5-fluorouracil: An anticancer drug, See: Fluorouracil.
Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some examples of abscesses: - A skin abscess is better known as a common boil;
- A peritonsillar abscess is a persistent collection of pus behind the tonsils; and
- A perianal abscess is a pool of pus that forms next to the anus, often causing considerable tenderness and swelling in that area and pain on sitting down and on defecating.
Acne: Localized skin inflammation as a result of overactivity of the oil glands at the base of hair follicles. Acne happens when oil (sebaceous) glands come to life around puberty, when these glands are stimulated by male hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands of both boys and girls.
See the entire definition of Acne
Antiviral: An agent that kills a virus or that suppresses its ability to replicate and, hence, inhibits its capability to multiply and reproduce.
See the entire definition of Antiviral
Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.
Atopic: Prone to allergies or characterized by allergy.
Atopic dermatitis : A skin disease characterized by areas of severe itching, redness, scaling, and loss of the surface of the skin (excoriation). When the eruption ( rash ) has been present for a prolonged time, chronic changes occur due to the constant scratching and rubbing known as lichenification (thickening of the skin with accentuation of the skin lines to form a crisscross pattern).
See the entire definition of Atopic dermatitis
Atypical: Not typical, not usual, not normal, abnormal. Atypical is often used to refer to the appearance of precancerous or cancerous cells.
Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms which can exist either as independent (free-living) organisms or as parasites (dependent upon another organism for life).
See the entire definition of Bacteria
Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria. For example, a bacterial lung infection.
Basal cell carcinoma : The most common type of skin cancer , a disease in which the cancer cells resemble the basal cells of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin.
See the entire definition of Basal cell carcinoma
Benign: Not cancer. Not malignant . A benign tumor does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor may grow but it stays put (in the same place).
See the entire definition of Benign
Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for purposes of diagnosis. (Many definitions of "biopsy" stipulate that the sample of tissue is removed for examination under a microscope. This may or may not be the case. The diagnosis may be achieved by other means such as by analysis of chromosomes or genes.)
See the entire definition of Biopsy
Blister: A collection of fluid underneath the top layer of skin (epidermis). One that is more than 5 mm in diameter with thin walls and is full of watery fluid is called a bulla or a bleb. There are many causes of blisters including burns , vesicant agents, friction forces, and diseases of the skin.
See the entire definition of Blister
Blister beetle: A blister beetle is one of a number of beetles that have historically been used in dried or powdered form for medicinal purposes to raise blisters on the skin. An example of a blister beetle is the so-called Spanish fly. All blister beetles are soft-bodied beetles and belong to the family Meloidae.
Bumps: The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured blood vessels into the tissues as well as from the body's response to the injury. A purplish, flat bruise that occurs when blood leaks out into the top layers of skin is referred to as an ecchymosis.
See the entire definition of Bumps
Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).
See the entire definition of Cancer
Carcinoma: Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover body organs. For example, carcinoma can arise in the breast , colon, liver, lung, prostate, and stomach.
See the entire definition of Carcinoma
Cell: The basic structural and functional unit in people and all living things. Each cell is a small container of chemicals and water wrapped in a membrane .
See the entire definition of Cell
Cellulitis: An acute spreading bacterial infection below the surface of the skin characterized by redness (erythema), warmth, swelling, and pain. Cellulitis can also cause fever, chills, and "swollen glands" (enlarged lymph nodes). Cellulitis is a clinical diagnosis based on the spreading involvement of skin and subcutaneous tissues with erythema, swelling, and local tenderness, accompanied by fever and malaise.
See the entire definition of Cellulitis
Chemotherapy : 1. In the original sense, a chemical that binds to and specifically kills microbes or tumor cells. The term chemotherapy was coined in this regard by Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915).
2. In oncology, drug therapy for cancer. Also called "chemo" for short.
See the entire definition of Chemotherapy
Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen . The chest contains the lungs , the heart and part of the aorta . The walls of the chest are supported by the dorsal vertebrae , the ribs , and the sternum .
See the entire definition of Chest
Chronic: This important term in medicine comes from the Greek chronos, time and means lasting a long time.
See the entire definition of Chronic
Complication: In medicine, an additional problem that arises following a procedure, treatment or illness and is secondary to it. A complication complicates the situation.
See the entire definition of Complication
Contact dermatitis: A skin condition caused by contact between skin and some substance. Includes irritant contact dermatitis (a rash brought on purely by repeated irritation from a substance such as water causing "dish pan hands") and allergic contact dermatitis (involving a specific sensitivity or allergy to a specific substance such as poison ivy).
