GLOSSARY OF COMMON SKIN DISEASES AND THERAPIES

A,B,C,D,F,H,I,J,K,L,M,P,R,S,T,V,W

Acne is a condition involving the skin of the face, neck, chest, and back in which plugged hair follicles lead to the formation of pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads. Cystic acne, which is more severe, develops when plugged follicles rupture to cause deep swelling and redness.

Actinic Keratoses are precancerous scaly gray-to-dark-pink patches on sun-exposed skin, including the face, scalp, and backs of the hands. The sandpaper-like surface is often easier to feel than to see. If left unattended, actinic keratoses may evolve into skin cancer.

Athlete's Foot is a general term for fungal infections on the feet.

Atopic Dermatitis usually begins in childhood and sometimes runs in families. It developes as itchy, thickened, fissured skin, most often in the folds of the arms and backs of the knees. It tends to come and go, and usually improves with age.

Basal Cell Cancers are the most common form of cancer in America. They arise from the excessive growth of cells just beneath the skin surface. These cancers increase slowly in size from a small pimple to large nodules that may bleed and form ulcers. Thought to be caused by sun exposure, these slow-growing cancers seldom cause death.

Boils are infections of hair follicles by certain bacteria.

Cellulitis is a skin infection produced by bacteria, leading to redness and swelling. Commonly, red streaks radiate from a site of previous skin injury toward nearby lymph glands.

Chemical Peels are treatments in which a dilute acid is applied with care to the skin to remove superficial blemishes and to give the skin a youthful feel and look.

Cherry Angiomas are small, smooth, cherry red bumps on the skin, most commonly on the chest, abdomen, and back. They consist of collections of blood vessels and appear most frequently after age 35. Although disfiguring, they do not become cancerous.

Cold Sores/Fever Blisters are tiny, clear, fluid-filled blisters that appear periodically on the face. They are the result of herpes simplex type 1 infections and may be activated by sunlight or fever.

Cryotherapy is a treatment technique that removes tissue by spraying the skin with liquid nitrogen and causing the tissue to form a blister. As the blister heals, unwanted surface cells are shed. Cryosurgery involves the same process, but the depth of freezing is much greater. This technique is used to treat some skin cancers, and results in tissue destruction and wound healing with minimal scarring.

Curettage and electrodesiccation is a technique in which cancerous tissue is removed under local anesthesia with a sharp surgical instrument called a curette. Electrosurgical equipment is then used to stop the bleeding and to cauterize a zone of normal tissue.

Dandruff is made up of small flakes of dead scalp skin. It occurs under circumstances in which the surface skin cells of the scalp grow unusually fast.

Dermabrasion involves the use of a high-speed rotary abrasive wheel to smooth out skin imperfections such as scars.

Folliculitis is a superficial infection of hair follicles caused by bacteria or fungus, characterized by small, white-headed pimples.

Hansen's Disease is another term for leprosy.

Herpes is a family name for some 50 related viruses, including herpes simplex type 1 (cold sores/fever blisters), varicella (chicken pox), herpes zoster (shingles), and herpes simplex type 2 (genital herpes).

Hives (Urticaria) are localized swellings of the skin or mucous membranes.

Impetigo is a contagious infection of the skin caused by bacteria. It is characterized by a yellow crust that covers red, moist, and weeping patches of skin, this infection is most commonly seen in children.

Jock Itch is an infection of the skin caused by fungi that results in itchy, red, moist, well-marked patches in the groin area.

Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) is a cancer sometimes associated with other cancers, including leukemia or lymphoma, and more recently with the AIDS virus. Tumors appear anywhere on the skin or mucous membranes as red-purple patches or nodules.

Keloids are scars that grow excessively. They can occur after an operation, burn, vaccination, or even ear piercing.

Light Therapy involves the exposure of skin to ultraviolet light in a controlled fashion to treat a variety of skin conditions. UVA and UVB are the forms of ultraviolet light most commonly used and are administered by having the patient stand in a light box with the skin exposed. PUVA therapy involves taking medication by mouth prior to light exposure to make the skin more sensitive to UVA.

Lupus is a chronic disease in which the body's immune system, instead of serving its normal protective function, forms antibodies and cells that attack healthy tissues and organs. Discoid Lupus affects the skin, causing a rash and scars, most commonly on the face and upper parts of the body.

Melanoma is the most serious of the three types of skin cancers because it often spreads without early intervention. Cancerous changes in the underlying skin cells that produce melanin (the skin coloring pigment) cause a malignant tumor to develop. This cancer can develop from a mole present since birth, a mole that develops later, or from normal-appearing skin. It runs in families, and individuals with lighter complexions are at greatest risk.

Mohs Surgery is a microscopically controlled excision of a lesion where each bit of tissue removed is mapped and examined under the microscope to determine the site and extent of malignant cells before more tissue is removed.

Molluscum Contagiosum is a common contagious viral infection of the skin characterized by tiny pearl-like projections with a core of white matter.

Poison Ivy Skin Allergy is the name given to the dermatitis resulting from exposure to the allergen (oleoresin) of the poison ivy, poison sumac, or poison oak plants. The allergic reaction is characterized by redness, blisters, and itching.

Port Wine Stain, the most common form of the vascular "birthmark," is a red, blue, or purplish discoloration of the skin frequently seen on the face or neck, but also common on the trunk, arms, and legs.

Psoriasis is a common skin disease in which portions of the skin are covered with dry, red patches with silvery scales. Common sites are the trunk, knees, elbows, and scalp. The disease can be triggered by a variety of stresses to the body and is characterized by flare-ups and partial remissions.

Radiation Therapy can destroy cancerous tissue and is useful in certain types of skin cancer, as well as in selected individuals for whom surgery is not possible.

Ringworm is a fungal infection showing as itchy, red, scaly, slightly raised, expanding rings on the trunk, face or groin area.

Rosacea is an "adult form" of acne which is characterized by a chronic inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Pimples and pustules may also occur, and in some patients enlargement of the oil glands of the nose results in enlargement of the nose, or rhinophyma.

Scleroderma is a progressive systemic disorder with associated thickening and tightening of the skin, especially on the arms, face, and hands, and resulting loss of flexibility.

Seborrhea is a chronic disorder in which inflammation occurs in those skin areas having the greatest numbers of oil glands, such as the scalp, sides of the nose, eyebrows, eyelids, skin behind the ears, and middle of the chest. The skin becomes red and covered by a yellowish scale, and it may or may not be itchy.

Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus and is characterized by pain or a tingling sensation in a limited area of one side of the face or torso. A red rash follows, with small, fluid-filled blisters.

Skin Tag is a harmless, painless, skin-colored tumor that commonly protrudes from the skin of the neck or arm.

Squamous Cell Cancers occur when underlying skin cells are damaged, leading to the development of a malignant tumor. A firm, fleshy, hard-surfaced lump develops and grows steadily. It sometimes looks like a wart, or sometimes like an ulcer that never heals completely. The lower lip, ears, and hands are common sites for this cancer.

Topical Chemotherapy involves the application of a chemical to the skin, thereby destroying precancerous growths.

Tinea Versicolor is a superficial infection restricted to the upper layers of the skin.

Varicose Veins are weakened, swollen, or twisted veins.

Vasculitis is an inflammation of blood vessels which sometimes manifests itself on the skin as red or purple dots, usually most numerous on the legs.

Vitiligo is a condition in which pigment cells are destroyed, resulting in irregularly shaped white patches on the skin.

Warts are contagious viral infections of the outer layer of the skin. They can occur on any part of the skin, but appear most often on the hands, fingers, and on the soles of the foot.