Lesions with disruption of the skin surface. Mucous membrane peculiarities.
FISSURES
A fissure is a slit, crack, erosion or narrow ulceration in the skin. They are usually seen as a consequence of a loss of skin elasticity.
Cracked skin can happen when your skin barrier is compromised. Usually, it’s a symptom of dry and irritated skin, but there are many possible causes.
Your feet, hands, and lips may be especially prone to cracking. However, depending on the cause, cracked skin can develop in other areas, too. Eczema makes the skin appear very dry, which can lead to cracking. Psoriasis is a disorder of immune dysfunction that makes skin cells grow too fast. As the extra cells build up, the skin becomes scaly. The rapid accumulation of cells can lead to dryness and cracking.
Conditions:
- Interdigital tinea pedis
- Ichthyosis - family of rare genetic skin disorders characterized by dry, thickened, scaly skin.
- fissured tongue – deep grooves develop dur to physiologic deepening of normal tongur fissures. These typically occur with aging and require no treatment unless trapping of food and bacteria leads to inflammation of the fissures. Gentle brushing of the tongue is useful in persons with symptomatic inflammation. Fissured tongue has been associated with Down’s syndrome, acromegaly, psoriasis and Sjogren’s syndrome.
EROSIONS
An erosion is an area of skin denuded by a complete or partial loss of only the epidermis. Erosions heal without scarring. Erosions can be traumatic or can occur with various inflammatory or infectious skin diseases. Erosions can be quite painful, but tend to heal quickly if protected (and the underlying cause is eliminated)
Erosions can be found in:
- PEMPHIGUS VULGARIS
- Impetigo - is a bacterial infection that involves the superficial skin. The most common presentation is yellowish crusts on the face, arms, or legs. The lesions may be painful or itchy.
- Candidiasis
- Erosive lichen planus
- Ruptured varicella vesicles
ULCERS
An ulcer is an area of skin from which the whole of the epidermis and at least the upper part of the dermis has been lost. Ulcers may extend into subcutaneous fat, and heal with scarring.
The symptoms of skin ulcers include:
- discoloration of the skin
- itching
- scabbing
- swelling of the skin near the ulcer
- dry or flaky skin around the ulcer
- pain or tenderness near the affected area
- clear, bloody, or pus-filled discharge from the ulcer
- a foul odor coming from the area
- hair loss near the ulcer
Found in:
- Aphthous ulcers
- Skin cancers