Final answer:
The medical term for a benign skin growth with a waxy appearance is basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer that usually presents as a pearly or waxy bump on the skin and can often be treated with a biopsy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medical term for a benign skin growth that has a waxy or pasted-on look is basal cell carcinoma. This type of skin cancer occurs in the basal cells of the epidermis, which are stem cells in the stratum basale layer that divide to form all the keratinocytes of the epidermis. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, with more than four million cases occurring in the United States each year. It may appear as a pearly or waxy bump and rarely spreads, allowing it to typically be cured with a biopsy.
It is important to be aware of different types of skin growths and conditions, such as smooth spots of discoloration on the skin, small raised bumps on the skin, and pus-producing infections. Identifying whether a growth is a benign mole or potentially cancerous is crucial in medical diagnoses and treatment.