a-, an-:

 Absence of, without, not 

Example: Anhidrosis – The absence of sweating, which can result from damage to sweat glands, certain medications, or neurological disorders, potentially leading to overheating or heatstroke. 

bi-:

Two or both

 Example: Bilateral – Pertaining to both sides, such as a bilateral rash that appears symmetrically on both sides of the body, often associated with systemic conditions like lupus. 

dia-:

Through, complete 

Example: Diaphoresis – Excessive sweating, which may be a symptom of fever, physical exertion, or underlying conditions like hyperthyroidism or a heart attack. 

dys-:

Difficult, painful, abnormal, labored

 Example: Dysplasia – Abnormal development or growth of tissue, often referring to precancerous changes in the skin or mucous membranes, such as cervical dysplasia. 

epi-:

Upon, on, over 

Example: Epidermis – The outermost layer of the skin, which acts as a protective barrier against environmental damage, pathogens, and water loss. 

hyper-:

Above, excessive

 Example: Hyperkeratosis – Thickening of the skin’s outer layer due to excessive keratin production, often seen in conditions like psoriasis, calluses, or warts. 

hypo-:

Deficient, below, under, incomplete

 Example: Hypodermic – Pertaining to beneath the skin, often used to describe injections administered into the subcutaneous tissue for rapid absorption of medications. 

intra-

Within, in 

Example: Intradermal – Within the layers of the skin, as in intradermal injections used for allergy testing or tuberculosis screening. 

meta-:

Change, beyond, after 

Example: Metaplasia – Transformation of tissue from one type to another, such as the conversion of normal skin cells to a tougher type after chronic irritation or injury. 

neo-:

New 

Example: Neoplasm – A new growth of abnormal tissue, which can be benign (like a mole) or malignant (like melanoma), requiring medical evaluation for treatment. 

para-:

Beside, around, beyond, abnormal 

Example: Paronychia – Inflammation around a nail, typically caused by bacterial or fungal infection, leading to redness, swelling, and pain in the affected area. 

per-:

Through

 Example: Percutaneous – Through the skin, often referring to medical procedures such as percutaneous biopsies or drug administration through patches. 

pro-:

Before

 Example: Prodromal – Referring to the early symptoms that occur before a disease becomes fully evident, such as tingling before a herpes outbreak or fever before a rash in measles. 

sub-:

Under, below

 Example: Subcutaneous – Located beneath the skin, as in the subcutaneous fat layer that provides insulation and cushioning to the body. 

trans-:

Through, across, beyond 

Example: Transdermal – Referring to medications applied to the skin that are absorbed into the bloodstream, such as transdermal nicotine patches or hormone replacement therapy. 

-ad:  

-al:

Pertaining to 

Example: Dermal – Pertaining to the skin, particularly the dermis layer, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. 

-coccus 

: Berry-shaped Example: Staphylococcus – A type of berry-shaped bacterium that can cause skin infections such as boils, abscesses, or cellulitis. 

-cyte

: Cell Example: Melanocyte – A pigment-producing cell in the skin responsible for producing melanin, which protects against UV radiation. 

-ectomy

: Excision Example: Lipectomy – Surgical removal of fat, often performed for cosmetic reasons or to address localized fat deposits. 

-gen

: Substance that produces/causes, agent that produces/causes Example: Pathogen – An agent, such as a bacterium, virus, or fungus, that causes diseases, including skin infections like impetigo. 

-genic

: Producing, originating, causing Example: Carcinogenic – Producing cancer, often describing substances like UV rays or tobacco that can lead to skin or other cancers. 

-ia:

Condition of, diseased state, abnormal state Example: Alopecia – A condition of hair loss that autoimmune diseases, genetic factors, or treatments like chemotherapy can cause. 

-itis

: Inflammation Example: Dermatitis – Inflammation of the skin, which may result from allergic reactions, irritants, or infections. 

-logist

Specialist who studies and treats Example: Dermatologist – A medical specialist who diagnoses and treats skin disorders such as acne, eczema, and skin cancer. 

-logy:

Study of Example: Dermatology – The study of the skin, including its structure, function, and diseases. 

-rrhagia: Excessive discharge Example: Hemorrhage – Excessive bleeding, which may occur externally or internally. 

stasis:

Stop, controlling, standing Example: Hemostasis – The stopping of blood flow, critical in wound healing. 

-tome

: Instrument used to cut Example: Dermatome – An instrument used to cut thin slices of skin for grafting or diagnostic purposes. 

xanth/o:

pil/o, trich/o:

onych/o, ungu/o:

myc/o:

melan/o:

lip/o, lipid/o:

kerat/o:

hidr/o:

erythr/o, erythemat/o:

cyan/o:

cutane/o, derm/o, dermat/o:

crypt/o:

cry/o:

. 

bi/o:

aut/o: