Wheal
Pronunciation: weel
A transient, oedematous, raised skin lesion characteristic of urticaria, caused by localised dermal oedema, typically pale in the centre with surrounding erythema.
Full Definition
A wheal (also spelled 'weal' in British usage) is the primary lesion of urticaria: a circumscribed, oedematous plaque in the superficial dermis that appears within minutes, is typically pruritic, and resolves without trace within 24 hours. Wheals vary in size from a few millimetres to several centimetres and may coalesce. Editors must be aware that 'wheal' is the dermatological spelling in North American usage, while 'weal' is accepted in British English; house style should determine which is used consistently. Both spellings must be distinguished from 'welt' (lay term) and 'wheel' (entirely different word — a common typographical error).
Usage
Usage note: UK house style may prefer 'weal'; US/international dermatology journals prefer 'wheal.' Both are correct; apply consistently. Flag the common typo 'wheel' when proofreading. A wheal is transient; a papule or plaque persists.
In Context
- "Skin-prick testing produced a wheal of 6 mm in response to house dust mite allergen." — Allergy assessment report
- "The proofreader identified three instances of 'wheel' in the dermatology article and corrected them to 'wheal'." — Journal proofreading