, heels, ischium, hips |
Risk factors of Pressure ulcers | Decreased ability to move, Decreased sensation (paralyzed), Decreased body fat and muscle tissue (just skin on bone), Decreased cognition, Incontinence, Amount of pressure distributed over surface area |
Incontinence | Inability to control one’s bowels |
Contact Dermatitis | Itching, redness, & swelling, May have blisters; Acute or chronic skin inflammation |
Allergic responses causing contact dermatitis | Poison ivy, Latex, Soaps |
Psoriasis | Chronic condition, auto-immune disorder that attacks tissues; Overproduction of cells Dry, scaly, cracking, red lesions that Itch and burn, Disfiguring and painful |
What is psoriasis triggered by | stress, trauma, hormones, infections |
Scabies | Transmissible parasitic infection; Mite burrows into stratum corneum and burrow eggs; Larva congregate around hair follicles; Associated with very poor hygiene |
Athlete’s foot | “tinea pedis” itchy red, peeling condition of the sin between the toes, from fungal infection |
Boils and carbuncles | inflammation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands caused by bacterial infection (staphylococcus aureus) |
Cold Sores | (fever blisters) fluid-filled blisters that itch and sting, caused by herpes simplex infection |
Port Wine Stain | Also called Hemangioma, Birthmark, Very large w/ lots of vascular supply (blood vessels) so it looks very red; Hyperplasia vascular lesion of skin and subcutaneous tissue; Flat, Pink-red-purple |
Keloid Scarring | Excessive proliferation of connective tissue during healing of open skin that causes a Large thick scar on skin surface that looks Shiny, smooth, dome-like, no prevention, can be corrected with pressure guard |
Keloid Scarring is More common among | those with darker skin, Blacks, Middle eastern |
Albinism | Rare, Inherited disorder, auto-somal recessive trait, Have melanocytes but Missing enzyme that makes melanocytes produce melanin, causes Pale skin, white hair, and light eyes (blue) |
Vitiligo | Loss of brown pigment from areas of skin (depigmentation) that look like Irregular white patches caused from Melanocytes that die or are unable to function; Unknown causes either Auto-immune, Genetic, Stress, Viral |
Allopecia | Hair loss also called Male pattern baldness |