Body Parts

Epidermis

Outer layer of skin.

Keratin

Horny, or cornified, layer composed of protein.  It is contained in the hair, skin, and nails.

Melanin

Color, or pigmentation, of the skin.

Dermis

Inner layer of skin (also called the true skin).

Sudoriferous (sweat) glands

Tiny, coiled, tubular structures that emerge through pores on the skin's surface and secrete sweat.

Sebaceous glands

Secrete sebum (oil) into the hair follicles where the hair shafts pass through the dermis.

Hair

Compressed, keratinized cells that arise from hair follicles; the sacs that enclose the hair fibers.

Nails

Originate in the epidermis.  Nails are found on the upper surface of the ends of the fingers and toes.  The white area at the base of the nail is called the lunnula, or moon.

Prefixes

epi-

on, upon, over

intra-

within

para-

beside, beyond, around

per-

through

sub-

under, below

Combining Forms

aut/o

self

bi/o

life

coni/o

dust

crypt/o

hidden

cutane/o

skin

derm/o

skin

dermat/o

skin

heter/o

other

hidr/o

sweat

kerat/o

horny tissue, hard

myc/o

fungus

necr/o

death (cells, body)

onych/o

nail

pachy/o

thick

rhytid/o

wrinkles

seb/o

sebum (oil)

staphyl/o

grapelike clusters

strept/o

twisted chains

trich/o

hair

ungu/o

nail

xer/o

dry

Suffixes

-a

no meaning

-coccus (pl. -cocci)

berry-shaped (form of bacterium)

-ectomy

excision or surgical removal

-ia

diseased or abnormal state, condition of

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

softening

-opsy

view of, viewing

-phagia

eating or swallowing

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhea

flow, excessive discharge

-tome

instrument used to cut

Medical Terms – not built from word parts

Abrasion

Scraping away of the skin by mechanical process or injury.

Abscess

Localized collection of pus.

Acne

Inflammatory disease of the skin involving the sebaceous glands and hair follicles.

Actinic keratosis

A precancerous skin condition of horny tissue formation that results from excessive exposure to sunlight.  It may evolve into a squamous cell carcinoma.

Adipose

Fat, fatty.

Albino

An individual with pigment deficiency in the eyes, hair, and skin.  A hereditary disorder.

Allergy

Hypersensitivity to a substance.

Alopecia

Loss of hair.

Basal cell carcinoma

Epithelial tumor arising from the epidermis.  It seldom metastasizes but invades local tissue.  Common in individuals who have had excessive sun exposure.

Candidiasis

An infection of the skin, mouth, or vagina caused by the yeast-type fungus Candida albicans.  Candida is normally present in the mucous membranes; overgrowth causes an infection.  Esophageal candidiasis is often seen in patients with aids.

Carbuncle

Skin infection composed of a cluster of boils caused by staphylococcal bacteria.

Cellulitis

Inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by infection, leading to redness, swelling, and fever.

Cicatrix

Scar.

Contusion

Injury with no break in the skin, characterized by pain, swelling, and discolouration (bruise).

Cyst

A closed sac containing fluid or semisolid material.

Cytomegalovirus

A herpes-type virus that usually causes disease when the immune system is compromised.

Debridement

Removal of contaminated or dead tissue and foreign matter from an open wound.

Dermabrasion

Procedure to remove skin scars with abrasive material, such as sandpaper.

Diaphoresis

Profuse sweating.

Ecchymosis

Escape of blood into the tissues, causing superficial discolouration; a bruise.

Eczema

Non-infectious, inflammatory skin disease characterized by redness, blisters, scabs, and itching.

Edema

Puffy swelling of tissue from the accumulation of fluid.

Emollient

Agent that softens or soothes the skin.

Erythema

Redness.

Fissure

Slit or crack-like sore in the skin.

Furuncle

Painful skin node caused by staphylococcal bacteria in a hair follicle (boil).

Gangrene

Death of tissue caused by loss of blood supply followed by bacterial invasion.

Herpes

Inflammatory skin disease caused by herpes virus characterized by small blisters in clusters.  Herpes simplex causes fever blisters; herpes zoster (shingles) is characterized by painful skin eruptions that follow nerves inflamed by the virus.

Impetigo

Superficial skin infection characterized by pustules and caused by either staphylococci or streptococci.

Induration

Abnormal hard spot(s).

Jaundice

Condition characterized by a yellow tinge to the skin.

Kaposi sarcoma

A cancerous condition stating as purple or brown papules on the lower extremities that spreads through the skin to the lymph nodes and internal organs.  Frequent with AIDS.

Keloid

Overgrowth of scar tissue.

Laceration

Torn, ragged-edged wound.

Lesion

Any visible change in tissue resulting from injury or disease.  It is a broad term that includes sores, wounds, ulcers, and tumors.

Leukoplakia

Condition characterized by white spots or patches on mucous membrane, which may be precancerous.

Macule

Flat, coloured spot on the skin.

Nevus (pl. nevi)

Circumscribed malformation of the skin, usually brown, black, or flesh coloured.  A congenital nevus is present at birth and is referred to as a birthmark (also called mole).

Nodule

A small knot-like mass that can be felt by touch.

Pallor

Paleness.

Papule

Small, solid skin elevation (pimple).

Pediculosis

Invasion into the skin and hair by lice.

Petechia (pl. petechiae)

Pinpoint skin hemorrhages.

Pruritus

Severe itching.

Psoriasis

Chronic skin condition producing red lesions covered with silvery scales.

Purpura

Disorder characterized by hemorrhages into the tissue, giving the skin a purple - red discolouration.

Pustule

Elevation of skin containing pus.

Scabies

Skin infection caused by the itch mite, characterized by papule eruptions that are caused by the female burrowing in the outer layer of the skin and laying eggs.  This condition is accompanied by severe itching.

Scleroderma

A disease characterized by chronic hardening (induration) of the connective tissue of the skin and other body organs.

Shingles

Development of painful, inflamed blisters that follow the nerve routes.  Caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. (also called herpes zoster).

Squamous cell carcinoma

A malignant growth that develops from scale-like epithelial tissue.  On the skin it appears as a firm, red, painless bump.  The most frequent cause is chronic exposure to sunlight.

Systemic lupus erythematosus

A chronic inflammatory disease involving the skin, joints, kidneys, and nervous system.  This autoimmune disease is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbations.  It also may affect other organs.

Tinea

Fungus infection of the skin (also called ringworm).

Ulcer

Eroded sore on the skin or mucous membrane.

Urticaria

An itching skin eruption composed of wheals of varying size and shape.  It is usually related to an allergy (also called hives).

Verruca

Circumscribed cutaneous elevation caused by a virus (also called wart).

Vesicle

Small elevation of the epidermis containing liquid (also called blister).

Virus

An infectious agent.

Wheal

Transitory, itchy elevation of the skin with a white center and a red surrounding area; a wheal is an individual urticaria (hive) lesion.

Abbreviations

BCC

basal cell carcinoma

bx

biopsy

CMV

cytomegalovirus

SLE

systemic lupus erythematosus

SqCCa

squamous cell carcinoma

staph

staphylococcus

strep

streptococcus

subQ

subcutaneous