What to do if patient presents with skin problems

Question 1

First

Answer 1

Epidemiology and etiology- age,sex, race, occupation

Question 2

Second- History?

Answer 2

1. Onset:time
2. Relationship to travel, season, temperature, drugs, previous treatments, hobbies, pregnancy
3. Skin symptoms: 3Ps- pain, pruritis/itch, paraethesia/ prickling
4. Constitutional (other systems) symptoms:
   - acute: chills, fever, headache
   - chronic: fatigue, anorexia, weight loss
5. Systems review

Question 3

Third- Physical examination

Answer 3

1. Overall patient appearance
2. Vital signs
3. Four major skin signs: type, shape and margin, arrangement, distribution
4. Hair and nail
5. Mucous membranes
6. General examination