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Nail Abnormalities
Alternate Names : Beau's Lines, Fingernail Abnormalities, Koilonychia, Leukonychia, Onycholysis, Spoon Nails
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Nail Abnormalities: 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 can cause loss of the nail plate
- Viral warts may cause a change in the shape of the nail or ingrown skin under the nail
Internal diseases
- Disorders that affect the amount of oxygen in the blood (such as abnormal heart anatomy and lung diseases including cancer or infection) may produce "clubbing" of the nail, which looks like the back of a teaspoon
- Kidney disease that causes a build-up of nitrogen waste products in the blood
- Liver disease including chronic liver failure
- Thyroid diseases including hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism may produce brittle nails or splitting of the nail bed from the nail plate (onycholysis)
- Infection (especially of the heart valve) may produce splinter hemorrhages (red streaks in the nail bed)
- Systemic amyloidosis
- Severe illness or surgery may produce horizontal depressions in the nails (Beau's lines)
- Vitamin deficiency can cause a loss of luster or brittle nails
- Malnutrition of any sort can affect the appearance of the nails
Skin diseases
- Psoriasis may produce pitting, splitting of nail plate from nail bed (onycholysis), and chronic destruction of the nail plate (nail dystrophy)
- Lichen planus
Heavy metal ingestion
- Arsenic poisoning may produce white lines and horizontal ridges
- Silver intake can produce a blue nail
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• Definition
• Nail Abnormalities: Overview & Considerations
• Nail Abnormalities: Common Causes
• Nail Abnormalities: Home Care & Treatment
• Call your Health Care Provider if
• What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Iron Deficiency Anemia
• Kidney Disease
• Lichen Planus
• Liver Disease
• Primary Amyloidosis
• Psoriasis
• Warts
Other Topics
• Clubbing of the Fingers or Toes
• Poisoning First Aid
• Splinter Hemorrhages
Review Date : 8/15/2003
Reviewed By : Michael Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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