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About.com - Dermatology Glossary Category: Health and Medicine > Dermatology Date & country: 03/08/2010, USA Words: 71

I&D - Incision and Drainage
Incision and drainage, or I&D, is a common treatment for an abscess. An abscess, or infection with pus, may not heal well on its own or even with antibiotics. The pus usually needs to be drained to promote healing. An I&D is performed by first numbing the area around the abscess with local anesthetic. A scalpel or needle is inserted into the skin o...

Xerosis
Dry, scaly skin that shows accentuated skin lines. Xerosis is often seen in eczema and atopic dermatitis. Xerosis is often noted on extensor surfacesespecially in the winter. Conditions that dry the skin out include the low humidity of winter, frequent washing, contact with hot water, the use of soaps and detergents, and older age.

Wheal
A spongy, raised, flat lesion resulting from water build-up in the dermis. Wheals usually only last a few hours. Pronunciation: weel (noun)Also Known As: angioedema, dermagraphism, hives, urticaria, whelts

Warm Soaks
Warm soaks are often used to help treat infections. They are especially useful to promote drainage if there is pus involved. They also help reduce pain associated with infection or inflammation. The affected area should be soaked in warm water for no longer than 10 minutes at a time. This can be repeated as often as needed - usually 3 to 5 times a ...

von Zumbusch Psoriasis
This is a rare form of psoriasis is also known as generalized pustular psoriasis. It can be life-threatening especially in the elderly. It is characterized by the development of pustules in the flexural areas - the backs of the knees, the insides of the elbows, the armpits and the groin. These pustules continue to spread and soon they join to form ...

Viral Shedding
Viral shedding occurs most often with herpes simplex virus infections. The virus remains in cells in the body after the first infection in a latent or dormant form. At some point this latency ends and the virus begins to multiply becoming transmittable. This shedding may or may not be accompanied by symptoms of a rash. HSV-2 is more likely to shed ...

Viral Culture
A viral culture is used to determine which virus is causing an infection. Because viruses can infect the brain, sometimes spinal fluid is sampled. Usually the specimen is taken from a vesicle that is beleived to be caused by a virus. Fluid from the vesicle or spinal fluid is sampled and sent to a special laboratory where the virus is grown in a spe...

Vellus Hair
Vellus hair is the fine, non-pigmented hair (peach fuzz) that covers the body of children and adults. The growth of vellus hair is not affected by hormones, whereas the growth of terminal hair is affected by hormones.

Vesicle
A raised lesion less than .5 cm in diameter that contains water and no pus - a blister.Pronunciation: ves-ah-kul (noun)Also Known As: Blister, chicken pox, eczema (in early stage), contact dermatitis, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, pemphigus.

Vaccinia Keratitis
Vaccinia keratitis occurs as a result of spread of the vaccinia virus from the smallpox vaccination site to the cornea of the eye. The symptoms of a red, painful, watering eye that is very sensitive to light occur about 10 days after the exposure of the eye to the vaccinia virus. If not treated, vaccinia keratitis could cause permanent scarring of ...

UVC Radiation
Sunlight has a profound effect on the skin causing premature skin aging, skin cancer, and a host of skin changes. Exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging. Many skin changes that were commonly believed to be due to aging, such as easy bruising, are actually a result of prolong...

UVB Radiation
Sunlight has a profound effect on the skin causing premature skin aging, skin cancer, and a host of skin changes. Exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging. Many skin changes that were commonly believed to be due to aging, such as easy bruising, are actually a result of prolong...

UVA Radiation
Sunlight has a profound effect on the skin causing premature skin aging, skin cancer, and a host of skin changes. Exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging. Many skin changes that were commonly believed to be due to aging, such as easy bruising, are actually a result of prolong...

