WCGH People Development Centre Online School

Dermatology in Practice: Course outline

Chapter 1: Structure and function of the skin

• Review the anatomical structure of the skin
• Refresh understanding of the skin's key functions

Chapter 2: Approach to diagnosing common skin conditions

Develop an understanding of the approach to diagnosing common skin conditions.

• History-taking
• Examination (describing skin lesions and morphological patterns)
• Investigations.

Short video clip on skin examination.

Chapter 3: Principles of therapy

• Provide an approach to the management of skin conditions
• Understand an overview of dermatological topicals

Chapter 4: Approach to managing skin symptoms

Introduction

Understand the approach to managing skin symptoms in primary care:

• Formulate appropriate differential diagnoses for a specific skin symptom (as below)
• Understand the aetiology of the different skin conditions
• Know how to treat the various skin conditions

Painful skin

• Boil/Abscess, cellulitis, erysipelas, herpes zoster (shingles) and hand foot and mouth disease.

Itchy skin:

Generalised itchy rash

• Chickenpox, scabies, papular pruritic eruption, urticaria, drug rash

Q&A:

• Localised itchy rash
  1. Insect bites, psoriasis, pityriasis rosea, tinea corporis (ringworm), tinea pedis (athlete's foot)
• Itchy skin with no rash
  1. Dry skin, medication side-effect, jaundice

Generalised non-itchy rash

• Tick bite fever, secondary syphilis, HIV seroconversion illness, non-specific viral rash, drug rash
• Generalised red rash (children): glandular fever, drug reaction, measles, scarlet fever, non-specific viral rash, rubella

Lumps and bumps

Introduction

Q&A part 1

• Warts, molluscum contagiosum, seborrhoeic keratosis, Kaposi's sarcoma, epidermoid cyst, lipoma, Mpox

Q&A part 2

• Erythema toxicum, millia, baby acne, Heat rash, haemangioma

Acne

Crusts and flaky skin (Part 1 & 2)

• Impetigo, seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema (atopic dermatitis), other types of dermatitis

Case examples

Changes in skin colour

• Jaundice, venous stasis, melasma, tinea versicolor, vitiligo, albinism
• Port wine stain, salmon patch/stork-bite, pityriasis alba

Nappy rash

Q&A: Irritant nappy dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, candida

Nail symptoms

Q&A: Fungal infection, melanoma, chronic paronychia, acute paronychia, Beau’s lines

Oral conditions

• Primary oral conditions: Oral candida, angular cheilitis, aphthous ulcers, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, dry mouth
• Skin conditions with oral lesions: Lichen planus, erythema multiforme, pemphigoid and pemphigus
• Systemic conditions with oral lesions: Hand, foot and mouth disease, diabetes, HIV-related conditions, syphilis and other STIs, nutritional deficiencies, Lupus erythematosus, Reiter's syndrome

Ulcer/s or non-healing wounds

• Symptom page reflection

Scalp and hair loss symptoms

• Symptom page reflection

Chapter 5: The skin and systemic conditions

• Recognise skin symptoms related to systemic conditions to improve screening and prevent complications.

Chapter 6: Urgent signs and emergency conditions

• Recognise some urgent skin symptoms related to emergency conditions.
• Know how to provide urgent management, or where to look for guidance, and how to refer these clients appropriately.

Final quiz