What is the medical term for a scrape or scratch on the skin?

• A. Excoriation
• B. Vesicle
• C. Crust
• D. Ulcer

Answer: (A)

Excoriation refers to a superficial scratch or abrasion of the skin caused by scratching or rubbing. It typically presents as a small linear or punctate erosion with reddened edges and may have a crust forming as it begins to heal. This term is used to describe surface skin damage from mechanical trauma rather than fluid-filled blisters, dried exudate, or deeper tissue loss.

A vesicle is a small blister filled with clear fluid, not a scratch. A crust is dried serum or blood on the surface, which can form after an excoriation but isn’t the scratch itself. An ulcer is a deeper erosion that extends into the dermis, not a superficial scrape. Thus, the correct term for a scrape or scratch is excoriation.