UV Radiation
The sun gives off energy that we call "ultraviolet radiation," because it has a shorter wavelength than visible blue or violet light. UV radiation is known to cause skin cancer and photoaging. All About UV Radiation

Urticaria
Urticaria is defined as the appearance of wheals caused by a specific stimulus. A hive, or wheal, is a circular, red, spongy lesion that evolves and changes over minutes to hours. It is usually surrounded by an area of redness called a flare. Urticaria can vary in size from a few millimeters to giant lesions covering a whole extremity. Urticaria re...

Ulcer
A focal loss of the top 2 layers of skin, the dermis and epidermis. Ulcers heal with scarring. Also Known As: aphthous ulcers, chancroid, decubitus ulcers, pyoderma gangrenosum, syphillis, chancre, stasis ulcers.

Tinea Cruris
Tinea cruris, also known as jock itch, is a fungal infection of the groin more common in men than in women.

Terminal Hair
Terminal hairs are the thick pigmented hairs found on the scalp, beard, armpits, and pubic area. The growth of terminal hairs is influenced by hormones, but the growth of vellus hairs is not influenced by hormones.

Telangiectasia
Dilated, small superficial blood vessels.Picture of telangiectasias on the legPicture of telangiectasias on the armPronunciation: tee-LAN-jek-TAY-ja • (noun)

Sunblock
Sunblock is different than sunscreen. A sunblock physically blocks the sun's UV radiation of the skin, both UVA and UVB. Examples of sunblocks are clothing, umbrellas, and trees. Chemical sunblocks scatter, reflect, and physically block UV radiation. The most well-known chemical sunblock is zinc oxide. Other commonly used sunblocks are talc, titani...

Subungual Melanoma
Subungual melanoma is a specific type of melanoma that occurs under the nail bed more commonly in dark-skinned people. Subungual melanoma causes a dark colored stripe that runs along the length of the nail plate , not across the nail. Just having a dark nail stripe is not necessarily melanoma. The following Signs make it more likely that a dark str...

Subcutaneous Tissue
The subcutaneous tissue is the third of the three layers of skin. The subcutaneous layer contains fat and connective tissue that houses larger blood vessels and nerves. This layer is important is the regulation of temperature of the skin itself and the body. The size of this layer varies throughout the body and from person to person. Pronunciation:...

Subacute
Subacute refers to how long a disease has been present, but there is no set time that divides subacute from the other time descriptions - acute and chronic. Subacute describes a time course that is between acute and chronic. A rash that is subacute has been present for longer than a few days, but less than several months. Pronunciation: sub-uh-KYOO...

SPF - Sun Protection Factor
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It is a measure of UVB protection and ranges from 1 to 90. How SPF is Determined The actual SPF number is determined experimentally indoors by exposing people to a light spectrum similar to noontime sun. Some people wear sunscreen and others do not. The amount of light that causes redness in sunscreen-protected...

Skin Tags
A skin tag, also known as an achrochordon, is a benign growth of skin that is connected to the body by a short stalk. Skin tags are found most commonly on the armpits, neck, and groin. People who develop skin tags tend to get more as they grow older. Skin tags can be surgically removed. Illustration of a Skin Tag

Skin Phototypes (SPT)
Skin phototype (SPT) is a classification system based on a person's sensitivity to sunlight. People with skin types I and II are at the highest risk for photoaging effects including wrinkles and skin cancer. However, sun effects including wrinkles and skin cancer can occur in any skin type. SPT I - Always burns, never tans SPT II - Burns easily, ta...

Sebaceous Cyst
A sebaceous cyst is also known as an epidermal cyst. It is a collection of keratin-like material - usually white, cheesy, or firm - contained in a cyst wall. The sebaceous cyst normally has a small opening that communicates with the skin and may not be very well seen. Sebaceous cysts can occur on any skin surface, but are most common on the face, b...

Razor Bumps
The medical term for razor bumps is Pseudofolliculitis barbae. This condition is called "pseudo" folliculitisbecause it is caused not by a bacterial infection, but by the regrowth of hair after it has been shaved. This condition occurs most often in people with very curly, kinky hair. After the hair has been shaved, it begins to grow back. Curly ha...

