Describing a Child's Skin Condition

Terms used to describe a skin condition

Your child's healthcare provider may use some of the terms below to describe your child's skin condition.

Atrophic	Thin, wrinkled
Blister	Fluid-filled bump under or within the top layer of skin
Crust/scab	Formation of dried blood, pus, or other skin fluid over a break in the skin
Cyst	Thin-walled lesion that contains fluid or other material, is under the skin, and may be deep in tissue
Excoriation	A scratch
Hives/wheals Welts/urticaria	Pink or white swelling of the skin
Lesion	Abnormal mark or change on the skin
Lichenification	Skin that has thickened usually due to scratching
Macule	Small, flat, discolored spot
Nodule/papule	Solid, raised bump
Patch	Large, flat, discolored spot
Pustule (pimple)	Inflamed lesions that appear to contain pus
Scales	Dead skin cells that form flakes
Scar	Fibrous tissue that has formed after a skin injury