Dermatology (Skin Diseases)

Question 1

What name would you give to a small lump of <5mm and to a large lump (5-10mm)?

Answer 1

Small - papule

Larger - nodule

Question 2

What names are given to small water blisters and large water blisters?

Answer 2

Small - vesicle

Large - Bulla

Question 3

What is the medical name for redness of the skin?

Answer 3

Erythema

Question 4

What are the 3 flat lesions and how can these be described in layman’s terms?

Answer 4

Macule - non palpable area of discoloration.
Patch - macule >2cm
Plaque - palpable, flat topped area >2cm.

Palpable means you are able to feel it.

Question 5

What is the medical term for a scratch?

Answer 5

Excoriations

Question 6

What is the medical term for a stretch?

Answer 6

Striae

Question 7

What is the medical term for an itch?

Answer 7

Pruritus

Question 8

What is the medical term for thread veins visible on the skin?

Answer 8

Telangiectasia

Question 9

What is the medical term for scaling of the skin?

Answer 9

Ichthyosis

Question 10

What are the terms for the loss of the epidermis and for the loss of both the epidermis and dermis together?

Answer 10

Loss of epidermis =Erosion

Loss of epidermis and dermis = ulcer

Question 11

What is the medical term used to describe thickening of the skin with exaggerated skin markings?

Answer 11

Lichenification

Question 12

What is the medical term for bruising?

Answer 12

Ecchymoses

Question 13

What are the medical terms used to describe too much hair and too little hair?

Answer 13

Too much - hirsuitim

Too little - alopecia

Question 14

What 3 major events lead to the process of inflammation?

Answer 14

• vasodilation
• Influx of leukocytes
• Increased microvascular permeability resulting in production of a protein rich exudate.

Question 15

What is psoriasis?

Answer 15

• A skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silver coloured scales.
• Patches normally appear on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back.

Question 16

What causes psoriasis?

Answer 16

Caused by problems with the immune system - T cells attack dividing cells.

Question 17

What type of disease is psoriasis?

Answer 17

• An autoimmune disease (probably inherited - family members often also suffer from disease).

Question 18

What are common triggers of psoriasis?

Answer 18

• injury to skin e.g. a cut.
• drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
• smoking
• hormonal changes (puberty and menopause in women).
• certain medicines (e.g. lithium or antimalarials).
• other immune disorders (e.g. HIV)

Question 19

What are some key features of psoriasis?

Answer 19

• Reduced ‘epidermal transit time’ - skin cells are replaced more quickly than normal. Cells that are not yet fully mature accumulate an keratin is lost.
• normal = 3-4 weeks
• with psoriasis = 3-7 days
• Thickening of epidermal layer.
• Increased vascularity of the upper dermis (causes skin redness).

Question 20

What is another name for eczema?

Answer 20

Atopic dermatitis

Question 21

What are the main symptoms of eczema?

Answer 21

• Red, dry, itchy and cracked skin.
• Inflammation, bleeding and pain in extreme cases.
• Usually found in skin creases (e.g. back of the knee or on the inside of the elbows).

Question 22

What causes eczema?

Answer 22

• internal: asthma or seasonal allergies.

- external: stress, contact with soaps or detergents.

Question 23

What is malignant melanoma and what are the signs to look out for?

Answer 23

• A type of skin cancer that can metatasise to other organs in the body.
• Sign: Appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole.

Question 24

What are some of the risk factors for malignant melanomas?

Answer 24

• Sun exposure
• Type of skin (pale skin with freckles more at risk than darker skin).
• genetic predisposition to melanoma.
• non inherited mutations

Question 25

What are the two main types of malignant melanomas?

Answer 25

- nodular melanomas - changing lump on skin, black/red in colour. Commonly occur on head, neck, chest and back and bleeding is a common sign. - Lentigo maligna melanomas - flat and develop sideways, may gradually get bigger and change shape. Can grow downwards into deeper layers of skin.

Question 26

How would you treat a malignant melanoma?

Answer 26

- remove it - radiotherapy - chemotherapy

Question 27

What is vitiligo?

Answer 27

A long term skin condition where pale white patches develop on the skin caused by a lack of melanin.

Question 28

What areas of the body are most commonly affected by vitiligo?

Answer 28

- skin around the mouth and eyes. - fingers and wrists - armpits - groin - genitals - inside of the mouth

Question 29

What is non-segmented vitiligo? What is segmented vitiligo?

Answer 29

- Symptoms appear on both sides of the body as symmetrical white patches. - Patches only affect one area of the body. - Segmented vitiligo is less common and usually starts earlier than segmented vitiligo.

Question 30

What are the most common causes for segmented and non-segmented vitiligo?

Answer 30

Non - segmented - autoimmune condition ( T-cells attack healthy melanocytes and kill them). Segmented - thought to be caused by neurochemicals (neuropeptide Y) which causes melanocytes to autolyse.

Question 31

What is alopecia areata and what causes it?

Answer 31

- Hair is lost from some areas of the body, most often the scalp (spot baldness). - Cause: autoimmune

Question 32

What is acne and what are alternative term for open and closed comedones?

Answer 32

- skin condition that affects the sebaceous glands. - Open comedones = blackheads - Closed comedones = whiteheads