Pustule
A raised lesion that contains pus and sometimes water. Also Known As: Acne, chicken pox, folliculitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, rosacea, scabies, varicella

Pruritis
The medical term for itching.Pronunciation: proo-RY-tis (noun) Also Known As: Pruritic - adjectiveExamples: For some people the most annoying symptom of hives is pruritis. Many rashes are pruritic.

Post-Vaccinial Encephalitis
Post-vaccinial encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain or central nervous system most likely caused by an autoimmune or allergic reaction, not the direct infection of the central nervous system with the vaccinia virus. The symptoms are fever, headaches, stiff neck, light-sensitivity, and coma, which develop 8 to 15 days after vaccination. Prio...

Pilosebaceous Unit
The pilosebaceous unit consists of the hair shaft, the hair follicle, the sebaceous gland which makes sebum, and the erector pili muscle which causes the hair to stand up when it contracts. Illustration of pilosebaceous unit Pronunciation: PIE-lo-suh-BAY-shus YOO-nit (noun)

Photoaging
Photoaging refers to the damage that is done to the skin from prolonged exposure, over a person's lifetime, to UV radiation. Most of the skin changes that occur as we get older are accelerated by sun exposure. Examples of skin changes from photoaging include: Dark spots Wrinkles Droopy skin A yellowish tint Broken blood vessels Leathery skin Skin c...

Petechiae
A deposit of blood in the skin less than .5 cm in diameter. This is actually a collection of tiny bruises. The singular is petechia, but it is rarely seen as a single lesion. Pronunciation: pe-TEEK-ee-eye (noun)

Papule
A solid bump that is up to .5 cm in diameter. A papule can be any color.Also Known As: achrocordon, acne, angioma, comedone, dermatofibroma, folliculitis, insect bite, melanoma, milia, mole, molluscom contagiosum, nevus, pyogenic granuloma, seborrheic keratosis, scabies, skin tag, wart.

Onychomycosis
A fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails. Pronunciation: on-EE-ko-my-KO-sis

Onycholysis
Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. This can occur for various reasons, but the most common cause is a fungal nail infection, or onychomycosis. Pronunciation: on-EE-ko-LY-sis • (noun)

Malignant
Cancerous or able to metastasize (spread). Pronunciation: muh-LIG-nant • (adjective)Also Known As: MetastaticExamples: John learned he had a malignant tumor after it spread to his liver.

Maculopapular
Maculopapular describes a rash that contains both macules and papules. A macule is a flat discolored area of the skin, and a papule is a small raised bump. A maculopapular rash is usually a large area that is red, and has small, confluent bumps. The sandpapery rash of scarlet fever, or scarletina, is the classic example of a maculopapular rash.Pron...

Lymphadenitis
Lymphadenitis refers to inflammation of one or more lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are present throughout the body but are concentrated in the neck, armpits, and groin. These lymph nodes filter lymph fluid and function as a part of the immune system. Pronunciation: LIMF-add-in-I-tis (noun)

Lichenification
An area of thickened skin produced by excessive scratching. The lines of the skin are more pronounced than usual looking like a washboard. Pronunciation: lie-KEN-i-fi-KA-shun (noun) Also Known As: Eczema, lichen planus, dermatitis

Lesion
The word lesion is a catch-all phrase in dermatology used to point out a rash. Basically, it means "that thing you see." Usually a lesion is a discrete part of the rash. For example, a mole is a lesion. Someone with many moles has many lesions. Someone with hives has many wheals - each one of these wheals is a lesion. Pronunciation: LEE-zshun (noun...

KOH Test
A KOH test is used to diagnose fungal infections of the skin or nails. The skin or nail is scraped with a scalpel or glass slide causing dead skin cells to fall off onto a glass slide. A few drops of Potassium hydroxide (KOH) are added to the slide and the slide is heated for a short time. The KOH dissolves the material binding the skin cells toget...