Cryotherapy: Literally, "cold therapy." Cryotherapy, sometimes referred to as cryosurgery, is a procedure used to destroy tissue of both benign and malignant lesions by the freezing and re-thawing process. Liquid nitrogen is the most commonly used freezing source for cryotherapy. Examples of the uses of cryotherapy in medicine are the treatment (removal) of various types of skin lesions , the treatment of dysplastic ( precancerous ) tissue of the uterine cervix, and the treatment of some prostate cancers .
See the entire definition of Cryotherapy
Curable: Amenable to a cure, capable of being cured, to being healed and made well. Most skin cancers, fortunately, are curable. From the word cure, from the Latin cura meaning care, concern or attention.
Curette: A spoon-shaped instrument with a sharp edge. The word "curette" comes from the French and means a "scraper." The French verb "curer" is "to scrape clean."
See the entire definition of Curette
Cuts: Severed skin. Washing a cut or scrape with soap and water and keeping it clean and dry is all that is required to care for most wounds. Putting alcohol hydrogen peroxide, and iodine into a wound can delay healing and should be avoided. Seek medical care early if you think that you might need stitches. Any delay can increase the rate of wound infection. Any puncture wound through tennis shoes has a high risk of infection and should be seen by your healthcare professional. Any redness, swelling, increased pain, or pus draining from the wound may indicate an infection that requires professional care.
Cysts: Cysts are abnormal, closed sac-like structures within a tissue that contain a liquid, gaseous, or semisolid substance. Cysts can occur anywhere in the body and can vary in size. The outer, or capsular, portion of a cyst is termed the cyst wall.
Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin, either due to direct contact with an irritating substance, or to an allergic reaction. Symptoms of dermatitis include redness, itching, and in some cases blistering.
See the entire definition of Dermatitis
Dermatologist: A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin problems.
Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease ; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies . 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV.
See the entire definition of Diagnosis
Dilation: The process of enlargement, stretching, or expansion. The word "dilatation" means the same thing. Both come from the Latin "dilatare" meaning "to enlarge or expand."
Dry skin: Abnormally dry skin . Can be caused by a dry climate, winter weather, deficiency of vitamin A , systemic illness, overexposure to sunlight, or medication . The skin loses moisture. It may crack and peel. Or it may become irritated, inflamed, and itch . Bathing frequently, especially with soaps, can contribute to dry skin.
See the entire definition of Dry skin
Duct: A passage or a tube with well-defined walls suitable for the conveyance of air or liquids, as the bile duct and the pancreatic duct.
See the entire definition of Duct
Eczema: A particular type of inflammatory reaction of the skin in which there are typically vesicles (tiny blister-like raised areas) in the first stage followed by erythema (reddening), edema (swelling), papules (bumps), and crusting of the skin followed, finally, by lichenification (thickening) and scaling of the skin. Eczema characteristically causes itching and burning of the skin.
See the entire definition of Eczema
See the entire definition of Folliculitis
Fungal: Pertaining to a fungus. For example, a fungal skin infection.
Fungi: Plural of fungus.
Furuncle: Nothing more nor less than a "boil" with a fancy name. A boil is a collection of pus. Antibiotics are often not very helpful in treating abscesses. The main treatments include hot packs and draining ("lancing") the abscess, but only when it is soft and ready to drain. If you develop an abscess and. have fever, a long-term illness (such as cancer or diabetes) or are on medication that suppresses the immune system, you should contact your healthcare practitioner.
Heat rash : Heat rash is an irritation of the skin that results from excessive sweating during hot and humid weather. Heat rash appears as clusters of red pimples or blisters on the skin. It is more likely to occur on the neck and upper chest , in the groin , under the breasts, and in elbow creases. Children are more likely than adults to develop heat rash. Heat rash is not a serious condition and can be easily treated by keeping the affected area cool and dry.
See the entire definition of Heat rash
Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver from any cause.
See the entire definition of Hepatitis
Histoplasma: Full name: histoplasma capsulatum. A microscopic fungus that causes the disease histoplasmosis. The fungus is found throughout the world in river valleys and soil where bird or bat droppings accumulate. The spores of the fungus are released into the air when contaminated soil is disturbed (for example, by plowing fields, sweeping chicken coops, or digging holes) and the airborne spores can then be inhaled into the lungs, the primary site of infection. In the US, the fungus is so common that in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee nearly 90% of adults show evidence of exposure by a positive histoplasma skin test. The fungus can be transferred by organ transplantation.
