Makindo Medical Notes Comprehensive Medical Encyclopedia | Education for Healthcare Professionals

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Dermatology terms

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Name	Description
Dermatosis	Any cutaneous lesion or group of lesions. A nonspecific term used to include any type of skin disease.
Dermatitis	Inflammation of the skin. The term eczema also refers to an inflammation of the skin. The term eczema is often colloquially used to define the disease atopic dermatitis.
pruritus/pruritic	itchy/itchy
erythema	redness of the skin produced by vascular congestion or increased perfusion
Macule	Macules are circumscribed alterations in skin colour. The skin surface is neither elevated or depressed in relation to the surrounding skin. Macules may be of any size or colour. A macule greater than 2 cm. in diameter is called a patch. Ex: cafe-au-lait: Mongolian spot; freckle
Papule	Papule is a solid, elevated lesion with no visible fluid which may be up to 0.5 cm. in diameter. The elevation may be accounted for by metabolic deposits, infiltrates, or hyperplasia of cellular elements, etc. A papulosquamous lesion is a papule with desquamation (scaling).
Nodules	Nodules are forms of papules, but are larger and deeper. They may be located in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue, or in the epidermis. Nodules are usually ? cm. or more in diameter. Ex: Metastatic neoplasm; xanthoma
Plaque	An elevated area of skin 2 cm. or more in diameter. It may be formed by coalescence of papules or nodules. The surface area is greater than its height. It is a plate-like lesion.
Wheal	A wheal is an evanescent rounded or flat-topped elevation in the skin that is edematous, and often erythematous. They may vary in size from a few mm. to many cm. The shape may change and these lesions are usually pruritic (itchy). These are really variations of papules, nodules or plaques that are evanescent.
Vesicles and Bullae	(Blisters) Vesicles are circumscribed epidermal elevations in the skin containing clear fluid and less than ? cm. in diameter. If the lesion has a diameter of greater than ? cm, it is called a bulla. Vesicles and bullae arise from a cleavage at various levels of the skin. The more superficial the location, the more flaccid the bullous lesion. Vesicles and bullae are commonly called blisters. It is the diameter, not the cleavage plane that differentiates vesicles and bullae.
Pustule	A pustule is a circumscribed elevation of the skin that contains a purulent exudate that may be white, yellow, or greenish-yellow in colour.
Abscess	A localized collection of pus in a cavity formed by disintegration or necrosis of tissue.
Cyst	A cyst is a closed sac that contains liquid or semisolid material. On palpation a cyst is usually resilient.
Atrophy	Atrophy of the skin may involve the epidermis, or the dermis, or both. It is the thinning process associated with decreased number of cutaneous cells. Sometimes the normal skin markings may be lost. Dermal atrophy may give rise to a depression in the skin. Stria (plural striae) are linear, atrophic, pink, purple, or white lesions of the skin and are sometimes called ?stretch marks?.
Sclerosis	Sclerosis refers to a circumscribed, diffuse hardening or induration in the skin. It is usually produced by induration of the dermis and/or subcutaneous tissue. Palpation is often necessary in diagnosing sclerosis.
Erosion	A loss of epidermis.
Ulcer	A loss of epidermis and dermis (and sometimes deeper tissue). If erosions and/or ulcers are produced by scratching, the term excoriation is used.
Fissure	Fissures are linear cleavages or gaps in the skin surface. (a variation really of an erosion or ulcer)
Desquamation	(scaling/exfoliation)
Scar	Scars occur whenever ulceration has taken place and they reflect the pattern of healing. They may be hypertrophic, atrophic, or cribriform (perforated with multiple small pits).
Crusts (?scabs?)	Crusts result when serum, blood, or purulent exudate dries and it is a hallmark of pyogenic infection. Crusts are yellow when they have arisen from dried serum; green or yellow-green when formed from purulent exudate; and brown or dark red when formed from blood.
Lichenification	A chronic thickening of the epidermis with exaggeration of its normal markings, often as a result of scratching or rubbing.

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PLEASE NOTE LEGAL ADVICE: The contents are under continuing development and improvements and may contain errors of omission or fact. Feedback vital and always welcome at drokane at gmail.com. This is not to be used for the assessment, diagnosis or management of patients. It should not be regarded as medical advice. It is only for educational purposes. Please adhere to your local protocols. If you are unwell please seek healthcare advice from your doctor. This does not replace senior or specialist advice. If you do not accept this then please do not use the website. If you need medical advice, please consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional. If you are a medical professional and you need advice then speak to your senior or colleagues.

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