Skin Condition Glossary

Skin Itch 

Skin Allergy Itch: characterized as an allergic reaction to a chemical substance (i.e. clothing, carpets, shampoos, make-up, deodorant, more).

Plant Itch: associated with contact dermatitis or an allergic reaction to plant material: poison oak, ivy, sumac, allergic plant chemicals, oils or substances.   

Bug & Spider Bite Itch: defined as an allergic or non-allergic reaction to insect, bug or spider bites. Mild reactions include minor swelling, itching, redness, pain or discomfort. Moderate reactions include more severe swelling, itching, redness, pain or discomfort.

Burn Itch: characterized as healing skin itch associated with burn injury healing. Burns, sunburns, minor burn injury produce itching with healing.

Virus Itch:  defined as skin itch symptoms resulting from virus infection. Typical viral skin itch: chicken pox, measles, or resulting skin disorder.

Scalp Itch: associated with flaking or dry skin on the scalp. Typically diagnosed as eczema, psoriasis, or other scalp disorders.  

Dry Skin Itch: generalized skin itch from dry or flaking skin. No specific skin disorder or diagnosis. Common occurrence: sunburns, dry skin from lack of humidity, cold or breezy winter conditions.


S
kin Burn

Water Burn: associated with hot-water burns or scalding of the skin. Can produce first, second or third degree burn injury. 

Heat Burn: defined as skin burn injury from a heat source not touching the skin. Differentiated from direct object contact burns. 

Chemical Burn: associated with skin exposure to chemical substances. Common chemical burns: solvents, acids, cleaners, bleach, or disinfectants. 

Electrical Burn: directly associated with skin contact with electricity. Electrical burns are typically moderate to fatal. 

Sunburn: the most common form of skin burns directly associated with sun exposure. Sunburn injury range: mild to severe or first, second and third degree burns. 

Contact Burn: burn like reaction to an allergic substance that comes in contact with the skin. Common substances include: bed bugs, soaps, house hold chemicals in fabric or detergent. 

Inhale Burn: inhalation burn directly affecting lung lining and surrounding tissue. Caused by the inhalation of hot fumes, gases, smoke or other hot substances into the lungs.


Skin Rash

Plant Rash: typically associated with poison oak, ivy or sumac plant oils that come in contact with the skin. Plant rash is not limited to poison plants exclusively. Plant oil or residue causes skin irritation resulting in rash.

 

Skin Rash: general skin rash is associated with many topical irritants. Rash results from allergies: drug, chemical, contact irritant or substance in the environment.
 

Heat Rash: related to body heat exposure or high temperatures. Prickly heat rash develops in response to elevated body temperatures or exposure.
 

Chemical Rash: result of chemical substance skin exposure. Chemical rash include: detergents, soaps, solvents, deodorants, make-up, or other reactive chemical substances.

 

Skin Allergy Rash: allergic reaction to substances that cause rash. Allergies may be associated with synthetic or natural products: tape, bandages, latex gloves, plants, grass, carpet, more.


Skin Bug or Spider Bite

Chigger Bite: mites that attach to the surface of the skin cells. Itch or rash reaction is common from chigger bite irritation or chigger larva left behind. 

Ant Bite: red or black ant bites that pinch or sting -notably fire ants that can inflict painful stings. Skin redness, swelling and pain result.

Flea Bite: usually associated with dog or cat bites. People are a substitute environment for fleas. Fleas may live and breed in furniture, carpet or other hospitable environments. Fleabites are typically small circular dots with swollen red centers that itch. Bite groupings are common. 

Spider Bite: associated with poisonous and non-poisonous spider bites. Severe spider bites are commonly associated with poisonous spiders: brown recluse or black widow bites. Common house spiders can also inflect painful bites. Reactions vary – typified by swollen bite-ring with white or black center. 

Bed Bug Bite: blood sucking bugs that live in unclean conditions – the bed. Omit saliva in order to extract blood from the skin. Do to size, bed bugs are typically undetectable and visually leave evidence of bites via reactive individuals. 

Fly Bite: commonly associated with black, deer, stable, or horse fly bites. Biting flies draw and feed on animal and human blood via a sharp mouth that draws blood. Reactions vary. 

Mosquito Bite: carriers of deadly diseases: malaria, dengue fever or encephalitis. Mosquitoes puncture the skin via a needle like mouth using salvia as a lubricant. Reactions vary. Itching exacerbates bites increasing risk of infection. 

