The Language Of
Medicine
Dr. Michael P. Gillespie
CHAPTER 16
SKIN
2
CHAPTER GOALS
Name the layers of the skin and the accessory
structures associated with the skin.
 Build medical words using the combining forms
that are related to the specialty of dermatology.
 Identify lesions, signs, and symptoms, and
pathologic conditions that relate to the skin.

3
CHAPTER GOALS

Describe laboratory tests and clinical
procedures that pertain to the skin and
recognize relevant abbreviations.

Apply your new knowledge to
understanding medical terms in their
proper contexts, such as medical reports
and records.
4
INTRODUCTION
Skin: integumentary system
 weighs 8 to10 lbs.
 covers 22 sq. ft. in average adult
5
FUNCTIONS OF SKIN

Provides protective membrane

Skin glands lubricate and cool the skin

Receptor for sensations

Helps maintain body temperature
6
FUNCTIONS OF SKIN
Produces sweat: sweat glands produce watery
secretion that evaporates and cools
Produces sebum: sebaceous glands produce oily
secretion that lubricates skin and hair
Receives sensation: pain, temperature, pressure,
and touch
Thermoregulates: interprets message from heat
center in the brain
7
STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN
Epidermis: outermost, thin cellular
membrane
Dermis: next layer; dense fibrous,
connective tissue
Subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis): thick,
fat-containing tissue
8
STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN
9
STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN
10
ACESSORY ORGANS OF THE SKIN
HAIR: cells filled with the hard protein;
keratin





Hair follicles: shafts that hold the hair
Five million hairs on body; 100,000 on
head
Melanocytes at the root form the color
Grow .5 inch (1.3 cm) per month
Cutting does not affect growth
11
ACCESSORY ORGANS OF THE SKIN
12
ACCESSORY ORGANS OF SKIN
NAILS: hard keratin plates
covering toes and fingers
lunula
 cuticle
 paronychium

13
ACCESSORY ORGANS OF SKIN
GLANDS: sebaceous and sweat
 Sebaceous glands secrete oily sebum into hair
follicle to lubricate.
 Sweat glands secrete into pores to moisten and
cool.
 Both are subject to bacterial growth.
14
ACCESSORY ORGANS OF SKIN
Sebaceous gland, eccrine sweat gland, and
apocrine sweat gland.
15
COMBINING FORMS
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
adip/o
 albin/o
 caus/o
 cauter/o
 cutane/o
 derm/o/

Meaning
fat
white
burn, burning
heat, burn
skin
skin
16
COMBINING FORMS
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
dermat/o
 diaphor/o
 erythem/o
 erythemat/o
 hidr/o
 ichthy/o

Meaning
skin
profuse sweating
redness
redness
sweat
scaly, dry
17
COMBINING FORMS
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
kerat/o
 leuk/o
 lip/o
 melan/o
 myc/o
 onych/o

Meaning
hard, horny tissue
white
fat
black
fungus
nail
18
COMBINING FORMS
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
Meaning
phyt/o
 pil/o
 py/o
 rhythid/o
 seb/o
 squam/o
plant
hair, hair follicle
pus
wrinkle
sebum
scalelike

19
COMBINING FORMS
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
steat/o
 trich/o
 ungu/o
 xanth/o
 xer/o

Meaning
fat
hair
nail
yellow
dry
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QUICK QUIZ:
1. Which combining form refers to
white?
A. chlor/o
B. jaund/o
C. melan/o
D. albin/o
21
QUICK QUIZ:
2. Which combining form refers to
the same color as jaund/o?
A. xanth/o
B. chlor/o
C. erythr/o
D. cyan/o
22
COLORS
23
CUTANEOUS
LESIONS
Label the lesions
24
CUTANEOUS
LESIONS
Review the lesions
25
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Alopecia:
absence of hair where it normally grows
26
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Ecchymosis: blue-black marks on the skin
27
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Petechia: small pinpoint hemorrhage
28
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Urticaria: acute allergic reaction with red, round wheals
on skin
29
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS
Acne: papular and pustular eruption of skin with
increased production of sebum
30
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS
Burns: injury to tissue due to heat, chemical,
electric shock, lightning or radiation. Image
shows (A) Second degree burn and (B) Third
degree burn.
31
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS
Cellulitis: diffuse acute infection of skin
 Eczema: inflammation of skin with
erythematous and papulovesicular lesions
caused by allergy
 Exanthematous viral diseases: rash due to
virus (for example, rubella)
 Gangrene: death of tissue with loss of blood
supply

