C

Café au lait spots	Hyperpigmented blotches on the skin, often seen together with another illness e.g. neurofibromatosis.
Cancer (skin)	Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer cells are defined as “malignant” by not respecting the natural boundaries of tissue and by having metastatic potential. Examples of skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
Canthus (eye)	Defined as the anatomical location, where the upper and lower eyelids meet. It is seen both medial and lateral to both eyes.
Capsular contracture	A complication for breast implants occurs when the scar tissue formed around the implant starts to shrink (contract), and thereby pinches the implant eventually resulting in pain. The breast, therefore, appears unnaturally firm with an unnatural shape. The capsule may be visible through the skin.
Cellulitis	A generic term for inflammation of the skin, which can be conditional on both bacterial or non-bacterial causes.
Chemical peeling	A technique used to improve and smooth the texture of the skin. Chemical peels are intended to remove the outermost layers of the skin and induces a controlled injury to the skin. Resulting wound healing processes begin to regenerate new tissues.
Cicatrice	A generic term for a scar left on the skin after either surgical treatment or a traumatic lesion.
Comedo	Blackhead. Follicle with sebaceous secretase, where the sebum is mixed with keratin.
Columella	The tissue which separates the two nares.
Concha	The concave area posteriorly to the auditory canal (external auditory meatus). It is anatomically defined by antihelix (cranially), antitragus (distally), and tragus (anteriorly).
Constricted ear (lop ear)	Varying degrees of outer ear deformity such as protrusion, reduction of the circumference of the ear, increased folding/flattening of the helical rim or low placement of the ear.
Cont. (Continuat)	Usually used about an ordination which is being continued.
Contracture of skin	Scars that restrict movement as skin or underlying structures contract during healing. Often seen after major substance loss or deep 2nd degree and 3rd-degree burns.
Cresc. (Crescat)	A term used when dosage of an ordination or prescription is being increased.
Crustae	Scab, as on a wound.
Cryotherapy	Tissue freezing (eg, basocellular carcinoma) by nitrogen, carbon dioxide or Freon. Frequently used technique in dermatology.
Cryptotia	Known as a hidden ear. It is a deformity that occurs secondarily to the folding of the earlobe, whereby it becomes attached to the scalp.
Curettage	Removal of tissue using a curette or a knife. This is used in dermatology to treat minor basal cell carcinomas and benign disorders.
Cutis laxa	Excessive loose skin to a degree that makes it hang.
Cyst	A cavity in the tissue developed through a pathological process. Contains liquid.