The Integumentary System

By Dana LaSable Philipsien

Medical Terminology

Professor Abdullah

Derma

Derma is a suffix meaning skin. When derma is combined with terms like

erythr/o and leuk/o, it then makes the terms; Erythroderma- which means red skin. Leukoderma- which means white skin.

Vitiligo

An example of leukoderma is vitiligo. Vitiligo is the disappearance of pigment from the skin

in patches, causing a milky-white appearance. It is caused when the cells caused for skin pigment

which are melanocytes aren’t able to function.

Erythroderma

Erythroderma is an inflammatory skin disease with scaling which affects a large area, almost 90 percent of a person's body.

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Dermat/o

Dermat/o is a combining form which means skin.

When dermat/o is combined with the suffix "itis" which means inflammation and with the suffix "osis" which means abnormal condition, it makes the terms:

Dermatitis-inflammation of the skin. Dermatosis-abnormal condition of skin.

Dermatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the skin.

An example of dermatitis is eczema. Eczema is defined as superficial dermatitis of unknown cause sometimes accompanied by redness, vesicles, itching, and crusting.

Dermatitis

Dermatosis

Unlike dermatitis, dermatosis is not accompanied or characterized by inflammation.

Dermatosis

Another type of dermatosis is Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra . A harmless condition commonly found in black and asian adults.

Melan/o

Melan/o means black. When melan/o is combined with the suffix oma (oma means tumor, mass) and with the suffix cyte (cyte means cell) makes the term melanoma and melanocyte.

Melanoma

Melanoma is a defined as a black tumor. It occurs when exposed to too much ultraviolet light, skin cells which are called melanocytes mutate and become cancerous.

Melanocyte

A melanocyte is a pigement producing cell. The pigment that it produces is called melanin which determines skin, hair, and eye color.

Onych/o

When the form onych/o is combined with the suffix malicia (which means abnormal softening) it makes the term onychomalicia which is defined as softening of nails.

Onychectomy

Onychectomy is the surgical removal of nails. Also known as declawing when dealing with animals. The nails are often removed because of stress reasons or aggressiveness.