skin

The Integumentary System

• The skin and its accessory organs make up the integumentary system.
• The skin shields the body from pathogens and the elements, regulates body temperature, and allows for sensations.

Combining Forms

• derm/o, dermat/o, or cutane/o refer to "skin".
• sub- means "under" (e.g., subcutaneous: pertaining to under the skin).
• epi- means "upon" (e.g., epidermal: pertaining to upon the skin).
• hypo- means "under" (e.g., hypodermic: pertaining to under the skin).
• intra- means "within" (e.g., intradermal: pertaining to within the skin).

Word Building with dermat/o

• -itis means "inflammation" (e.g., dermatitis: inflammation of the skin).
• -logist means "specialist" (e.g., dermatologist: skin specialist).
• -osis means "abnormal condition" (e.g., dermatosis: abnormal skin condition).
• -pathy means "disease" (e.g., dermatopathy: skin disease).
• -plasty means "surgical repair" (e.g., dermatoplasty: surgical repair of the skin).

Word Building with -derma

• erythr/o means "red skin" (e.g., erythroderma: red skin).
• leuk/o means "white skin" (e.g., leukoderma: white skin).
• ichthy/o means "scaly, dry skin" (e.g., ichthyoderma: scaly, dry skin).
• xer/o means "dry skin" (e.g., xeroderma: dry skin).
• scler/o means "hard skin" (e.g., scleroderma: hard skin).
• py/o means "pus skin" (e.g., pyoderma: pus skin).

Word Building with hidr/o and lip/o

• an- means "without" (e.g., anhidrosis: abnormal condition of no sweat).
• hyper- means "excessive" (e.g., hyperhidrosis: abnormal condition of excessive sweat).
• -ectomy means "surgical removal" (e.g., lipectomy: surgical removal of fat).
• -oma means "tumor" or "growth" (e.g., lipoma: fat tumor/growth).

Word Building with melan/o & necr/o

• -oma means "tumor" (e.g., melanoma: black tumor).
• -cyte means "cell" (e.g., melanocyte: black cell).
• -osis means "abnormal condition" (e.g., necrosis: abnormal condition of death).

Word Building with onych/o and py/o

• -ectomy means "surgical removal" (e.g., onychectomy: surgical removal of nail).
• -malacia means "softening" (e.g., onychomalacia: nail softening).
• -osis means "abnormal condition" (e.g., onychomycosis: abnormal condition of nail fungus).
• -phagia means "eating" (e.g., onychophagia: nail eating/nail biting).
• -genic means "producing" (e.g., pyogenic: pus producing).

Word Building with rhytid/o and seb/o

• -ectomy means "surgical removal" (e.g., rhytidectomy: surgical removal of wrinkles).
• -plasty means "surgical repair" (e.g., rhytidoplasty: surgical repair of wrinkles).
• -rrhea means "discharge" (e.g., seborrhea: oil discharge).

This quiz covers the dermatology and sensation-related terms, including prefixes such as derm/o and dermat/o. Test your knowledge of these medical terms and their meanings.