Final answer:
An elevated cavity of the skin with purulent material is known as a pustule or abscess, signaling a suppurative skin infection like acne or impetigo. These are often encapsulated sacs below the upper layers of skin or may present as swollen, inflamed spots due to bacterial growth. Severe infections may lead to conditions such as necrotizing fasciitis, which need immediate medical attention.
Step-by-step explanation:
An elevated cavity of the skin containing purulent material is commonly known as a pustule or abscess, which are types of skin lesions. These are typically encapsulated sacs filled with pus, a viscous liquid made up of dead pathogens, neutrophils, tissue fluid, and cellular debris. Often, these lesions are smooth spots of discoloration or small, fluid- or pus-filled bumps on the skin that are indicative of a pus-producing or suppurative infection.
Conditions like acne and impetigo present pustules as symptoms, characterized by inflammation of hair follicles or red, warm, and painful skin. For instance, acne lesions develop when hair follicles are clogged with lipids and dead skin cells, creating an environment for bacterial growth. Skin infections like furuncles and carbuncles, typically caused by Staphylococcus bacteria, are more severe formations of pustules that run deeper into the skin.
Medical treatment is important for these infections, particularly when they become serious. For example, when the skin infection progresses rapidly, it could signal a severe condition like necrotizing fasciitis, which is a rapidly progressing bacterial infection affecting deeper layers of skin and requires urgent medical attention.