<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Abrasion on the palm of a right hand, shortly after falling </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Specialty </Th> <Td> Emergency medicine </Td> </Tr> <P> An abrasion is a wound caused by superficial damage to the skin, no deeper than the epidermis . It is less severe than a laceration, and bleeding, if present, is minimal . Mild abrasions, also known as grazes or scrapes, do not scar or bleed, but deep abrasions may lead to the formation of scar tissue . A more traumatic abrasion that removes all layers of skin is called an avulsion . </P> <P> Abrasion injuries most commonly occur when exposed skin comes into moving contact with a rough surface, causing a grinding or rubbing away of the upper layers of the epidermis . </P>

The medical term for a superficial loss of skin as would occur by scratching is