TABLE 1.
Standard description of skin lesions in dermatology
| NAME | DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY LESIONS (RESULTS FROM DISEASE PROCESS ITSELF) | ||
| Macule | Flat, non-palpable lesions <1cm in diameter | Freckles, flat moles, drug eruptions, mastocytosis, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation |
| Patch | Flat, non-palpable lesion >1cm in diameter | Tattoo, port-wine stain, rubella/measles, vitiligo |
| Papule | Solid, elevated, superficial, palpable lesion <1cm in diameter | Nevi, warts, acne, insect bites |
| Plaque | Solid, elevated, superficial, palpable lesions >1cm in diameter | Psoriasis, granuloma annulare |
| Nodule | Solid, elevated, deep, palpable lesion >1cm in diameter | Cysts, lipomas, fibromas, erythema nodosum |
| Tumor | Larger and often deeper seeded than a nodule | AV malformation, skin cancer, neuroma |
| Abscess | Nodule or tumor with free pus (purulent material) | Carbuncle, hidradenitis suppurtiva |
| Vesicle | Elevated, superficial, clear fluid-filled lesions <1cm in diameter | Herpes, contact dermatitis |
| Bullae | Elevated, superficial, clear fluid-filled lesions >1cm in diameter | Burns/bites, autoimmune blistering disorders, drug reactions, contact dermatitis |
| Pustule | Papule or vesicle with pus (purulent material) | Folliculitis, pustular psoriasis, drug eruptions, acne, rosacea |
| Wheal | Transient flat-topped cutaneous papule or plaque with erythematous boarder and pale center | Hypersensitivity to drugs, insect stings or bites, physical stimuli, autoimmunity, urticaria/anaphylaxis |
| Burrow | Formation of a tunnel in the skin | Scabies, cutaneous larva migrans |
| Telangiectasia | Dilatation of superficial blood vessels in the skin | Liver disease, scleroderma, chronic sun exposure, potent topical corticosteroids |
| SECONDARY LESIONS (CAUSED FROM OUTSIDE FACTORS, SUCH AS RUBBING, SCRATCHING, AND INFECTION) | ||
| Scale | Flakes or plates representing heaped-up accumulation of epithelium | Psoriasis, eczema, fungal infection, seborrheic dermatitis |
| Crust | Scab with dried serum, blood, or pus | Inflammatory or infectious skin diseases |
| Erosion | Superficial loss and depressed area of epidermis | Inflammatory or infectious skin diseases, trauma (friction or pressure), chemical burn |
| Ulcer | Deep loss and depressed area of epidermis and dermis | Venous stasis dermatitis, infections, vasculitis, decubitus (pressure) ulcer, peripheral arterial disease, burns, pyoderma gangrenosum |
| Excoriation | Traumatized, linear or wedge-shaped erosion as a result of scratching, rubbing, and picking | Swimmer’s itch, atopic dermatitis, neurotic excoriations |
| Fissure | Linear crack in skin, which extends into the dermis | Angular cheilitis, hyperkeratotic disorders, asteatotic eczema |
| Lichenification | Thickened area of epidermis with accentuated normal skin markings | Atopic dermatitis, scabies, lichen simplex chronicus |
| Atrophy | Thinning of the skin with resultant loss of hair and sweat glands | Chronic sun exposure, aging, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, lupus erythematosus, a result of long-term potent topical corticosteroids |
| Others: scar, keloid, eschar, vegetating | ||
| COLOR | ||
| Erythema | Blanchable redness | |
| Petechiae/purpura/ecchymosis | Non-blanchable, deep red to purple color of varying sizes | |
| Hyperpigmentation | Darkening of skin color | |
| Hypopigmentation | Lightening of skin color | |
| Other: brown, black, grey, blue, yellow, fawn, orange | ||
| MORPHOLOGY (DESCRIPTIVE TERMS DESCRIBING PATTERNS AND/OR DISTRIBUTION OF SKIN LESIONS) | ||
| Reticular | Net-like arrangement | |
| Linear | In a line or band-like | |
| Herpetiform | Clustered or grouped | |
| Annular | Ring-shaped with central clearing | |
| Dermatomal | Following skin lines | |
| Serpiginous | Linear, branched, and curved elements like the track of a snake | |
| Nummular or discoid | Circular or coin-like | |
| Others: discrete, confluent, follicular, guttate, targetoid, scarlantiform, morbiliform, satellite lesions | ||