Ch. 7.3 Integumentary System
albino
A person with an absence of color pigments in the skin. An albino's skin has a pinkish tint, and the hair is pale yellow or white.
cyst
A closed sac with a distinct membrane that develops abnormally in a body structure, usually filled with a semisolid material.
hypodermis
The innermost layer of skin, also called subcutaneous fascia. It is made of elastic and fibrous connective tissue and adipose (fatty) tissue and connects the skin to underlying muscles.
papules
Firm, raised areas such as pimples. They are small, solid, raised lesions that are less than 0.5 cm in diameter.
ulcer
A deep loss of skin surface that may extend into the dermis. It is an open lesion of the skin or mucous membrane, resulting in tissue loss.
alopecia
Baldness, which is a loss of hair on the scalp.
dermis
Also called corium or "true skin," this layer has a framework of elastic connective tissue and contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerves, involuntary muscle, sweat and oil glands, and hair follicles.
integumentary system
The skin
pustules
Pus-filled sacs such as those seen in acne or pimples. They are a small circumscribed elevation of the skin containing pus.
vesicles
Blisters, or fluid-filled sacs, such as those seen in chickenpox. They are small blisters containing watery fluid that is less than 0.5 cm in diameter.
constrict
To get smaller, as blood vessels do when the body retains heat.
dilate
To get larger, as blood vessels do to allow excess heat from the blood to escape through the skin.
jaundice
A yellow discoloration of the skin that can indicate bile in the blood as a result of liver or gallbladder disease.
sebaceous glands
Oil glands that usually open onto hair follicles. They produce sebum, an oil that keeps the skin and hair from becoming dry and brittle.
wheals
Itchy, elevated areas with an irregular shape; hives and insect bites are examples. They are a smooth, slightly elevated swollen area that is redder or paler than the surrounding skin.
crusts
Areas of dried pus and blood, commonly called scabs. They are also defined as a collection of dried serum and cellular debris.
epidermis
The outermost layer of skin.
macules
Flat spots on the skin, such as freckles. They are flat, discolored lesions that are less than 1 cm in diameter.
subcutaneous
Used in the term subcutaneous fascia (also known as the hypodermis), which is the innermost layer of the skin.
cyanosis
A bluish discoloration of the skin caused by insufficient oxygen.
erythema
A reddish color of the skin that can be caused by either burns or a congestion of blood in the vessels.
melanin
A brownish black pigment produced in the epidermis by specialized cells called melanocytes.
sudoriferous glands
Sweat glands. They are coiled tubes that extend through the dermis and open on the surface of the skin at pores.