Skin condition

A disease or disorder that affects the skin’s structure, appearance, or function. Skin conditions range from temporary infections and inflammation to chronic and inherited disorders.

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Skin: The body’s outer covering, composed of tissues that protect against injury, infection, and water loss. Its layers and functions are the structures that skin conditions alter.
Acne: A skin disorder involving blocked hair follicles, excess oil, and inflammation, commonly producing pimples and comedones. It illustrates how follicles and oil glands can generate a widespread skin condition.
Skin inflammation: An immune response in skin tissue that can cause redness, warmth, swelling, itching, or pain. Inflammation is a shared mechanism behind many rashes and chronic disorders.
Skin lesion: A localized abnormality in the skin’s appearance or structure, whether caused by disease, injury, or another process. A lesion describes a finding; it does not by itself name the underlying condition.
Epidermis: The outermost layer of skin, forming a protective barrier and continually renewing itself. Disorders such as psoriasis and eczema often disrupt this barrier.
Atopic dermatitis: A chronic inflammatory skin disorder marked by itchy, dry, relapsing eczema. It is a common example of a condition involving barrier dysfunction and inflammation.
Contact dermatitis: An inflammatory skin reaction caused by direct contact with an irritant or allergen. It distinguishes chemical irritation from immune sensitization as causes of a rash.
Rash: A visible change in skin color, texture, or sensation, often appearing over an area of skin. A rash is a symptom or presentation that can arise from many different conditions.
Dermis: The connective-tissue layer beneath the epidermis, containing blood vessels, nerves, glands, and hair follicles. Conditions affecting deeper skin structures can involve this layer.
Psoriasis: A chronic immune-mediated disorder that accelerates skin-cell turnover and produces sharply defined scaly plaques. Its visible plaques show how altered cell growth can change skin appearance.