Medical Dermatology Glossary

The loss of intercellular cohesion between keratinocytes in the epidermis, resulting in the formation of intraepidermal...

Diffuse epidermal hyperplasia characterised by thickening of the stratum spinosum (prickle-cell layer) of the skin.

A skin reaction that resembles acne vulgaris but is caused by an external agent such as a drug, chemical, or systemic co...

Pertaining to the peripheral or distal parts of the body, specifically the hands, feet, fingers, toes, ears, and nose.

A rough, scaly patch on sun-damaged skin caused by years of ultraviolet exposure, considered a precancerous lesion with...

An autoimmune condition causing non-scarring, patchy hair loss on the scalp or body due to T-cell-mediated attack on hai...

Deep dermal and subcutaneous swelling caused by vascular leakage, commonly affecting the face, lips, and airway. Editors...

The absence or severe reduction of sweating, which can indicate dysfunction of the eccrine sweat glands or autonomic ner...

The most common form of skin cancer, arising from basal keratinocytes of the epidermis and characterised by slow growth...

Standard abbreviation for Basal Cell Carcinoma, widely used in dermatology pathology reports, referral letters, and clin...

Body Surface Area; a measurement used in dermatology to quantify the extent of skin involvement in conditions such as ps...

A large fluid-filled blister measuring more than 10 mm in diameter, representing a primary skin lesion seen in condition...

A vesicant chemical agent derived from blister beetles, used topically in dermatology to treat molluscum contagiosum and...

Describing a substance or formulation that is liable to clog follicular ostia and promote the formation of comedones.

Describing an agent or property that dissolves or prevents the formation of comedones, particularly in the treatment of...

A plugged hair follicle unit in the skin, presenting as either an open (blackhead) or closed (whitehead) lesion, charact...

A primary or secondary skin lesion morphology consisting of dried serum, blood, or pus on the skin surface, described as...

The therapeutic application of extreme cold, typically liquid nitrogen, to destroy abnormal or unwanted skin lesions.

An intensely pruritic, chronic blistering skin condition associated with gluten sensitivity and coeliac disease. Editors...

A common, benign fibrous nodule of the dermis, typically presenting as a firm, hyperpigmented papule on the lower limbs,...

An area of skin supplied by sensory fibres from a single spinal nerve root, relevant in dermatology for mapping nerve-me...

The subspecialty of pathology concerned with the microscopic and macroscopic examination of skin tissue to diagnose cuta...

A form of physical urticaria in which firm stroking of the skin produces a linear wheal-and-flare response within minute...

A non-invasive diagnostic technique using a handheld illuminated magnifier to visualise subsurface skin structures invis...