Tick Bite: mites that inflict irritating or painful bites that transmit over nine serious diseases, notably, Lyme disease. Risk of infection increases if the tick head is left in the skin. Skin redness, swelling and pain are common symptoms. Fever, chills, weakness, loss of appetite, paralysis, flu-like symptoms are possible.


Skin Acne

Whitehead: blocked pore, typically housing bacteria, skin oil and dead skin cells activating white blood cells to attach invading bacteria. Thus, giving the appearance of a whitehead. Squeezing or popping whiteheads can cause the spread of bacteria to other pores.

Blackheads: results of a partially blocked pore with trapped skin oil, bacteria and dead skin cells. Excess skin oil that drains to skin surface causes the skin to produce a black pigment melanin that reacts with the air causing black pore appearance.

Papule: are small red bumps without whiteheads. Papules are whiteheads that do not come to a head but remain below the pore surface. Avoid squeezing as it releases and spreads bacteria.

Pustule: are similar to whiteheads. Pustules are red swollen skin tissue with white or yellow centers a common variety of zits. Avoid squeezing as it releases and spreads bacteria.

Nodule: larger than papules lasting several months. Nodules are large hard bumps or lumps under the skin. Can cause extensive scarring if squeezed.

Cyst: large pus-filled cyst similar to a nodule measuring 5mm or more. Can cause extensive scarring if squeezed. Subject to long periods of healing. 

Rosacea: similar to mild forms of acne but more severe. Confined to the face, typically exhibiting more redness or blemish areas. Rosacea is more common in women than men.

Conglobata:
most severe form of acne and more common in males. Characterized by large lesions that are interconnected with blackheads. Can cause severe scarring. Onset is usually between 18 to 30 years of age and requires medical attention.


Skin Warts

Common Wart: typically skin growths produced by the HPV or human papillomavirus virus. HPV stimulates rapid skin cell growth on the outer layer of skin. Common warts represent more than 100 types of HPV warts. 

Flat Wart: common called plane warts or juvenile warts. Flat warts are benign skin tumors found on the face, arms or legs.

Genital Wart: generally associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Common names include: venereal or genital warts. Caused by the HPV virus and infect more than 5 million Americans per year.

Plantar Wart: non-cancerous skin growths on the soles of feet caused by the HPV virus. Grow in moist environments like: showers, locker rooms, or swimming polls. Infection typically occurs via breaks or cracks in the skin and can spread to surrounding tissue causing clusters of warts.

Subungual Wart: typically associated with warts under the toenail. They are difficult to treat topically based on their location. Appear as rough, horny benign skin growths around or under nails.

Periungual Wart: located around or under the fingernail rough and scaly in appearance. Can cause pain and damage to the nail bed if left untreated. Infections are possible.


Skin Fungus

Body Fungus: commonly called ringworm of the body. Know by red skin patches with raised borders and a clear center. Can be treated with topical anti-fungal products.

Foot Fungus: commonly know as ringworm of the feet or athlete’s foot. Typically appears between the toes and may spread to the arch. Characterized by itching, redness and irritation. May become infected and produce pain to touch. Severe infections can discolor toenails. May be treated with topical anti-fungal products.

Nail Fungus: commonly called ringworm of the nails and generally less common then foot fungus. Toenails appear thicker, opaque or yellow in appearance and can spread under the nail bed causing skin damage or infection. Usually treated with prescription medication.

Scalp Fungus: commonly called ringworm of the scalp. Effects both adults and children and early detection and diagnosis may be difficult. May resemble dermatitis, produce low-grade scalp infections, and is contagious. Inflammation is common. Frequently treated with medicated shampoos.

Jock Itch: is fungus on or around the groin or inner thighs. Secondary candidal infections are common causing recurring red flare-ups requiring long-term treatment. More common in males, groin areas are ideal warm moist environments for fungal incubation and spread. Topically treated.

Beard Fungus: known as ringworm of the beard and generally more rare than other fungal infections. Commonly associated with bacterial infections of the beard. Considered more common among farm workers and typically treated with topical medicines. 

Yeast Infection: associated with fungal infections in the moist mucous membrane areas of the body. Mucous membranes produce warm moist environments for incubation and spread. Treated with oral medications as yeast infections can spread systemically.