Dermatosis: meaning, definitions and examples
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dermatosis
[ ˌdɜːrməˈtoʊsɪs ]
medical condition
Dermatosis refers to any abnormal skin condition or disease. This can encompass a wide range of skin ailments, including infections, allergies, and inflammatory disorders. It does not specifically refer to a single disease but rather a category of skin-related disorders.
Synonyms
dermal disorder, skin condition, skin disease
Examples of usage
- The patient was diagnosed with a rare dermatosis.
- Symptoms of dermatosis may include redness, itching, and scaling.
- Treatment options vary depending on the specific type of dermatosis.
- She had several patches of skin affected by dermatosis.
- Dermatosis can be triggered by environmental factors.
Etymology
The term 'dermatosis' originates from the Greek words 'derma', meaning 'skin', and 'osis', which is used to denote conditions or abnormal states. The medical terminology began to evolve significantly in the 18th century as understanding of human anatomy and diseases advanced. In the 19th century, dermatology was established as a distinct branch of medicine, leading to the more systematic study of skin diseases. This period saw an increase in the categorization of skin conditions, including the broad classification of dermatoses. The term has been used in medical literature to describe various skin disorders, contributing to the comprehensive classification that we see in dermatology today.