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| Absence of, without, not Example: Anhidrosis – The absence of sweating, which can result from damage to sweat glands, certain medications, or neurological disorders, potentially leading to overheating or heatstroke. |
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| Two or both Example: Bilateral – Pertaining to both sides, such as a bilateral rash that appears symmetrically on both sides of the body, often associated with systemic conditions like lupus. |
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| Through, complete Example: Diaphoresis – Excessive sweating, which may be a symptom of fever, physical exertion, or underlying conditions like hyperthyroidism or a heart attack. |
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| Difficult, painful, abnormal, labored Example: Dysplasia – Abnormal development or growth of tissue, often referring to precancerous changes in the skin or mucous membranes, such as cervical dysplasia. |
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| Upon, on, over Example: Epidermis – The outermost layer of the skin, which acts as a protective barrier against environmental damage, pathogens, and water loss. |
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| Toward Example: Cephalad – Toward the head, commonly used to describe directional movement or anatomical orientation. |
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| Pertaining to Example: Dermal – Pertaining to the skin, particularly the dermis layer, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. |
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| Berry-shaped Example: Staphylococcus – A type of berry-shaped bacterium that can cause skin infections such as boils, abscesses, or cellulitis. |
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| Cell Example: Melanocyte – A pigment-producing cell in the skin responsible for producing melanin, which protects against UV radiation. |
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| Resembling Example: Xanthoid – Resembling yellow, often describing yellowish discolorations of the skin or lesions. |
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| Tumor, swelling Example: Lipoma – A benign tumor composed of fatty tissue, often found under the skin. |
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| View of, process of viewing, viewing Example: Biopsy – The process of removing tissue samples for microscopic examination to diagnose skin cancer or other diseases |
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| Abnormal condition, increased numbers pertaining to blood Example: Erythrodermosis – A condition characterized by widespread redness and peeling of the skin, often linked to disorders such as eczema or psoriasis. |
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Gland Example: Adenoma – A benign tumor of a gland, often found in areas such as the adrenal glands, sebaceous glands, thyroid, or pituitary gland. These tumors are typically noncancerous but may affect gland function.
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| Fat Example: Adipocyte – A fat cell that stores energy in the form of lipids, found primarily in subcutaneous tissue and around internal organs. |
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| White Example: Albinism – A genetic condition characterized by the absence of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, leading to increased sensitivity to sunlight and vision issues. |
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| Self Example: Autograft – A graft of tissue taken from the patient’s own body, often used in burn treatments or reconstructive surgery to minimize rejection. |
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| Life Example: Biotherapy – The use of living organisms or biologically derived treatments to aid in the treatment of skin conditions, such as using probiotics for acne or biologic drugs for psoriasis. |
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- A rare autoimmune condition characterized by the complete loss of hair on the scalp. The immune system attacks the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. Alopecia totalis is more severe than alopecia areata, which involves patchy hair loss.
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Term
BCC = Basal Cell Carcinoma |
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Definition
| The most common type of skin cancer that arises from basal cells in the epidermis. BCC grows slowly and rarely spreads (metastasizes) to other parts of the body. It often appears as a pearly or waxy bump, a flat lesion, or a sore that does not heal, typically on sun-exposed areas of the skin. |
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An inflammatory skin condition caused by direct contact with an irritant or allergen. Symptoms include redness, itching, swelling, and sometimes blisters. There are two types:
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Irritant Contact Dermatitis: Caused by substances like soaps or chemicals.
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Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Caused by allergens like poison ivy or nickel.
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I&D = Incision and Drainage; Irrigation and Debridement |
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Incision and Drainage: A minor surgical procedure used to treat abscesses or infected cysts. It involves making an incision to allow pus or fluid to drain.
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Irrigation and Debridement: A procedure to clean a wound or infected area by washing (irrigation) and removing damaged tissue or debris (debridement) to promote healing.
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- A serious type of skin cancer that develops in the melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment (melanin). It can appear as a new mole or change in an existing mole. MM is aggressive and can metastasize quickly if not treated early. The "ABCDE" rule helps in recognizing melanoma: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter greater than 6mm, and Evolving size, shape, or color.
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