NIC Esthetics Practice Test

Keratosis is the medical term used to describe a condition characterized by the thickening of the skin, particularly involving the outer layer known as the stratum corneum. This thickening occurs as a result of an increase in the number of keratinocytes, which are the predominant cell types in the epidermis that produce keratin.

The presence of keratosis can lead to areas of rough, scaly skin and may appear in various forms, such as actinic keratosis, which is associated with sun exposure, or seborrheic keratosis, a benign growth often appearing in older adults. Understanding keratosis is important as it can help in recognizing conditions that warrant further investigation or treatment.

Other conditions mentioned, such as eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis, have different underlying mechanisms and characteristics that do not solely relate to thickened skin cells. For instance, eczema is primarily an inflammatory skin condition that causes redness and itching; rosacea involves facial redness and visible blood vessels; and psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that leads to rapid skin cell turnover but is distinct from the generalized keratosis described in this context. Therefore, the term keratosis is the most accurate choice when specifically referring to hypertrophy of thickened