Dermatology Library

C

Canker sores:

See: Mouth Care

Cellulite:

Cellulite is the body's natural way of storing fat in post-adolescent women to ensure that the body has enough calories available for pregnancy and lactation. Almost all women who are not severely malnourished have cellulite. Men, on the other hand, do not have cellulite unless feminization occurs by excessive estrogen production and decreased testosterone production. Typically, fat storage in women occurs in the buttocks and thighs due to estrogen production but can also occur in the inner knees, hips, lower abdomen and under the arms.

Chellitis:

See: Mouth Care

Chemical peels:

Chemical peeling is a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin. A chemical solution is applied to the skin which causes it to separate, peel off, and allows new skin to regenerate. The new skin is smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin, and may also be more even in color.

Chicken pox:

See: Varicella

Cold sores:

See: Mouth Care

Collagen Implants:

The most common type of collagen implant is bovine collagen and it is the subject of this document. Bovine collagen implants consist of sterile, purified, reconstituted fibrillar bovine collagen that is injected into the dermal layers of the skin for the purpose of soft tissue augmentation. Current Food and Drug Administration-approved products consist of preparations containing 34 mg/ml of collagen (Zyderm I), 65 mg/ml of collagen (Zyderm II), or 35 mg/ml of cross-linked collagen (Zyplast). Cross-linking of collagen is accomplished by the addition of glutaraldehyde and is associated with a marked decrease in biologic degradation. All formulations are suspended in phosphate- buffered saline solution containing 0.3% lidocaine and are supplied in syringes that require refrigerated storage.

Comedo:

An acne lesion (plural: comedones)

Comedogenic:

Likely to cause comedones.

Congenital Melanocytic Nevi:

Congenital melanocytic nevi are present in 1% of newborns. Unlike caf&eacut;-au-lait macules, these lesions are raised. Clinically they range from small bland melanocytic nevi to large hairy bathing trunk nevi, to large hamartomatous lesions. The large, often exophytic hamartomatous lesions may show evidence of multiple malignant appearing processes in the neonate. The giant congenital nevus has an estimated lifetime risk of melanoma of 6%. Risk of smaller lesions has not been well defined.

Also see: Pediatric Dermatology, Birthmarks

Contact dermatitis:

Contact dermatitis is characterized by redness, swelling, itching, and scaling caused by an allergic substance that makes direct contact with the skin. The condition can develop at any age, although the facial version of the disorder is most often seen in young and middle-aged adults.

Corticosteroids:

A class of substances related to a natural hormone that can diminish an inflammatory response such as itching or irritation of the skin.

See: Eczema

Cradle Cap:

Cradle cap can occur in any baby, and most commonly begins sometime in the first 3 months. The same rash is often prominent around the earor the eyebrows. It may appear in other locations as well, where it is called seborrheic dermatitis rather than cradle cap. The cause of cradle cap is not clearly defined but it is not caused by an infection, allergy or from poor hygiene. Possibly it has to do with overactive sebaceous glands in the skin of newborn babies, due to the mother's hormones still in the baby's circulation. The glands release a greasy substance that makes old skin cells attach to the scalp as they try to dry and fall off. There may be a relationship with skin yeasts (malassezia).

Crow's feet:

See: Wrinkles

Cryosurgery:

Cryosurgery is a procedure utilizing cryogenic agents to treat a variety of cutaneous diseases. Single or multiple lesions on all areas of the body can be eradicated with cryosurgery. Freezing temperatures of a cryogenic agent applied directly or indirectly to the skin cause local destruction of tissue. Certain conditions may require multiple or repeated treatments.