Sebaceous glands are small glands found in the skin that produce sebum, an oily substance that helps keep the skin and hair soft, flexible, and protected. These glands are distributed throughout the body but are most numerous on the face, scalp, upper chest, and back. Sebaceous glands are connected to hair follicles, and the sebum …
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Squamous cell carcinoma in situ, also called Bowen’s disease, is an early form of skin cancer. It begins in squamous cells, which are flat cells that make up the outer layer of the skin, called the epidermis. In this condition, the squamous cells have become cancerous, but they are still confined to the epidermis. The …
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Parakeratosis is a word pathologists use to describe a change in the surface layer of squamous epithelium, which is the tissue that lines many parts of the body including the skin, mouth, throat, esophagus, cervix, and anal canal. In healthy tissue, the squamous cells at the surface mature and lose their nuclei (the part of …
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An epidermoid cyst is a non-cancerous growth that develops below the skin’s surface. It is a round, hollow structure lined by the same squamous cells found in a layer of the skin called the epidermis. Epidermoid cysts are sometimes referred to as ‘epidermal cysts’, ‘infundibular cysts’, or ‘epidermal inclusion cysts.’ Where are epidermoid cysts …
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A keloid scar is an overgrowth of scar tissue that develops after a skin injury, such as a cut, burn, surgical incision, or even a piercing or acne. Unlike normal scars, keloids grow beyond the boundaries of the original wound and may continue to enlarge over time. This happens because the body produces excess collagen, …
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Spongiotic dermatitis is a term pathologists use to describe a pattern of injury in the skin caused by inflammation. It is called a “pattern of injury” because the changes seen are not specific to a single medical condition. The spongiotic dermatitis pattern of injury is most commonly seen in eczema. Types of eczema Doctors often …
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A junctional nevus is a common, noncancerous (benign) skin growth made up of cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells in the skin that make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. The word “junctional” describes where these cells sit: at the junction between the two main layers of the skin, the epidermis (the …
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A dysplastic nevus — also called an atypical mole or an atypical melanocytic nevus — is a non-cancerous skin growth made up of melanocytes, the cells that produce the pigment melanin. Dysplastic nevi differ from common moles because the melanocytes are arranged in an irregular pattern and look slightly abnormal under the microscope. Despite these …
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Hypergranulosis is a term pathologists use to describe an increased number of cells in the granular layer of the skin. The granular layer is normally a thin layer found close to the skin’s surface, within a part of the skin called the epidermis. Hypergranulosis is a benign (non-cancerous) descriptive finding rather than a diagnosis on …
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Acanthosis is a word pathologists use to describe a thickening of the surface layer of tissue caused by an increased number of squamous cells. Squamous cells are flat, protective cells that form the outer lining of many parts of the body, including the skin, mouth, throat, esophagus, cervix, and anal canal. When these cells multiply …
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