Integumentary System
Lesson 3: Primary and Secondary Skin Lesions
3-2
3-2. EFFECTS OF SKIN LESIONS
The skin serves as an excellent indicator of general health. Even someone who is not medically trained can see cyanosis, jaundice, pale skin, and changes in skin pigmentation. An individual trained to recognize more subtle changes in the skin can contribute a great deal to a person's general well being. Skin lesions can have a variety of effects on a person. Skin lesions are abnormal changes in the skin; changes which can be detected by sight or touch. Some skin lesions are life-threatening; for example, burns, malignant melanomas, and severe allergies. Other skin lesions may disturb normal skin functions. The skin plays a major role in maintaining a person's homeostasis (keeping body temperature relatively constant); skin lesions may disturb this function. Additionally, skin lesions may indicate that the person has some internal health problem; for example, hepatitis and endocrine problems exhibit skin lesions. And, finally, skin lesions that are ugly to look at can cause the individual psychological distress and social problems. People often stare at the individual and register feelings from amusement to disgust. If the skin is weeping, red, raw, discolored, peeling, or scaly, the public may consider the person ugly or dirty and withdraw from him. In turn, the sufferer may withdraw emotionally and physically, altogether a bad situation and all the more reason to find out the cause of a skin lesion.