Keratin
Keratin is a tough, fibrous, insoluble protein that makes up skin, hair, and nails. Pronunciation: KER-uh-tin - (noun)

Intertrigo
Intertrigo is a Candida albicans infection of skin folds. In areas of the body that have skin touching skin such as the armpits, groin, and under heavy breasts or fat folds, the environment is warm and moist. This is the perfect environment for Candida albicans, a yeast that is normally found on the skin, to o...

Incubation Period
The incubation period is the amount of time between infection with a virus or bacteria to the start of symptoms. The incubation periods of several diseases are given below: Rocky Mountain spotted fever - 2-14 days Smallpox - 12 days Common cold - 2-5 days Measles - 8-12 days Chicken pox - 14-16 days Erythema infectiosum (Fifth Disease) - 13-...

Impetigo
Impetigo is a superficial bacterial skin infection caused by Staphylococci and Streptococci bacteria. The hallmark finding of impetigo is a honey colored crust that covers a well-demarcated red lesion. Impetigo is treated with the topical antibiotic mupirocin (Bactroban). Pronunciation: im-puh-TY-go (noun)

Id Reaction
An id reaction is an itchy rash with blisters, or vesicles. It usually occurs on the sides of the fingers, but it can also be found on the chest or arms. This rash occurs in response to a fungal infection somewhere else on the body, especially athlete's foot. The id reaction is thought to be an allergic response to fungi. Treating the fungal infect...

Hyperpigmentation
The prefix hyper- is a medical term that means more or too much, and pigment means color. The combination - hyperpigmentation - means more color. A rash that is hyperpigmented is darker than the surrounding skin. Pronunciation: HI-per-pig-min-TAY-shun - (noun)

Hair Follicle
A hair follicle is a stocking-like structure that contains several layers with different jobs. At the base of the follicle a projection is formed like sticking a finger in the bottom of a stocking and pushing it in a small amount. This projection is called the papilla and it contains capillaries, or tiny blood vessels, that feed the cells. The livi...

Hair Follicle
A hair follicle is a stocking-like structure that contains several layers with different jobs. At the base of the follicle a projection is formed like sticking a finger in the bottom of a stocking and pushing it in a small amount. This projection is called the papilla and it contains capillaries, or tiny blood vessels, that feed the cells. The livi...

Generalized Vaccinia
Generalized vaccinia consists of vesiclesor pustulesthat appear on normal skin away from the vaccination site. It is believed that this condition is caused by the spread of the virus in the bloodstream, not direct contact. Prior to 1960, this occurred in 242 people per 1 million people vaccinated.

Furuncle
A furuncle, often called a boil, is a walled-off collection of pus. Furuncles often appear in areas of friction or minor trauma such as underneath the belt, the fronts of the thighs, buttocks, groin, and armpits. Pronunciation: fir-UHN-kul (noun) Also Known As: Carbuncle, Boil

Fluctuance
Fluctuance is an indication of the presence of pus in a bacterial infection. As the skin gets infected redness and induration develop. The immune system works to fight off the bacteria and old, spent white blood cells collect in the skin. Certain chemicals given off by bacteria and white blood cells also accumulate under the skin forming pus. Sometime...

Fissure
A linear loss of the top two layers of skin, the dermis and epidermis, with sharply defined, nearly verticle walls. Pronunciation: FISH-er (noun)Also Known As: Chapped hands and lips, eczema, intertrigo, perleche.

Epidermis
The epidermis is the outer layer of skin. The thickness of the epidermis varies in different types of skin. It is thinnest on the eyelids at .05 mm and thickest on the palms and soles at 1.5 mm. The epidermis contains 5 layers. From bottom to top the layers are named stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum licidum, and stratum...

