Integumentary System Terms

Front 1

Scraping or rubbing away of a surface, such as skin, by friction

Back 1

Abrasion

Front 2

Localized collection of pus at the site of an infection (characteristically a staphylococcal infection)

Back 2

Abscess

Front 3

Abscess that originates in a hair follicle; also called boil

Back 3

Furuncle

Front 4

Cluster of furuncles in the subcutaneous tissue

Back 4

Carbuncle

Front 5

Inflammatory disease of sebaceous follicles of the skin, marked by comedos (blackheads), papules, and pustules (small skin lesion filled with purulent material)

Back 5

Acne

Front 6

Absence or loss of hair, especially of the head; also known as baldness

Back 6

Alopecia

Front 7

Tissue injury caused by contact with a thermal, chemical, electrical, or radioactive agent

Back 7

Burn

Front 8

Mild burn affecting the epidermis and characterized by redness and pain with no blistering or scar formation

Back 8

First-degree (superficial) burn

Front 9

Burns affecting the epidermis and part of the dermis and characterized by redness, blistering or larger bullae, and pain with little or no scaring

Back 9

Second-degree (partial thickness) burn

Front 10

Severe burn characterized by destruction of the epidermis and dermis with damage to the subcutaneous layer, leaving the skin charred black or dry white in appearance with insensitivity to touch

Back 10

Third-degree (full thickness) burn

Front 11

Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body; also called malignant cells

Back 11

Carcinoma

Front 12

Malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes and is considered the most dangerous type of skin cancer, which, if not treated early, becomes difficult to cure and can be fatal

Back 12

Melanoma

Front 13

Discolored, dried sebum plugging an excretory duct of the skin; also called a blackhead

Back 13

Comedo

Front 14

Closed sac or pouch in or under the skin with a definite wall that contains fluid, semifluid, or solid material

Back 14

Cyst

Front 15

Growth of hair in a dermoid cyst or in a sinus opening on the skin

Back 15

Pilonidal

Front 16

Cyst filled with sebum (fatty material) from a sebaceous gland

Back 16

Sebaceous

Front 17

Redness of skin caused by swelling of the capillaries

Back 17

Eczema

Front 18

Death of tissue, usually resulting from loss of blood supply

Back 18

Gangrene

Front 19

External or internal loss of a large amount of blood in a short period

Back 19

Hemorrhage

Front 20

Hemorrhage of any size under the skin in which the skin is not broken; also known as a bruise

Back 20

Contusion

Front 21

Skin discoloration consisting of a large, irregularly formed hemorrhagic area with colors changing from blue-black o greenish brown or yellow; commonly called a bruise

Back 21

Ecchymosis

Front 22

Minute, pinpoint hemorrhagic spot of the skin that is a smaller version of an ecchymosis

Back 22

Petechia

Front 23

Elevated, localized collection of blood trapped under the skin that usually results from trauma

Back 23

Hematoma

Front 24

Excessive growth of hair in unusual places, especially in women; may be due to hypersecretion of testosterone

Back 24

Hirsutism

Front 25

Genetic skin disorder in which the skin is dry and scaly, resembling fish skin because of a defect in keratinization

Back 25

Ichthyosis

Front 26

Bacterial skin infection characterized by isolated pustules that become crusted and rupture

Back 26

Impetigo

Front 27

Overgrowth of scar tissue at the site of a skin injury (especially a wound, surgical incision, or severe burn) caused by excessive collagen formation during the healing process

Back 27

Keloid

Front 28

Chronic skin disease characterized by itchy red patches covered with silvery scales

Back 28

Psoriasis

Front 29

Contagious skin disease transmitted by the itch mite

Back 29

Scabies

Front 30

Areas of pathologically altered tissue caused by disease, injury, or a wound resulting from external factors or internal disease

Back 30

Skin lesions

Front 31

Fungal infection whose name commonly indicates the body part affected, such as tinea pedis (athlete's foot); also called ringworm

Back 31

Tinea

Front 32

Lesion of the skin or mucous membranes marked by inflammation, necrosis, and sloughing of damaged tissues

Back 32

Ulcer

Front 33

Skin ulceration caused by prolonged pressure, usually in a patient who is bedridden; also known as decubitus ulcer or bedsore

Back 33

Pressure Ulcer

Front 34

Allergic reaction of the skin characterized by eruption of pale and elevated patches that are intensely itchy; also called wheals (hives)

Back 34

Urticaria

Front 35

Rounded epidermal growth caused by a virus; also called wart

Back 35

Verruca

Front 36

Small blister-like elevation on the skin containing a clear fluid; large vesicles are called bullae

Back 36

Vesicle

Front 37

Localized loss of skin pigmentation characterized by milk-white patches; also called leukoderma

Back 37

Vetiligo

Front 38

Smooth, slightly elevated skin that is white in the center with a pale red periphery; also called hives if itcy

Back 38

Wheal

Front 39

Removal of a small piece of living tissue from an organ or other part of the body for microscopic examination to confirm or establish a diagnosis, estimate prognosis, or follow the course of a disease

Back 39

Biopsy (bx)

Front 40

Any test in which a suspected allergen or sensitizer is applied to or injected into the skin to determine the patient's sensitivity to it

Back 40

Skin Test

Front 41

Use of subfreezing temperature, commonly with liquid nitrogen, to destroy abnormal tissue cells, such as unwanted, cancerous, or infected tissue

Back 41

Cryosurgery

Front 42

Removal of foreign material, damaged tissue, or cellular debris from a wound or burn to prevent infection and promote healing

Back 42

Debridement

Front 43

Tissue destruction by means of high-frequency electrical current; also called electrodessication

Back 43

Fulguration

Front 44

Incision of a lesion, such as an abscess, followed by the drainage of its contents

Back 44

Incision and Drainage(I&D)

Front 45

Surgical procedure used primarily to treat skin neoplasms in which tumor tissue fixed in place is removed layer by layer for microscopic examination until the entire tumor is removed

Back 45

Mohs surgery

Front 46

Surgical procedure to transplant healthy tissue by applying it to an injured site

Back 46

Skin graft

Front 47

Transplantation of healthy tissue from one person to another person; also called homograft

Back 47

Allograft

Front 48

Transplantation of healthy issue from one site to another site in the same individual

Back 48

Autograft

Front 49

Transplantation of artificial skin produced from collagen fibers arranged in a lattice pattern

Back 49

Synthetic

Front 50

Transplantation (dermis only) from a foreign donor (usually a pig) and transferred to a human; also called heterograft

Back 50

Xenograft

Front 51

Procedure that repairs damaged skin, acne scares, fine or deep wrinkles, or tattoos or improves skin tone irregularities through the use of topical chemicals, abrasion, or laser

Back 51

Skin resurfacing

Front 52

Use of chemicals to remove outer layers of skin to treat acne scarring and general keratoses as well as for cosmetic purposes to remove fine wrinkles on the face; also called chemabrasion

Back 52

Chemical peel

Front 53

Any of several laser treatments employed for cosmetic and plastic surgery

Back 53

Cutaneous Layer

Front 54

Removal of acne scars, nevi, tattoos, or fine wrinkles on the skin through the use of sandpaper, wire brushes, or other abrasive materials on the epidermal layer

Back 54

Dermabrasion

Front 55

Kill bacteria that cause skin infections

Back 55

Antibiotics

Front 56

Kill fungi that infect the skin

Back 56

Antifungals

Front 57

Reduce severe itching

Back 57

Antipruritics

Front 58

Anti-inflammatory agents that treat skin inflammation

Back 58

Corticosteroids