Skin Terminology - Medical terms for skin health and diseases
Glossary of medical terms used in skin diseases
Definitions of skin terms
Abrasion – Scraping of the skin.
Absorption – Getting substance from the skin.
Achromia – Leukoderma, white skin.
Acne – Skin problem that occurs at young age.
Acute – Short and severe, but not chronic.
Allergen – Substance that created allergic reaction.
Alopacia – Loss of hair.
Anhidrosis – Inability to sweat.
Anomaly – Abnormal, deviation.
Atrophy – Thin, wrinkled skin where you can see vessels.
Benign – Not life-threatening, not cancer.
Benignity – Mild sickness that does not progress.
Biopsy – Removal of tissue for medical (cancer) examination.
Blister – Vesicle. Elevated lesion containing fluid.
Boil – Skin infection.
Bruise – Contusion. Change of skin color due to accumulation of blood under it.
Bulla – Larger vesicle/blister.
Callus – Skin thickening.
Canker – Sore inside the mouth or skin.
Carbuncle – Infected, hard skin.
Caustic – Chemicals that burn.
Cauterize – Burning of skin to eliminate discomforting substance.
Cellulitis – Skin infection.
Chilblain – Redness of skin around ear, fingers, and toes.
Collagen – Primary protein of skin.
Consolidation – Hardening of soft tissue.
Cutaneous – Related to skin.
Cyst – Skin cavity containing liquid or semi-solid material.
Eruption – Rash. Large area of skin disease.
Fissure – Skin crack.
Flexural – Relating to body folds.
Follicular – Lesion in hair follicles.
Ganglion – Tissue mass.
Gliosis – Proliferation of glial cells.
Histology – Microscopic analysis of cells and tissues.
Intertriginous – Skins touching each other.
Lesion – Small area of skin altered due to disease.
Leukoderma – White skin.
Macule – Flat, nonpalpable change on skin.
Nodule – Palpable, solid lesion.
Malacia – Softening of tissue abnormally.
Papilloma – Small benign tumor.
Papule – Small area of skin elevated due to disease.
Patch – Large area of color change on skin.
Plaque – Elevated, palpable skin disease covering large area.
Pustule – Blister containing pus.
Rash – Eruption. Large area of skin disease.
Scaling – Large number of dead cells on skin surface.
Topical – Application of medication to skin or mucous membrane.
Ulcer – Loss of skin appearing as a hole.
Wart - Skin layer caused by virus.
Vesicle – Blister. Elevated lesion containing fluid.
Weal – Papule or plaque as a result of dermis swelling.
Wheal – Temporary papule or plaque that disappears in few hours.
