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Nail abnormalities
Definition:
Nail abnormalities refer to abnormal color, shape, texture, or thickness of the fingernails or toenails. Alternative Names:
Beau's lines; Fingernail abnormalities; Spoon nails; Onycholysis; Leukonychia; Koilonychia Text Continues Below
Considerations:
Just like the skin, the fingernails tell a lot about a person's state of health. Pitting (the presence of small depressions on the nail surface) is often accompanied with crumbling of the nail. Detachment of the nail can also occur (the nail becomes loose and sometimes even comes off). Ridges (linear elevations) can develop along the nail occurring in a lengthwise or crosswise direction. Beau's lines are linear depressions that occur crosswise (transverse) in the fingernail. They can occur after illness, trauma to the nail, and with malnutrition. Leukonychia describes white streaks or spots on the nails. Koilonychia is an abnormal shape of the fingernail where the nail has raised ridges and is thin and concave. This disorder is associated with iron deficiency anemia. Common Causes:
Trauma: - A crush injury to base of the nail or the nail bed may produce a permanent deformity
- Nail biting can be a sign of anxiety, chronic tension or uncontrollable compulsion
- Chronic picking or rubbing of the skin behind the visible portion of the nail can produce a washboard nail
- Chronic exposure to moisture or to nail polish can produce brittle nails with peeling of the edge of the nail
Infection: - Fungus or yeast produce changes in the color, texture, and shape of the nails
- Bacterial infection may cause a change in color (green nails with pseudomonas) or painful pockets of infection under the nail or in skin surrounding the nail -- severe infections may cause loss of the nail plate
- Viral warts may cause a change in the shape of the nail or ingrown skin under the nail
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