Integumentary System

Combining FormsAdip/o, lip/o, steat/o: fatCutane/o: skinHidr/o, sudor/o: sweatichthy/o: dry, scalyKerat/o: horny tissue, corneaMelan/o: blackMyc/o: fungusOnych/o: nailPil/o, trich/o: hairScler/o: hardening Seb/o: sebum, sebaceousSquam/o: flatXer/o: dryCry/o: cold

Suffixes

-cyte: cell-derma: skin-phoresis: carrying, transmissionXen/o: foreigner, stranger

Overview • Dermatologist: a physician who specializes in

treating integumentary disorders• Function: to protect by forming a barrier and to

secrete oil, sweat and sebum• Accessory organs: hair, nails, sweat glands and

sebaceous glands

Overview

• Epidermis: the outer layer of skin that forms a protective covering for the body• Has no nerves or vessels• Dermis: the inner layer of skin, rich in blood

vessels, nerve endings, glands and hair follicles• Subcutaneous “layer”: mostly adipose tissue that

forms an insulation layer to prevent heat loss

Diseases and Conditions• Lesion: any wound, injury or pathological change in

body tissue• Systemic: pertaining to a system or the whole body• Cutaneous: pertaining to the skin• Therapeutic: treatment, remediation or curing a

disorder or disease• Abrasion: scraping or rubbing away of the surface

of the skin • Abscess: a collection of pus at the site of an

infection

Diseases and Disorders

• Furuncle “boil”: an abscess that originates in a hair follicle• Carbuncle: a cluster of boils in subcutaneous tissue• Acne: inflammatory disease of sebaceous follicles

of the skin• Alopecia: absence of or loss of hair, especially on

the head

Diseases and Conditions • Burn: tissue injury caused by contact with thermal,

chemical, electrical or radioactive ingredients• First-degree “superficial”: mild burn affecting only

the epidermis• Redness, no blisters or scarring

• Second-degree “partial thickness”: affects the epidermis and part of the dermis• Redness, blistering, little to no scaring

• Third-degree “full thickness”: severe burn that destroys the epidermis and damages the dermis and subcutaneous layers• Skin is charred and black

Diseases and Conditions• Comedo “blackhead”: discolored, dried sebum

plugging a duct in the skin • Cyst: a closed sac under the skin containing fluid or

solid material• Pilonidal cyst: growth of hair in a cyst on the skin• Sebaceous cyst: a cyst filled with sebum • Eczema: redness of skin caused by swelling of the

capillaries

Diseases and Conditions

• Gangrene: death of tissue resulting from loss of blood supply to an area• Hemorrhage: large amounts of blood loss in a short

amount of time• Contusion: a hemorrhage underneath unbroken

skin• Ecchymosis: skin discoloration consisting of large

hemorrhagic areas• Petechia: small hemorrhagic spots on the skin

smaller than ecchymosis

Diseases and Conditions• Hematoma: an elevated collection of blood trapped

under the skin “bruise”• Hirsutism: excessive growth of hair in unusual

places, especially in women• Ichthyosis: a genetic skin disorder in which the skin

is dry and scaly because of a defect in keratinization• Impetigo: a bacterial skin infection with boils that

become crusted and rupture• Keloid: an overgrowth of hardened scar tissue• Psoriasis: a chronic skin disease with itchy red

patches and silvery scales

Diseases and Conditions

• Scabies: a contagious skin disease transmitted by the itch mite• Skin lesions: areas of altered tissue caused by

disease, injury or wounds• Tinea: a fungal infection like athletes foot or jock

itch• Ulcer: lesion of the skin or mucous membranes• Pressure ulcer: a skin ulcer caused by prolonged

pressure “bedsores”

Diseases and Conditions

• Urticaria: an allergic skin reaction “hives”• Verruca: a rounded growth caused by a virus

“wart”• Vesicle: a small, blister-like elevation on the skin

containing clear fluid • Vitiligo: loss of skin pigmentation “leukoderma”• Wheal: smooth, elevated skin that is white in the

center surrounded by redness

Skin Cancers

• Carcinoma: uncontrolled growth of abnormal (malignant) cells • Melanoma: a malignant tumor that originates in

melanocytes • Most dangerous type of skin cancer

• Basal Cell Carcinoma: skin cancer caused by over exposure to ultraviolet radiation• Most common type of skin cancer

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma: skin cancer of the epidermis• Second most common type of skin cancer

Diagnostic Procedures

• Biopsy: removal of living tissue for microscopic examination• Skin test: any test in which an allergen is applied to

the skin • Cryosurgery: use of subfreezing temperatures to

destroy abnormal tissue • Debridement: removal of foreign material from

damaged tissue• Fulguration: tissue destruction using high-

frequency electrical current

Diagnostic Procedures• Incision and drainage (I&D): incision of a lesion or

abscess followed by draining the contents• Mohs surgery: tumor tissue is removed for biopsy• Skin graft: a transplant of healthy tissue to replace

damaged tissue• Allograft: a skin graft from one person to another

person• Autograft: a skin graft from one site to another site

on the same person• Synthetic: a skin graft using artificial skin • Xenograft: a skin graft from a foreign donor (pig) to

a human

Diagnostic Procedures• Skin resurfacing: repairs damaged skin, acne scars,

wrinkles or tattoos with the use of topical chemicals, abrasions or lasers• Chemical peel: the use of chemicals to remove

outer layers of skin to treat acne scarring Cutaneous laser: laser treatments for plastic surgery• Dermabrasion: removal of acne scars, tattoos or

wrinkles using sandpaper or wire brushes

Pharmacology

• Antibiotics: kill bacteria • Antifungals: kill fungus• Antipruritics: reduce severe itching• Corticosteroids: anti-inflammatory agents

Abbreviations

• BCC: basal cell carcinoma• DM: diabetes mellitus• FH: family history• I&D: incision and drainage• PE: physical examination• SCC: squamous cell carcinoma• UV: ultraviolet