Diseases of the skin, particularly infectious, are very common.
They should be treated individually / collectively but also considered as an indicator of population health: a high prevalence of infectious skin diseases may reflect insufficient amount of water or hygiene problem.
Dermatological examination:
– Analyze the elementary lesions:
• Macule: featureless task not palpable, a different color than the surrounding skin
• Papule: slightly elevated lesion, small (<1 cm), circumscribed, solid
• Bladder (<1 cm) bubble (> 1 cm): circumscribed wheal containing a clear liquid
• Pustule: vesicle containing pus
• Nodule: wheal solid, circumscribed palpable,> 1 cm, dermal or hypodermic
• Erosion: loss of superficial substance interesting that the skin heals without scarring
• Excoriation: erosion caused by scratching
• Ulceration: loss stuff worth the epidermis and at least part of the dermis, leaving a scar
• Squame: horny layer of lamella which is detached from the epidermis
• Crust: serum, pus or dried blood
• Atrophy: skin thinning
• Lichenification: thickening of the skin with accentuation of wrinkles
– Analyze the grouping of lesions (isolated, plate, linear, ring), topography. Search pruritus.
– Look for a cause: insect bites; scabies, lice, other parasitic diseases; contact with plants, animals, jewelery, detergents, etc.
– Search for any treatment already done: local, oral or injectable.
– Search for locoregional (secondary infection, lymphadenitis, lymphangitis, erysipelas) and / or general (fever, sepsis, remote home).
– Take into account the health situation of the family, particularly for contagious skin diseases (scabies, ringworm, lice).
– Check tetanus vaccination.
Dermatological consultation often occurs late, when the lesions are secondary infection, which makes it difficult to analyze elementary lesions.
In this case, it is necessary to review the patient after the treatment of secondary infection to identify and treat the underlying skin disease.