Dermatology Terms

noun the natural color, texture, and appearance of a person's skin, especially of the face

• Her fair complexion made her stand out in the crowd.
• She's got a nice complexion, doesn't she?
• Her complexion is on point, like she's glowing.
• The city's skyline took on a dark complexion as the storm rolled in.

noun a small cavity, sac, or gland, in particular, a hair follicle, from which a hair grows

• The follicle is a structure within the skin that contains the root of a hair.
• I have a stubborn follicle that just won't come out when I pluck my eyebrows.
• That follicle is being a real pain in the butt.
• The follicle of creativity in her mind was bursting with new ideas.

adjective of, relating to, or resembling bran or dandruff

• The furfuraceous scales on the plant's leaves help protect it from pests.
• I noticed some furfuraceous patches on my cat's fur.
• Her furfuraceous dandruff problem is really getting out of hand.
• The furfuraceous texture of the painting added depth and dimension to the artwork.

adjective smooth and hairless, especially of skin or leaves

• The scientist observed the glabrous surface of the leaf under the microscope.
• She loves how smooth and glabrous her skin feels after using the new lotion.
• I wish my legs were as glabrous as yours, they look so soft!
• His glabrous personality made it difficult for others to read his emotions.

noun a small puncture made by a pin or similar pointed object

• The doctor administered the vaccine with a quick pinprick to the patient's arm.
• I felt a pinprick when I accidentally pricked my finger with a needle.
• Ouch, that pinprick really stung!
• Her words felt like a pinprick to his ego.

noun a small circular ornamental plate

• The roundel on the wall displayed the family crest.
• I love the roundel design on that plate.
• Check out the cool roundel on his jacket.
• The roundel of sunlight on the floor marked the beginning of a new day.

adjective having irregular spots or patches of color or texture

• The artist used a delicate touch to create a splotchy pattern on the canvas.
• I accidentally spilled some coffee on my shirt and now it looks splotchy.
• Her fake tan turned out splotchy and streaky.
• The evidence was splotchy at best, making it difficult to draw any conclusions.

noun a skin condition caused by wearing a mask for extended periods of time, resulting in acne or other skin irritations

• Maskne, or acne caused by wearing a mask, has become a common issue for many individuals during the pandemic.
• I've been dealing with maskne lately and it's so frustrating!
• Ugh, my face is breaking out like crazy from maskne.
• Dealing with maskne feels like battling an invisible enemy on my skin.

noun small raised bumps that appear on the skin, typically on the genitals or lips

• Fordyce spots are small, raised, pale or white bumps that may appear on the skin.
• I noticed some Fordyce spots on my skin, but I'm not sure what they are.
• I hate these weird little Fordyce spots that keep popping up on my face.
• The Fordyce spots on the landscape were like tiny, scattered pearls in the grass.

noun a treatment that involves the use of extreme cold to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue, such as tumors

• Cryotherapy is a medical treatment that involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for therapeutic purposes.
• I tried cryotherapy last week and it was so cold but refreshing at the same time.
• I heard cryotherapy is like being in a freezer for your whole body, but it's supposed to be good for you.
• After a long day at work, a hot shower feels like cryotherapy for the soul.

noun the presence of mites on the skin or in the hair

• Acariasis is a medical condition caused by infestation of mites on the skin.
• I heard that acariasis is when you have a bunch of mites on your skin.
• Having acariasis is like having a mite party on your body.
• The acariasis of rumors spread quickly through the small town.

noun a type of disease caused by mites or ticks

• The veterinarian diagnosed the dog with an acarine disease caused by mites.
• My cat has an acarine disease from those pesky mites.
• My dog's got that creepy crawly acarine disease.
• Negativity can spread like an acarine disease if not addressed early on.

noun a chemical compound used in various industrial and medical applications

• Acetyl benzoyl peroxide is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry as a free radical initiator in polymerization reactions.
• I heard that acetyl benzoyl peroxide is a key ingredient in some acne treatment products.
• Yo, do you know if that acne cream has acetyl benzoyl peroxide in it?
• Adding acetyl benzoyl peroxide to the mix is like throwing a lit match into a pool of gasoline - it's going to cause a reaction.

noun a point of convergence or concentration of actinic (relating to the chemical effects of light) energy

• The actinic focus of the research study was on the effects of UV radiation on marine organisms.
• The scientists were really into studying the actinic focus of the project.
• The team was all about diving deep into the actinic focus of their investigation.
• Her passion for marine biology was like an actinic focus, shining brightly in her research.