ABSTRACT
The skin is a complex organ that provides protection from ultraviolet light and microbiological invasion. A carbuncle is a spreading necrotizing infection in the subcutaneous tissues, with pus and slough formation, similar to the changes that occur in a boil, but with many points of discharge through holes in the skin that appear when patches of necrotic skin slough. Erysipelas is an infection in the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by a pathogenic Streptococcus. Tuberculosis of the skin is a rarity. Primary tuberculosis of the skin produces a persistent ulcer with undermined edges. Scattered soft macules may appear in the skin flexures, especially in the submammary areas and axillae of obese females. The word ‘mole’ is a lay term used to describe a brown spot or blemish on the skin. Prolonged exposure of the skin to sunlight can cause areas of hyperkeratosis of the skin, which may undergo malignant change.
