Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Pigmentation of the cheeks of the face (malar area). When it occurs during pregnancy it is referred to as chloasma or the mask of pregnancy. Melasma darkens with sun exposure.

A benign, reversible condition usually, but not always, associated with long-term use of anthranoid laxatives in which pigment deposition in the lamina propria of the large intestine results in a brown to black discoloration of the mucosa (lining) of the large intestine. Melanosis coli is sometimes called pseudomelanosis coli since the pigment deposited is lipofuscin and not melanin as the name implies.…

A benign growth of the melanocytes that is not cancerous. A mole may be a melanocytic nevus.

Melanoma: a cancer of the melanocyte, the cell that produces pigment in the skin. Melanoma is considered the most dangerous form of skin cancer, Melanoma is most common in people with fair skin, but can occur in people with all skin colors. Most melanomas present as a dark, mole-like spot that spreads and, unlike a mole, has an…

Increased skin pigmentation, darkening of the skin. This is directly due to an increased amount of melanin pigment in the skin when there is increased production of melanin by the melanocytes (the cells that make melanin) or if there is a rise in the number of melanocytes. Melanoderma comes from the Greek “melas”, black + “derma”, skin = black…

The pigment that gives human skin, hair, and eyes their color. Dark-skinned people have more melanin in their skin than light-skinned people have. Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. It provides some protection again skin damage from the sun, and the melanocytes increase their production of melanin in response to sun exposure. Freckles, which occur in…

Prefix meaning dark or black. It comes from the Greek “melas”, black. Examples of terms containing melan- include melancholia, melanin, melanocytes, melanoma and melena.

Migraine. Usually periodic attacks of headaches on one or both sides of the head. Megrim (migraine) may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity of the eyes to light (photophobia), increased sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), dizziness, blurred vision, cognitive disturbances, and other symptoms. Some megrims (migraines) do not include headache. They may or may not be preceded by an aura.…

The combining form “mega-” comes from the Greek “megas”, great or big and means abnormally large. Examples include: Megalocephaly is too large a head. Megacardia is too large a heart. Megacolon is too large a colon.

Acronym for medical evacuation. MEDVAC typically refers to a team that has the skills necessary for proper medical evacuation in emergency situations. Also known as MEDEVAC.