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face lesions, skin
Etiology:
1) macules
a) erythematous
- fixed drug eruption
- lupus erythematosus
- port-wine stain (present at birth, blanchable)
- seborrheic keratosis
- syphilis
b) pigmented
- fixed drug eruption
- junctional melanocytic nevus
- solar lentigines
- lentigo maligna
- melanoma
- Peutz-Jegher's syndrome
- melasma
- seborrheic keratosis
c) depigmented
- postinflammatory depigmentation
- vitiligo
- Tinea versicolor
- Pityriasis alba
2) papules or plaques
a) skin-colored
- acne
- melanocytic nevi
- molluscum contagiosum
- solar keratosis
- verruca plana
- verruca vulgaris
b) erythematous
- acne
- actinic keratosis
- angiofibroma
- basal cell carcinoma
- chronic eczematous dermatitis
- dermatomyositis
- eosinophilic folliculitis
- erysipelas
- erythrocytic protoporphyria
- hemangioma
- hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
- lupus erythematosus
- nevus of Ota
- perioral dermatitis
- pyogenic granuloma
- rosacea
- sarcoidosis
- lupus pernio (reddish-purple plaques on nose)
- secondary syphilis
- squamous cell carcinoma
c) pigmented
- melanocytic nevi
- melanoma
- seborrheic keratosis
- syringoma
3) nodules or tumors
a) skin-colored
- angiofibroma
- basal cell carcinoma
- dermal melanocytic nevi
- squamous cell carcinoma
- Cowden's disease (tricholemmoma)
b) erythematous
- systemic amyloidosis
- lupus erythematosus
- pyogenic granuloma
- sarcoidosis
c) pigmented
- basal cell carcinoma
- blue nevus
- melanocytic nevus
- melanoma
4) vegetative lesions
- keratoacanthoma
- seborrheic keratosis
- verruca vulgaris
5) wheals
- angioedema
6) scales
- dermatophytosis
- glucagonoma
- lupus erythematosus (generally exposed areas)
- psoriasis
- seborrheic keratosis
- subacute eczematous dermatitis
- zinc deficiency
7) hyperkeratosis
1) keratoacanthoma
2) solar keratosis
8) lichenification
9) eczema
10) crusts
- acute contact dermatitis
- Herpes simplex
- Herpes zoster
- impetigo contagiosa
11) vesicles or bullae
- acute contact dermatitis
- bullous impetigo
- dermatophytosis
- Herpes simplex
- Herpes zoster
- pemphigus vulgaris
12) pustules
- acne
- dermatophytosis
- impetigo contagiosa
- rosacea
13) ulcers
- carcinoma
- factitious ulcer
- melanoma
14) excoriations
- neurotic excoriations
Management:
- lesions within the H-zone of the face (forhead, nose, temples), lesions > 6 mm & rapid growth increase the likelihood of neoplasm [2]
Related
face
Specific
skin cancer, face
General
differential diagnosis of skin lesions by body region
References
- Color Atlas & Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology, Common
& Serious Diseases, 3rd ed, Fitzpatrick et al, McGraw Hill, NY,
1997, pg 994-1001
- Geriatric Review Syllabus, 11th edition (GRS11)
Harper GM, Lyons WL, Potter JF (eds)
American Geriatrics Society, 2022