32
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS




Impetigo: contagious pyoderma caused by staph or strep
Psoriasis: chronic recurrent dermatosis with silver gray scales
that itch
Scabies: parasitic (tiny mites) and infectious pruritus
Scleroderma: chronic and progressive disease of skin with
hardening of connective tissue
33
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE):
inflammatory disease of collagen in skin, joints,
and internal organs
34
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS
Tinea: infection of the skin caused by fungus
Tinea corporis
Tinea unguium
35
ABNORMAL CONDITIONS
Vitiligo: Loss of pigment in areas of skin
Vitiligo
36
SKIN NEOPLASMS — BENIGN
Callus
Keloid
37
SKIN NEOPLASMS — BENIGN
Keratosis: thickened area of epidermis
 Leukoplakia: white thickened patches on
tongue or cheek
 Nevus: pigmented lesion
 Verruca: warts caused by virus

38
SKIN NEOPLASMS — CANCEROUS
Basal cell carcinoma
Malignant tumor of the
basal cell layer of the
epidermis
39
SKIN NEOPLASMS — CANCEROUS
Squamous cell carcinoma
Malignant tumor of
the squamous
epithelial cells of
the epidermis.
40
SKIN NEOPLASMS — CANCEROUS
The ABCDs of malignant
melanoma.
A.
Asymmetry
B. Border,
irregular or
circumscribed
C. Color
variation
D. Diameter,
usually larger
than 6mm
41
SKIN NEOPLASMS — CANCEROUS
Kaposi sarcoma
Malignant, vascular, neoplastic growth
characterized by cutaneous nodules.
42
LABORATORY TESTS
Bacterial analyses: pus or fluid
samples examined to detect
microorganisms
Fungal tests: scrapings for culture and
microscopic examination after
treatment with KOH
43
CLINICAL PROCEDURES
Cryosurgery: destroy tissue with
subzero temperatures using liquid
nitrogen
Curettage: scrape lesion with sharp
curet
Electrodesiccation: destroy tissue by
burning with electric spark
44
CLINICAL PROCEDURES
Mohs surgery: remove thin layers of
growth to examine under microscope
(basal and squamous cell)
Skin biopsy: punch and shave to
remove for examination in path lab
Skin test: test reaction of body to
allergen with skin test (scratch or patch tests)
45
ABBREVIATIONS

ABCDE

bx
Derm.
DLE
PPD
PUVA
SLE
SC






asymmetry, border, color, diameter, evolution
(or change) —characteristics associated with
melanoma
biopsy
dermatology
discoid lupus erythematosus
purified protein derivative
psoralen-ultravoilet A light therapy
systemic lupus erythematosus
subcutaneous
46
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
adip/o
 albin/o
 caus/o
 cauter/o
 cutane/o
 derm/o

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
47
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
adip/o
 albin/o
 caus/o
 cauter/o
 cutane/o
 derm/o

Meaning
fat
white
burn, burning
heat, burn
skin
skin
48
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
dermat/o
 diaphor/o
 erythem/o
 erythemat/o
 hidr/o
 ichthy/o

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
49
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
dermat/o
 diaphor/o
 erythem/o
 erythemat/o
 hidr/o
 ichthy/o

Meaning
skin
profuse sweating
redness
redness
sweat
scaly, dry
50
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
kerat/o
 leuk/o
 lip/o
 melan/o
 myc/o
 onych/o

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
51
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
kerat/o
 leuk/o
 lip/o
 melan/o
 myc/o
 onych/o

Meaning
hard, horny tissue
white
fat
black
fungus
nail
52
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
phyt/o
 pil/o
 py/o
 rhythid/o
 seb/o
 sabace/o
 squam/o

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
53
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
phyt/o
 pil/o
 py/o
 rhythid/o
 seb/o
 squam/o

Meaning
plant
hair, hair follicle
pus
wrinkle
sebum
scale-like
54
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
steat/o
 trich/o
 ungu/o
 xanth/o
 xer/o

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
55
REVIEW SHEET
COMBINING FORMS
Combining Form
steat/o
 trich/o
 ungu/o
 xanth/o
 xer/o

Meaning
fat
hair
nail
yellow
dry
56
REVIEW SHEET
SUFFIXES
Suffix
-algia
 -derma
 -esis
 -lysis
 -ose

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
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REVIEW SHEET
SUFFIXES
Suffix
-algia
 -derma
 -esis
 -lysis


-ose
Meaning
pain
skin
condition
breakdown; separation;
destruction; loosening
full of; pertaining to;
sugar
58
REVIEW SHEET
SUFFIXES
Suffix
-osis
 -ous
 -plakia
 -plasty
 -rrhea

Meaning
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
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Review Sheet
SUFFIXES
Suffix

-osis
-ous
 -plakia
 -plasty
 -rrhea

Meaning
condition, usually
abnormal
pertaining to
plaque
surgical repair
flow; discharge
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