Describing a Skin Condition
How to describe a skin condition
A healthcare provider may ask you to describe your skin condition and its location. Here are some of the more common terms that may help you give a more accurate description:
| Condition | What it looks like |
| Abscess | A closed, painful pocket containing pus |
| Atrophic |
Thin, dry, wrinkled skin |
| Blister or vesicle |
Fluid-filled bump under or in the epidermis (the surface of the skin) that is less than 1 cm in size |
| Crust or scab |
Formation of dried blood, plasma, or pus over a break in the skin |
| Cyst |
Enclosed sac in skin containing fluid or solid material |
| Excoriation |
An erosion with loss of the epidermis, caused by scratching |
| Hives or wheals |
Pink or white localized swelling of the skin that is often itchy |
| Lichenification |
Skin that has become thickened, hardened, or leathery with skin markings from chronic scratching |
| Macule |
Small, flat, discolored spot, less than 1 cm |
| Nodule or papule |
Solid, raised bumps. A nodule is greater than 1 cm, and a papule is less than or equal to 1 cm. |
| Patch |
Flat, large (greater than 1 cm) discolored area |
| Plaque | A raised or depressed area of skin that is greater than 1 cm in diameter |
| Pustule (pimple) |
Inflamed, raised lesions that contain pus |
| Scales |
A buildup of dead skin cells that form flakes |
| Scar |
Fibrous tissue that forms after a skin injury |