ESL Podcast 589 - Having Skin Problems
rash - a group of red marks on one's skin, possibly itchy
Have you ever gotten a rash from touching poison oak?
exam table - a bed-like table in a doctor's office where patients can sit or lie down while a doctor examines them
The nurses put clean paper over the exam table for each patient.
to start out - to begin in a certain way, especially when something changes later
She started out her career as a waitress, but within a few years, she was a restaurant manager and then owner.
blister - a small area of raised skin that is filled with liquid
Marty got blisters on his feet after he wore his new hiking boots all day.
itchy - making one want to scratch a certain part of one's skin; feeling irritated and causing one to want to rub an area of skin with one's fingernails
Karina's arms are really itchy where she was bitten by mosquitoes.
infection - a disease caused by bacteria entering part of one's body
When Meghan pierced her ears with a dirty needle, she got an infection.
skin cancer - a serious disease where skin cells multiply and grow uncontrollably, often because one's skin was exposed to too much sun
If we don't want to get skin cancer, we need to limit the amount of time we spend outdoors and always use sunscreen.
to get ahead of (oneself) - to plan or do something before one knows whether it is really necessary; to begin making decisions before all the relevant information is known
Ximena thought she was having a baby girl and got ahead of herself, buying pink baby clothes and painting the nursery pink before the doctor was able to tell her the baby's gender.
while you're at it - a phrase used to ask someone to do something else in addition to what he or she is already doing
Thanks for agreeing to help me hang this heavy mirror. While you're at it, can you help me hang all these photos and paintings, too?
bump - a small raised area; an area that is higher than the surrounding area
The little boy has a big bump on his forehead where he was hit by a baseball.
mole - a small, dark, brown, usually round mark on one's skin, often slightly higher than the surrounding skin
If you notice that your moles change in shape or color, make an appointment with a skin doctor.
birthmark - an area of skin that is a different color than the surrounding skin and that one has had since birth
Melissa has a large birthmark on her left shoulder.
wart - a small spot on one's skin that is dark, raised, and very hard
James has warts on his fingers, but since they aren't painful, he doesn't plan to see a doctor about them.
scar - a small, white mark that remains on one's skin after a cut or burn has healed
Terese has a large scar on her abdomen from when her appendix was removed.
treatment - what is done to cure a disease or fix an injury
Treatment for a broken bone often involves wearing a cast for several months and then going through physical therapy.
pimple - zit; a small, red spot on one's face caused by having too much oil in one's skin
Most teenagers get embarrassed when they have pimples on their face.
acne - a skin condition where one has many red spots on the face and neck, often affecting teenagers
Sheila's acne was so bad that she begged not to go to school, because she was afraid the other students would make fun of her.
since you asked - a phrase used when one wants to add additional information or ask another question, but was waiting for the other person to indicate interest before doing so
Here's your chicken, beef, pork, and salmon. Can I get you anything else?
Well, since you asked, I'd also like a pound of turkey and a pound of ham.