HIV: Acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus , the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV has also been called the human lymphotropic virus type III, the lymphadenopathy-associated virus and the lymphadenopathy virus . No matter what name is applied, it is a retrovirus. (A retrovirus has an RNA genome and a reverse transcriptase enzyme. Using the reverse transcriptase , the virus uses its RNA as a template for making complementary DNA which can integrate into the DNA of the host organism).
See the entire definition of HIV
Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. From the name of Hygeia, the daughter of Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine (whose staff with entwined snake is the symbol of medicine). Asklepios (known to the Romans as Aesculapius) had a number of children including not only Hygeia but also Panaceia, the patroness of clinical medicine. Hygeia also followed her father into medicine. As the patroness of health, Hygeia was charged with providing a healthy environment to prevent illness. In Greek, "hygieia" means health.
Hyperpigmentation: Dark spots on the skin. Hyperpigmentation is primarily a cosmetic concern that can be covered with make-up, although in some cases (such as the cafe au lait spots associated with neurofibromatosis) it can be a sign of an underlying medical problem. If treatment of hyperpigmentation is desired, a dermatologist may be able to use dermabrasion, laser treatments, or bleaching agents to effect change.
Immune: Protected against infection. The Latin immunis means free, exempt.
Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing us from everything foreign to us, and for protecting us against infections and foreign substances. The immune system works to seek and kill invaders.
See the entire definition of Immune system
Immunocompromised: Having an immune system that has been impaired by disease or treatment.
See the entire definition of Immunocompromised
Immunosuppressive: 1. Pertaining to immunosuppression , the suppression of the immune system .
2. An agent capable of suppressing the immune response .
See the entire definition of Immunosuppressive
Impetigo: A bacterial skin infection caused by the staphylococcus or, more rarely, streptococcus bacteria. The first sign of impetigo is a patch of red, itchy skin. Pustules develop on this area, soon forming crusty, yellow-brown sores that can spread to cover entire areas of the face, arms, and other body parts. Most patients are children. Treatment is by antibiotics.
See the entire definition of Impetigo
Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person.
See the entire definition of Infection
Inflammation: A basic way in which the body reacts to infection , irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain . Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response .
See the entire definition of Inflammation
Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on the skin or in the skin, and makes the person want to scratch the affected area.
See the entire definition of Itching
Laser: A powerful beam of light that can produce intense heat when focused at close range. Lasers are used in medicine in microsurgery, cauterization, for diagnostic purposes, etc. For example, lasers are employed in microsurgery to cut tissue and remove tissue.
See the entire definition of Laser
Leg: In popular usage, the leg extends from the top of the thigh down to the foot. However, in medical terminology, the leg refers to the portion of the lower extremity from the knee to the ankle.
See the entire definition of Leg
Liquid nitrogen: Nitrogen in a liquid state. Liquid nitrogen is supercool -- about 200 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit ) below zero -- and is used for cryopreservation , cryosurgery , and cryomedicine.
See the entire definition of Liquid nitrogen
Maintenance therapy: Treatment designed to help the original primary treatment succeed. Maintenance chemotherapy may be given to patients with cancer in remission to prevent a relapse.
Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects. The name microscope was coined by Johannes Faber (1574-1629) who in 1628 borrowed from the Greek to combined micro-, small with skopein, to view. Although the first microscopes were simple microscopes, most (if not all) optical microscopes today are compound microscopes.
Molluscum contagiosum: A contagious disease of the skin marked by the occurrence of rounded soft tumors of the skin caused by the growth of a virus (one that belongs to the virus family called the Poxviridae).
See the entire definition of Molluscum contagiosum
Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constricted part of a bone or organ that joins its parts as, for example, the neck of the femur bone.
See the entire definition of Neck
Nitrogen: Element number 7, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is biologically important. Nitrogen is a constituent of protein and nucleic acids and is present in all living cells. Nitrogen does not support respiration and is fatal if breathed alone, because of the lack of oxygen . Nitrogen is soluble in the blood and body fluids and, when released as bubbles of gas, can have serious or even fatal consequences.
See the entire definition of Nitrogen
Off-label use: In the United States, the regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permit physicians to prescribe approved medications for other than their intended indications. This practice is known as off-label use.
See the entire definition of Off-label use
Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for example, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis . There is always an onset to a disease but never to the return to good health. The default setting is good health.
