Overview
This lecture covers the medical specialties, signs, symptoms, pathologies, diagnostic methods, therapies, and medications related to the integumentary system.
Medical Specialties
- Dermatology is the branch of medicine focused on diagnosing and treating skin, hair, and nail disorders.
- A dermatologist is a physician specializing in dermatology.
- Plastic surgery involves repairing, reconstructing, or improving damaged or misshapen body structures.
- A plastic surgeon performs plastic surgical procedures.
Signs and Symptoms of Skin Pathology
- Abrasion is a scrape of the skin surface by friction.
- Anhidrosis is absence of sweat production; dangerous in hot weather.
- Bulla is a large blister.
- Comedo is a blackhead, hardened sebum in a hair follicle.
- Contusion is a bruise without skin breakage.
- Cyst is a non-infected, fluid-filled sac under the skin.
- Ecchymosis is discoloration from blood under the skin after trauma (bruise).
- Erythema is skin redness or flushing.
- Fissure is a crack-like skin lesion.
- Lesion is any wound, injury, or abnormal skin area.
- Macule is a flat, discolored spot (e.g., freckle).
- Nodule is a firm, solid skin mass >0.5 cm.
- Papule is a small, raised, solid spot <0.5 cm.
- Petechiae are pinpoint hemorrhages under the skin.
- Pustule is a pus-filled, raised skin lesion.
- Ulcer is an open sore in the skin or mucous membrane.
- Urticaria (hives) is itchy, pale, red skin wheals from allergic reactions.
- Vesicle is a small, fluid-filled blister.
- Wheal is a round, swollen skin area seen in allergic reactions.
Skin Pathologies
- Abscess is a pus collection under the skin.
- Acne is inflammation of sebaceous glands producing papules and pustules.
- Albinism is a genetic lack of melanin pigment.
- Basal cell carcinoma is a common, rarely metastasizing skin cancer.
- Burns vary by depth: superficial, partial thickness, full thickness; extent measured by rule of nines.
- Cellulitis is an acute infection and inflammation of skin connective tissue.
- Decubitus ulcer is an open sore from prolonged pressure, aka bed sore.
- Dermatitis is skin inflammation.
- Eczema is superficial dermatitis with redness, vesicles, itching, and crusting.
- Gangrene is tissue death from poor blood flow; wet gangrene is infected.
- Impetigo is a contagious bacterial skin infection with rupturing pustules.
- Malignant melanoma is a dangerous, fast-spreading cancer of pigment cells.
- Psoriasis is chronic inflammation producing silvery scale patches.
- Scabies is a contagious mite infestation causing itching.
- Squamous cell carcinoma is skin cancer often beginning as a non-healing sore.
- Tinea is a fungal infection (e.g., tinea capitis = scalp ringworm, tinea pedis = athlete's foot).
- Vitiligo is patchy loss of skin pigment.
- Alopecia is hair loss or baldness.
- Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection.
Diagnostic & Therapeutic Procedures
- Culture and sensitivity determine infecting bacteria and suitable antibiotics.
- Biopsy removes tissue for lab examination; excisional biopsy removes entire lesion.
- Exfoliative cytology scrapes cells for examination.
- Frozen section rapidly examines frozen tissue samples.
- Fungal scrapings test for fungal infections.
- Skin graft (SG) transplants skin to cover damaged areas; allograft is from another human, autograft from self, xenograft from animal.
- Cauterization destroys tissue via chemicals, electricity, heat, or cold.
- Cryosurgery uses freezing to destroy tissue.
- Curettage scrapes off superficial lesions.
- Debridement removes foreign/dead tissue from a wound.
- Electrocautery destroys tissue with electric current.
- Onychectomy is nail removal.
- Chemabrasion (chemical peel) and dermabrasion remove skin layers.
Medications
- Anesthetics numb pain (e.g., lidocaine).
- Antibiotics treat bacterial infections (e.g., Neosporin).
- Antifungals treat fungal infections (e.g., miconazole).
- Antiparasitics treat lice/mite infestations (e.g., Nyx).
- Antipruritics reduce itching (e.g., Benadryl).
- Antiseptics kill bacteria in wounds (e.g., alcohol).
- Corticosteroid creams reduce inflammation (e.g., Kenalog).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Dermatology — study of skin, hair, and nails.
- Plastic surgery — surgical repair or reconstruction of body parts.
- Lesion — abnormal tissue change or injury.
- Biopsy — tissue removal for microscopic examination.
- Burn (rule of nines) — method for estimating burn surface area.
- Papule — small, raised skin lesion.
- Pustule — pus-filled skin elevation.
- Allograft/Xenograft/Autograft — different types of skin grafts.
- Onychectomy — surgical nail removal.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review listed integumentary system abbreviations.
- Watch any additional lectures assigned on this topic.