Epidermal Cyst
An epidermal cyst is also known as a sebaceous cyst. It is a collection of keratin-like material - usually white, cheesy, or firm - contained in a cyst wall. The epidermal cyst normally has a small opening that communicates with the skin and may not be very well seen. Epidermal cysts can occur on any skin surface, but are most common on the face, b...

Dermatitis
The simple definition of dermatitis is inflammation of the skin. Many people think of dermatitis as synonymous with eczema but this is actually not true. Almost any rash can be thought of as a dermatitis based on this definition - including psoriasis, skin cancer, and seborrhea. However, we don't call every rash a dermatitis. There are several dist...

Culture
A culture is a medical tool used to test material (pus, skin cells, blood, sputum, etc.) from an individual with a suspected infection. It is used to determine if a rash is caused by an infection, and if so, the organism that's causing the infection, and possibly what medication will kill the infection. A culture consists of the following: Contain...

Culture
A culture is a medical tool used to test material (pus, skin cells, blood, sputum, etc.) from an individual with a suspected infection. It is used to determine if a rash is caused by an infection, and if so, the organism that's causing the infection, and possibly what medication will kill the infection. A culture consists of the following: Contain...

Comedone
A plug of sebaceous and dead skin material stuck in the opening of a hair follicle. The follicle may be open (blackhead) or almost closed (whitehead).Pronunciation: CO-mee-doen (noun)Also Known As: acne, blackhead, open comedone, whitehead, closed comedone

Candida Albicans
Candida albicans is a yeastlike fungus that commonly causes infections. Candida albicans lives in the mucous membranes of the mouth, vaginal tract, and the intestines. Certain conditions such as pregnancy, oral contraception, antibiotic use, or a compromised immune system can cause an overgrowth of Can...

Bulla
A raised lesion greater than .5 cm in diameter that contains water and no pus. The plural is bullae.

Boil
A boil is a walled-off collection of pus. Boils often appear in areas of friction or minor trauma such as underneath the belt, the fronts of the thighs, buttocks, groin, and armpits. Pronunciation: boyl (noun)

Benign
The definition of benign is not cancerous or mild. Someone who goes to the doctor to have a growth evaluated would be relieved to hear that their growth, or lesion, is benign, not a skin cancer. The following are lesions that may look concerning but are actually benign: Moles Cherry angioma Seborrheic keratosis Pyogenic granuloma <sub>Source...

Bacteremia
Bacteremia refers to the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream. This occurs when there is a break in the body's natural barrier, usually for two reasons: Trauma, like dental work Worsening bacterial infection Transient Bacteremia Dental work is a cause of mild bacteremia. When someone gets dental work, bacteria in the mouth can get into the bloo...

Atrophy
Thinning of one of the top two layers of skin, the dermis or epidermis, causing a depression in the skin. Pronunciation: AT-ro-fee • (noun)

Alopecia
Alopecia means hair loss. Alopecia is divided into scarring alopecia and nonscarring alopecia. The most common type of hair loss is nonscarring alopecia, which is further divided into localized alopecia and generalized alopecia. Pronunciation: al-oh-PEE-shuh • (noun) Also Known As: Hair loss, Bald Spot

Acute
Acute refers to how long a disease has been present, but there is no set time that divides acute from the other time descriptions - subacute and chronic. Acute is the shortest time course description. In other words, a condition that occurs acutely has just started within the past few days. Pronunciation: uh-KYOOT (adjective)

Achrochordon
Achrochordon is the medical term for skin tags. Skin tags are found most commonly on the armpits, neck, and groin. People who develop skin tags tend to get more as they grow older. Skin tags can be surgically removed or frozen. Achrochordon illustratedPronunciation: A-kro-KOR-don - (noun)

Abscess
An abscess is a walled-off collection of pus. Abscesses that appear in areas of friction or minor trauma such as underneath the belt, the fronts of the thighs, buttocks, groin, and armpits, are called furuncles or carbuncles. The clinical signs of an abscess are redness, induration, and fluctuance. In general, abscesses need to be incised and drain...</sub>