Glossary "C"

CANDIDA ALBICANS (CAN di duh AL bih kans):
Yeastlike fungus responsible for the infection candidiasis.

CANDIDIASIS (CAN di DYE ah sis):
Yeast infection. Often occurs in intertriginous areas.

CAPILLARY (CAP il LAR ee):
A minute blood vessel.

CARCINOGEN (CAR sih no jen):
Any cancer-producing agent or substance.

CATIONIC (CAT EON ik):
Possessing a positive electrical charge. Cationic detergents are often used in shampoos because they reduce static electricity and leave the hair manageable.

CETYL ALCOHOL (SEE tal):
One of the higher alcohols. An emollient.

CHEILITIS (kye LYE tis):
Inflammation and peeling of the lips. A side effect of oral isotretinoin.

CHEMOTACTIC FACTORS (KEE moh TACK tik):
Substances involved in triggering the inflammatory response.

CHEMOTAXIS (KEE moh TACK sis):
Movement in response to chemical stimulation.

CHLORINATION (KLO rin AY shun):
A method of manipulating the steroid molecule to increase potency. Chlorination involves adding a chlorine ion, and is a method of halogenation.

CHRONIC (KRON ik):
A disease or condition that persists for a long time or has frequent recurrences.

CLINDAMYCIN (KLIN duh MY sin):
Antibiotic used to treat acne. Not often used in systematic therapy because the drug has provoked severe colitis, but it is effective and often prescribed as topical therapy.

COAL TAR:
A heterogeneous, chemically complex mixture of over 10,000 compounds. A by-product of the distillation of bituminous coal. Has therapeutic effects in dermatologic conditions because it is antimitotic, antipruritic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory.

COLITIS (ko LYE tis):
Inflammation of the colon.

COLLAGEN (KOL lah jen):
A fibrous protein in the dermis that gives the skin tensile strength.

COMEDO (KOM eh doh) singular; plural, comedones (KOM eh dohns):
Non-inflammatory acne lesion. There are three types of comedones. The microcomedo is a clinically invisible accumulation of corneocytes in the follicular canal. The microcomedo is the original acne lesion. The closed comedo (whitehead) evolves from the microcomedo and appears as a white dot that may be difficult to see unless the skin is stretched. The open comedo (blackhead) appears as a dark-topped dot.

COMEDOGENIC (KOM eh doh JEN ik):
Capable of triggering comedones.

COMEDOLYTIC (KOM eh doh LIT ik):
Agent capable of resolving comedones and preventing the formation of new comedones.

COMEDONE, OPEN:
A blackhead.

COMEDONE, CLOSED:
A whitehead.

CONCOMITANT (con COM ih tant):
Existing or occurring simultaneously. Therapeutic regiments employing more than one agent at the same time are often described as concomitant therapies.

CONDYLOMA ACUMINATA (CON dih LOW muh ACUE mih NAH tuh), plural; singular, acuminatum (ACUE mih NAH tum):
Venereal warts.

CONJUCTIVA:
Tissues lining the eye socket.

CONJUNCTIVITIS:
Redness and irritation of the white part of the eyeball and the lining of the eye socket.

CONTACT DERMATITIS:
A dermatitis characterized by inflammatory papules and vesicles. There are two types of contact dermatitis. Primary irritant contact dermatitis is a non-allergic reaction to a substance that has a toxic effect on the skin. Allergic contact dermatitis is a delayed allergic reaction to an allergen or sensitizer.

CORNEOCYTE (KOR nee oh SITE):
Dead, flattened cell of the stratum corneum.

CORTEX (KOR tex):
The outer layer of an internal organ, such as the kidney or the adrenal gland.

CORTICOID (KOR TIH coyd):
The outer layer of an internal organ, such as the kidney or the adrenal gland.

CORTICOSTEROID (KOR TIH koh STEH royd):
A group of hormones produced by the cortex of the adrenal glands that affects carbohydrate or mineral metabolism.

CORTISOL (KOR tih sol):
Hydrocortisone. The main glucocortisteroid secreted by the cortex of the adrenal gland.

CORTISONE (KOR tih zohn):
A glucocortisteroid. When administered systematically relieves inflammation, pain, and swelling. Not active topically.

COUMARIN (KOO mah rin):
An extract of the tonka bean from which several anticoagulants are derived.

CREAM:
Semisolid emulsion of oil in water.

CRUST:
Liquid debris, such as pus, that has dried on the skin surface.

CRYOGEN (KRY oh jen):
Substance that produces extreme cold.

CRYOSURGERY (KRY oh SIR jer ee):
Deliberate destruction of diseased tissue by cold in a controlled way.

CRYOTHERAPY (KRY oh THER ah pee):
The therapeutic use of cold.

CULTURE:
The growing of microorganisms in a specially prepared medium. In dermatology, used to diagnose fungal and bacterial infections. Material is obtained from a lesion and placed in a test medium and allowed to grow. Within several days to several weeks a characteristic growth appears. Examination under a microscope identifies the exact species of infecting organism.

CURE/CURED:
A guarantee to take away a disease so that it never comes back.

CURET (cue RET):
An instrument with a circular, loop-shaped cutting edge and a handle. Used in curettage.

CURETTAGE (cue RET tahjh):
A surgical procedure used to remove benign lesions such as warts and seborrheic keratoses. The physician uses a curet to scoop out the lesions using a firm, quick downward motion.

CUSHING’S SYNDROME:
Possible side effect of topical corticosteroids. Characterized by exaggerated roundness of the face, a fatty hump on the back, edema, striae on the trunk, wasting of the limbs, and obesity of the trunk.

CUTIS (CUE tis):
Skin

CYST (sist):
A deep-seated mass filled with liquid or semisolid material and surrounded by a capsule. In acne, cysts are rubbery and flesh-colored, and drain viscous, creamy material.

CYTOKINE (SIGH toh KINE):
Generic term for nonantibody proteins, such as lymphokines. Involved in immune response.

CYTOLOGY (sigh TOL oh jee):
The study of the anatomy, physiology, pathology, and chemistry of the cell.

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