Integumental | Reference | Skin Lesion Terminology

Ref: Skin Lesion Terminology
  1. Colors
  2. Arrangement patterns
  3. Fluid lesions
  4. Blood lesions
  5. General lesions
  6. Elevation and depression
  7. Others
Colors
  • Cafe-au-lait: brown patches (neurofibromatosis).
  • Hyperpigmentation (melaninhemosiderin).
  • Hypopigmentation.
Arrangement patterns
  • Discrete: areas separated by normal skin.
  • Disseminated: widespread discrete lesions.
  • Generalized: covers most of bodywithout intervening normal skin.
  • Grouped: multiple lesions grouped in one area.
  • Herpetic: blisters in groups.
  • Digitate: finger-shaped.
  • Linear: arranged in a line.
  • Serpiginous: snake-shaped.
  • Stellate: star-shaped (meningococcal septicemia).
  • Target: concentric rings (erythema multiforme).
  • Annular: ring: dark edgecentral clearing.
  • Arcuate incomplete circle.
  • Discoid: filled circle.
  • Petaloid:  merged discoids (seborrheic dermatitis).
  • Polycyclic: merged circles (psoriasis).
  • Livedo: hatched pattern (vasculitis).
  • Reticulate: fine net-like pattern.
Fluid lesions
  • Boil/furuncle: tenderdeep-infection of skin.
  • Bulla: large vesicle.
  • Carbuncle: large furuncle.
  • Crust: dried serumbloodor pus.
  • Cyst: cavity lined with epitheliumcontaining fluidpus or keratin.
  • Pustule: pus-containing vesicle.
  • Uticaria/hives/nettle rash/weals: transient itchy swellingdue to dermaledema (allergicresponse).
  • Vesicle: fluid collection below epidermis.
  • Weal: smallderma edema<3 days.
Blood lesions
  • Ecchymosis: bruise. Blue-black initiallyfrom blood into tissue. 
  • Erythema: flushing due to capillary dilationredness that blanches onpressure (usu. inflammatory).
  • Friable: surface bleeds easily after minor trauma.
  • Hemarthrosis: bleeding into joints.
  • Petechia: pinpointdark-redroundblood macule.
  • Purpura: a skin rash composed of petechiadoesn't blanch on pressure.
  • Telangiectasia: localized dilated blood capillaries visible to naked eyeredspideryblanches on pressure.
General lesions
  • Macule: <1cm diameterno elevationnonpalpable area of altered color.
  • Papule: <1cmpalpable.
  • Patch: macule-likebut >1cm.
  • Plaque: papule-likebut >1cm.
Elevation and depression
  • Lichenification: thickeningbut normal markings maintainedusu. 2° toscratching.
  • Nodule: elevated lesion >1cmrounded shape since thickness same asdiameter.
  • Papillomatous/warty: finger-like or round projections from surface.
  • Pedunculated: on a stalk having a narrower diameter on the base ofthe stalk.
  • Umbilicated: elevated with central depression (molluscum contagiumHSV).
  • Atrophy: depression of surface from thinningusu. see blood vessels andfine surface wrinkling.
  • Erosion: loss of tissueextending to only partial thickness of epithelium.
  • Excoriation: scratch markscausing thinning.
  • Fissure: linear split in dermislocated at: edge of orificeover jointor alongskin crease.
  • Slope: description of edge from surrounding surface down to floor ofulcer. Can be:
    • Slope outwards (TB).
    • Slope inwards (venous).
    • Vertical edge (non-healing).
  • Ulcer: break in epithelial surfaceextending to all layers of epithelium.
Others
  • Comedone: plugged sebaceous follicle.
  • Indurated: abnormal hardening.
  • Malar: around zygomatic bonesaka cheekbones.
  • Pruritic: itchy.
  • Scaly: gross shedding of surface flakes.

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