HOSA Pathophysiology Assessment Practice Test 2025 – Your Complete All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

A skin lesion that shows overgrowth and thickening of cornified epithelium is identified as keratosis. This term specifically refers to any condition that involves an abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes, which are the predominant cell type in the outer layer of the skin. Keratosis can manifest in various forms, such as seborrheic keratosis, actinic keratosis, and others, all of which share the characteristic feature of thickened, often scaly skin due to an excessive accumulation of keratin.

The other terms do not accurately describe this particular condition. Keratolytic refers to agents that promote the shedding of the outer layer of skin, while fissure denotes a split or crack in the skin that can occur due to dryness or other factors. A papule, on the other hand, is a small, raised, solid pimple or swelling on the skin that does not necessarily involve thickening or overgrowth of the epithelium. Consequently, keratosis is the appropriate term for such skin lesions characterized by thickened cornified epithelium.