Common terms used to describe physical changes in the skin associated with the presence of a rash
| Terminology | Description | Clinical examples |
|---|---|---|
| Macular | Non-infiltrated flat lesions which differ in colour from adjacent areas of skin | Erythema, purpura |
| Papular | Well demarcated raised lesions in the skin of varying sizes | Urticarial wheals, planar warts |
| Vesicular | Small protuberances with a central cavity containing clear liquid | Chickenpox |
| Excoriations | Very superficial wounds in the surface of the skin | Scratches |
| Purpura | Small patches of non-blanching discolouration caused by bleeding from small superficial blood vessels in the skin | Meningococcal disease |
| Petechiae—small spots of purpura | Idiopathic thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP) | |
| Ecchymoses—large confluent patches of purpura | Henoch Schonlein purpura (HSP) |