Which term denotes the accumulation of excess dead epidermal cells?

Which term denotes the accumulation of excess dead epidermal cells?

• A. Scale
• B. Patch
• C. Crust
• D. Scab

Answer: (A)

The thing being tested is how skin lesions are named based on what’s on the surface of the skin. Excess dead epidermal cells that pile up and form thin, dry flakes are called a scale. This happens when the outer skin layer (the stratum corneum) accumulates more keratinocytes or sheds them irregularly, leading to flaky skin that can be dry or greasy. Scales are common in conditions with fast skin turnover, like psoriasis or ichthyosis. In contrast, a crust is dried serum or other fluid on the skin, not dead cells from the epidermis; a scab is dried blood over a healing wound; and a patch is a flat area of skin color change, not specifically related to dead cell buildup.

The thing being tested is how skin lesions are named based on what’s on the surface of the skin. Excess dead epidermal cells that pile up and form thin, dry flakes are called a scale. This happens when the outer skin layer (the stratum corneum) accumulates more keratinocytes or sheds them irregularly, leading to flaky skin that can be dry or greasy. Scales are common in conditions with fast skin turnover, like psoriasis or ichthyosis.

In contrast, a crust is dried serum or other fluid on the skin, not dead cells from the epidermis; a scab is dried blood over a healing wound; and a patch is a flat area of skin color change, not specifically related to dead cell buildup.