Identifying Skin Lesions
This is a guide in identifying skin lesions which we nurses often find confusing. I hope this can help.
macule
· a small spot that is not palpable / elevated and is less than 1 cm in diameter
patch
· a large spot that is not palpable / elevated and that is greater than 1 cm
· may arise through coalescence of macules.
papule
· a small superficial bump (involves epidermis only) that is elevated and that is less than 1 cm
plaque
· a large superficial bump (involves epidermis only) that is elevated and greater than 1 cm
· may arise through coalescence of papules
nodule
· a small bump with a significant deep component (involves epidermis and dermis) and is less than 1 cm
tumor
· a large bump with a significant deep component (involves epidermis and dermis) and is greater than 1 cm
vesicle
· a small fluid-filled bubble that is usually superficial and that is less than 0.5 cm
bulla
· a large fluid-filled bubble that is superficial or deep and that is greater than 0.5 cm
pustule
· pus containing bubble often categorized according to whether or not they are related to hair follicles
cyst
· a sac containing fluid or semisolid material, ie. cell or cell products
scale
· accumulation or excess shedding of the stratum corneum
· typically present where there is epidermal inflammation
crust
· dried exudate (ie. blood, serum, pus) on the skin surface
excoriation
· a loss of skin due to scratching or picking
lichenification
· an increase in skin lines and creases from chronic rubbing
maceration
· raw, wet tissue
fissure
· a linear crack in the skin; often very painful
erosion
· a superficial open wound with loss of epidermis or mucosa only
ulcer
· a deep open wound with partial or complete loss of the dermis or submucosa
wheal or hive
· describes a short lived (less than 24 hours), edematous, well circumscribed papule or plaque seen in urticaria
burrow
· a small threadlike curvilinear papule that is virtually pathognomonic of scabies
comedone
· a small, pinpoint lesion, typically referred to as “whiteheads” or “blackheads”
atrophy
· a thinning of the epidermal and/or dermal tissue
keloid
· overgrows the original wound boundaries and is chronic in nature
hypertrophic scar
· does not overgrow the wound boundaries
fibrosis or sclerosis
· describes dermal scarring/thickening reactions
milium
· a small superficial cyst containing keratin (usually less than 1-2 mm in size)
*adopted from Dr. Arni A. Magdamo
macule
· a small spot that is not palpable / elevated and is less than 1 cm in diameter
patch
· a large spot that is not palpable / elevated and that is greater than 1 cm
· may arise through coalescence of macules.
papule
· a small superficial bump (involves epidermis only) that is elevated and that is less than 1 cm
plaque
· a large superficial bump (involves epidermis only) that is elevated and greater than 1 cm
· may arise through coalescence of papules
nodule
· a small bump with a significant deep component (involves epidermis and dermis) and is less than 1 cm
tumor
· a large bump with a significant deep component (involves epidermis and dermis) and is greater than 1 cm
vesicle
· a small fluid-filled bubble that is usually superficial and that is less than 0.5 cm
bulla
· a large fluid-filled bubble that is superficial or deep and that is greater than 0.5 cm
pustule
· pus containing bubble often categorized according to whether or not they are related to hair follicles
cyst
· a sac containing fluid or semisolid material, ie. cell or cell products
scale
· accumulation or excess shedding of the stratum corneum
· typically present where there is epidermal inflammation
crust
· dried exudate (ie. blood, serum, pus) on the skin surface
excoriation
· a loss of skin due to scratching or picking
lichenification
· an increase in skin lines and creases from chronic rubbing
maceration
· raw, wet tissue
fissure
· a linear crack in the skin; often very painful
erosion
· a superficial open wound with loss of epidermis or mucosa only
ulcer
· a deep open wound with partial or complete loss of the dermis or submucosa
wheal or hive
· describes a short lived (less than 24 hours), edematous, well circumscribed papule or plaque seen in urticaria
burrow
· a small threadlike curvilinear papule that is virtually pathognomonic of scabies
comedone
· a small, pinpoint lesion, typically referred to as “whiteheads” or “blackheads”
atrophy
· a thinning of the epidermal and/or dermal tissue
keloid
· overgrows the original wound boundaries and is chronic in nature
hypertrophic scar
· does not overgrow the wound boundaries
fibrosis or sclerosis
· describes dermal scarring/thickening reactions
milium
· a small superficial cyst containing keratin (usually less than 1-2 mm in size)
*adopted from Dr. Arni A. Magdamo
sabi na parang familiar ung mga definitions / characteristics na given dun sa bawat lesion.. hehe! Kay sir Arni pala galing.. Ang galing nyang lecturer! Xa naglecture nung sa Integumentary tsaka GUT namen sa RUN
Posted by
tin |
8:38 AM