Dermatology Prefixes and Suffixes

Overview

This lecture introduces key medical prefixes and suffixes related to the dermatologic (skin) system, covering the structure of skin and common terminology for describing skin conditions.

Key Dermatologic Prefixes and Suffixes

• "Derm" or "dermato" means skin; "ology" means study of; "ic" means pertaining to.
• "Integument" or "integumento" also means skin and refers to the integumentary system.
• "Cutane" means relating to the skin.
• "Epiderm" refers to the epidermis, the outer layer of skin.
• "Derm" or "dermato" can also refer to the dermis, the layer below the epidermis.
• "Derma" as a suffix refers to a condition of the dermis (e.g., pioderma).
• "Hypoderm" means below the dermis; "hypo" means below.
• "Nikia" refers to the area surrounding the nail.
• "Onycho" or "onych" refers to nails (e.g., onychomycosis).
• "Kerat" refers to keratin or thickening of the skin (e.g., hyperkeratosis).
• "Adeno" means gland (e.g., adenitis).
• "Adipo" or "lipo" refer to fat (e.g., adipocyte, liposuction).
• "Fibro" means fibrous tissue; "colla" refers to collagen.
• "Pyo" refers to pus (e.g., pioderma).
• "Sebo" or "seb" refers to sebum, an oily skin secretion.
• "Bulla" or "bull" refers to fluid-filled skin lesions.
• "Vesicul" refers to vesicles (small fluid-filled lesions).
• "Edem" or "edema" means swelling or fluid-filled.
• "Cellul" refers to cell, commonly used in "cellulitis" (skin inflammation).
• "Tinea" means fungal infection.

Color Prefixes in Dermatology

• "Erythro" means red (e.g., erythroderma).
• "Melano" means black (e.g., melanocyte).
• "Xanth" means yellow (e.g., xanthoma).
• "Jaund" means yellow (e.g., jaundice).
• "Cyano" means blue (e.g., cyanosis).

Example Medical Terms

• "Paronychia": "para" (nearby) + "nikia" (nail area) = inflammation around the nail.
• "Subcutaneous": "sub" (below) + "cutaneous" (skin) = beneath the skin.
• "Erythroderma": "erythro" (red) + "derma" (skin) = generalized reddening of the skin.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Dermatologic — Pertaining to the study of the skin.
• Integumentary — Referring to the system of skin and its appendages.
• Epidermis — The outermost layer of the skin.
• Dermis — The second, deeper layer of the skin.
• Hypodermis — Tissue below the dermis.
• Keratin — A protein in skin, hair, and nails.
• Sebum — Oily secretion from sebaceous glands.
• Bulla/Bullae — Large fluid-filled blisters.
• Vesicle — Small fluid-filled skin blister.
• Edema — Swelling caused by fluid accumulation.
• Tinea — Fungal infection of the skin.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Review the lesson on introduction to dermatology for more details.
• Practice breaking down dermatologic terms using prefixes and suffixes.