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Derm Terms (Dermatology terms)
Derm Terms (Dermatology terms)
List of descriptive dermatology words and their meanings.
abscess | localized necrotic tissue surrounded by normal tissue |
boil | infected abscess; infected furuncle |
bulla | elevated defined vesicle >1 cm2 containing serous (clear or straw-colored) fluid or blood |
carbuncle | multiple, coalescing furuncles |
furuncle | a tense pustule > 1 cm2 |
macule | flat (non-palpable) skin color change < 1 cm2 |
mass | a large neoplasm; implies benignity (see tumor) |
| neoplasm | a new growth |
nodule | elevated solid contour change > 1 cm2 (extends into dermis) |
papule | elevated (palpable) solid contour change < 1 cm2 |
| patch | flat, non-palpable skin color change > 1 cm2 |
| plaque | solid skin contour change > 1 cm2 |
pustule | purulent (pus-filled) papule |
tumor | a large neoplasm (> 2-3 cm); implies malignancy (see mass) |
ulcer (ulceration) | depressed exudative plaque into or through the dermis |
vesicle | elevated fluid-filled papule < 1 cm2 containing serous (clear or straw-colored) fluid |
wheal | an edematous raised, transient, irregularly-shaped papule or plaque |
Secondary skin findings
crust | dried exudate (serum, sebum, blood, or pus) on skin surface |
cyst | closed cavity lined by epithelium |
| dell | small depression of skin (typically circular) |
| depression | dell, indentation |
ecchymosis(es) | large area of discoloration due to bleeding into skin or mucous membrane |
erosion | loss of epidermis: demarcated, moist, indented patch |
excoriation | linear abrasion of epidermis from scratching; leaves characteristic linear crusted plaques |
| eschar | necrotic tissue that sloughs; most often associated with burn injury |
exudate | a breach of skin leading to loss of fluid, blood cells, & cellular debris. Results from inflammation. |
fissure | linear splitting of skin into the dermis |
hardening | thickened skin with hypo- or hyperpigmentation from prolonged irritant exposure |
infarct | necrosis resulting from occlusion of blood vessels |
iris | annular bulls-eye lesion |
lichenification | epidermal thickening on an elevated plaque with accentuated skin markings, usually from chronic rubbing or scratching |
livedo | vascular-based (erythematous to blue) lace-like pattern |
| maculopapular | consisting of both macules and papules: may be used to describe an eruption, but not a lesion (no lesion is both macular and papular). |
maculosquamous | infrequently used term; macule with fine superficial scale; not thick enough to be a papule |
necrosis, necrotic | cellular death leading to erosion, ulceration, or eschar |
papulosquamous | papules with fine superficial scale |
petechiae | pinpoint purpura (discoloration from bleeding into the skin or mucous membrane) |
plaque | raised flat lesion > 1 cm in size often formed from a confluence of papules |
poikiloderma | combination of atrophy, pigmentary change & telangiectasia |
purpura | discoloration from bleeding into skin or mucous membrane |
| purulent | pus-filled (white blood cells due to infection or inflammation) |
scale | sloughed epidermal cells in sheets; silver, tan, white, or yellow cuticular (thin, relatively large flakes) exfoliative (large, peeling sheets) follicular (keratotic plugs, spines, filament, or lichenoid scales) granular (like small grains) hystrix-like (quill-like) ichthyosiform (fish scale-like) keratotic (horny masses) lamellar (thin, relatively large flakes) membranous (large, peeling sheets) pityriasiform (bran-like) psoriasiform (brittle plates in loose layers) |
scar | fibrous tissue replacement of skin at site of dermal injury or ulcer |
sclerosis | induration, hardened skin from inflammation & increased connective tissue formation |
sinus | communicating tract through the skin, frequently draining |
stellate | star-like |
sugillation | swollen bruises from injury |
vegetation | multiple closely spaced projections in a papule or plaque |
Configuration
acuminate | pointed |
annular | ring-shaped |
arciform | arc-shaped |
asymmetrical | unilateral or uneven |
atrophy | loss of the epidermis leading to thin, transparent skin, or loss of dermis leading to depression of skin |
confluent | merging together |
corymbiform | grouped with central large lesion & surrounding smaller lesions |
diffuse | widely distributed |
discoid | coin-like (same as nummular) |
discrete | separate from other lesions |
ecchymosis | bruise; collection of extravascular blood in dermis or subcutaneous tissue caused by trauma |
generalized | distributed diffusely |
group(ed) | cluster(s) of lesions |
guttate | drop-like |
gyrate | ring or spiral shape |
hematoma | large bruise; localized collection of blood beneath the subcutaneous tissue; usually from blunt trauma |
herpetiform | pattern of clusters of vesicles |
iris lesion | concentric rings; bulls-eye |
keloid | benign overgrowth of connective tissue following skin injury |
linear | in a line |
localized | limited area of involvement |
nummular | coin-like (same as discoid) |
petechiae | discrete bruises; violaceous hemorrhagic pinpoint macules |
poikilodermatous | poorly marginated patches with telangiectasia & hyper- and hypopigmented areas |
polymorphous | occurring in several different configurations |
punctate | pointed or dotted |
purpura | bruise; irregular, large macule with varied color; dark purple to red, green, or brownish-yellow |
reticular | lacy, network pattern |
satellite | single lesion in close proximity to large group |
serpiginous | snake-like |
solitary | single |
striae | depressed bands of thin, hypopigmented, stretched, shiny skin |
symmetrical | even, bilateral involvement |
telangiectasia | permanent dilatation of capillaries in the skin; form fine, branching red lines |
zosteriform | band-like pattern in a dermatomal distribution |
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