See the entire definition of Onset
Pimple: A small papule or pustule . Pimples are sebaceous glands (oil glands) that are infected with bacteria , become inflamed, and fill with pus . Pimples are due to overactivity of the sebaceous glands located at the base of the hair follicles, especially on the face, back, chest, and shoulders. They are a visible and palpable hallmark of acne .
See the entire definition of Pimple
Potassium: The major positive ion (cation) found inside of cells. The chemical notation for potassium is K+.
See the entire definition of Potassium
Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or device for a patient. A prescription has several parts. They include the superscription or heading with the symbol "R" or "Rx", which stands for the word recipe (meaning, in Latin, to take); the inscription, which contains the names and quantities of the ingredients; the subscription or directions for compounding the drug; and the signature which is often preceded by the sign "s" standing for signa (Latin for mark), giving the directions to be marked on the container.
Prognosis: 1. The expected course of a disease .
2. The patient's chance of recovery.
The prognosis predicts the outcome of a disease and therefore the future for the patient . His prognosis is grim, for example, while hers is good.
See the entire definition of Prognosis
Rash : Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. Medically, a rash is referred to as an exanthem.
See the entire definition of Rash
Residual: Something left behind. With residual disease, the disease has not been eradicated.
See the entire definition of Residual
Retinoid: 1. Vitamin A (retinol) or a naturally occurring or synthetic substance chemically related to it. (Retinoid literally means "like retinol.")
2. In ophthalmology, resembling the retina.
Salicylic acid: A substance obtained from plants (white willow back and wintergreen leaves) and also synthesized which is versatile and possesses bacteriostatic , fungicidal, and keratolytic actions.
See the entire definition of Salicylic acid
Skin biopsy: Removal of a piece of skin for the purpose of further examination in the laboratory using a microscope.
See the entire definition of Skin biopsy
Skin color: The color of skin which is complexly determined. Skin color depends on many factors including reddening caused by inflammation , the hemoglobin level in the blood, and the darkening caused by increased deposition of the pigment melanin . Melanin itself is a polymer that comes in two types -- a red-yellow form known as pheomelanin and a black-brown form known as eumelanin.
See the entire definition of Skin color
Squamous cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in squamous cells -- thin, flat cells that look under the microscope like fish scales. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts. Squamous cell carcinomas may arise in any of these tissues.
See the entire definition of Squamous cell carcinoma
Staphylococcus: A group of bacteria that cause a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope, Staphylococcus bacteria are round and bunched together. They can cause illness directly by infection, or indirectly through products they make, such as the toxins responsible for food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. The best known member of the Staphylococcus family is Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus are the main culprit in hospital-acquired infections, and cause thousands of deaths every year.
Steroid: A general class of chemical substances that are structurally related to one another and share the same chemical skeleton (a tetracyclic cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene skeleton).
See the entire definition of Steroid
Superficial: In anatomy, on the surface or shallow. As opposed to deep. The skin is superficial to the muscles. The cornea is on the superficial surface of the eye.
See the entire definition of Superficial
Systemic: Affecting the entire body. A systemic disease such as diabetes can affect the whole body. Systemic chemotherapy employs drugs that travel through the bloodstream and reach and affect cells all over the body.
See the entire definition of Systemic
Therapy: The treatment of disease .
See the entire definition of Therapy
Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. A topical agent is applied to a certain area of the skin and is intended to affect only the area to which it is applied. Whether its effects are indeed limited to that area depends upon whether the agent stays where it is put or is absorbed into the blood stream.
See the entire definition of Topical
Topical chemotherapy : Treatment with an anticancer drug in a lotion, ointment or cream that is applied to the skin.
See the entire definition of Topical chemotherapy
Virus: A microorganism smaller than a bacteria, which cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell. A virus invades living cells and uses their chemical machinery to keep itself alive and to replicate itself. It may reproduce with fidelity or with errors (mutations)-this ability to mutate is responsible for the ability of some viruses to change slightly in each infected person, making treatment more difficult.
See the entire definition of Virus
Wart : A local growth of the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) caused by a virus. The virus of warts (a papillomavirus) is transmitted by contact. The contact can be with a wart on someone else or one on oneself (autoinoculation).
See the entire definition of Wart
Whitehead: A familiar term for what is medically called a closed comedo.
See the entire definition of Whitehead
- Over-The-Counter Products -
- Skin Biopsy - Read about the skin biopsy procedure and what to expect if your doctor orders this procedure for a lesion.
- Rash - Learn about rash causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Common skin rashes include poison ivy, hives, shingles, eczema, contact dermatitis, ringworm, psoriasis and impetigo.
Latest Medical News
|
Skin RSS