Common Skin Lesions and Disorders: Identification and Care
Primary Skin Lesions
These are lesions that are formed on the skin.
Types
Free Content
- Macule: A circumscribed, flat lesion without elevation, differing in coloration from the surrounding skin. Appears in measles, rubella, or freckles.
Solid Content
- Papule: A small, circumscribed, elevated lesion less than 1 cm in diameter. Some warts and some acne lesions are papules.
- Plaque: If a papule is over 1 cm, it is called a plaque.
- Nodule: A circumscribed, elevated lesion located in the hypodermis or at the dermoepidermal junction. It can be felt upon palpation.
Liquid Content
- Vesicle: A raised lesion smaller than 0.5 cm with clear, transparent content.
- Pustule: A vesicle that contains pus.
- Wheal: A raised, itchy, swollen lesion, often caused by insect bites, that is short in duration.
- Cyst: A closed cavity with a circumscribed membrane, as seen in cystic acne.
Secondary Skin Lesions
These are lesions that appear on altered skin.
Types
- Excoriation: A superficial lesion caused by loss of skin from scrapes or scratches.
- Erosion and Ulcer: Erosion affects the epidermis, while an ulcer affects the dermis.
- Fissure: A crack on the skin, often in areas of dry skin, that heals in an almost linear fashion and is often painful.
- Scale: An accumulation of exfoliated, keratinized cells from the stratum corneum.
- Crust: A hardened deposit formed by the drying of the exudate of a lesion. Appears in the healing of burns or injuries.
- Scar: Avascular, hard, and pale fibrous tissue observed in the tissue repair phase.
- Keloid: An overly aggressive scar that remains raised.
- Lichenification: Thickening and hardening of the skin, often secondary to scratching, forming a lattice with exaggerated folds and hyperpigmentation.
Most Common Skin Disorders
Dermatology is the branch of medicine that studies skin diseases.
Types of Common Disorders
- Moles: Smooth or rough macules or papules that may have hair. They can be located on any part of the body, are genetic, and their evolution should be monitored.
- Couperose: Localized telangiectasias on the face caused by capillary congestion. Heat should be avoided.
- Acne: Nodules, cysts, and sometimes papules and vesicles that frequently appear on the face, chest, and back. They are caused by hormonal, bacterial, and other factors. They can be managed with hygienic activities.
- Rosacea: Plaques with telangiectasia and scaling that sometimes evolve. They appear on the face and are caused by hormonal stimulation, dietary factors, etc. Aesthetic activities should not be performed.
- Seborrheic Dermatitis: Scaly plaques appearing on the face due to excess sebum or stress. Hygienic treatments should not be performed.
- Folliculitis: Pustules pierced by hair, sometimes appearing in areas of body hair. They are caused by excess sebum or bacterial infection. Pustules should be treated with disinfection after hair removal.
- Herpes: Blisters on an erythematous plaque that form crusts and scales. They are localized in the lip area due to a viral infection. Treatments should not be performed.
- Warts: Almost always painless, rough growths that appear on any part of the body due to a viral infection. Treatment should not be performed.
- Eczema: Blistering plaques, crusts, and scales that can appear anywhere, especially on the hands. They are often allergic reactions. Aesthetic treatments should not be performed.
- Psoriasis: Scaly papules, plaques, and crusts that can appear on any part of the body. They are caused by hereditary factors. Treatment is not advised during outbreaks.
- Ecchymosis: Bruising caused by blood leaking from ruptured blood vessel walls.
- Telangiectasia: Dilated and congested capillaries beneath the epidermis, visible to the naked eye, caused by poor circulation.