Nail changes (patient information)

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Nail changes

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for nail changes?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Nail changes On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of nail changes

Videos on nail changes

FDA on nail changes

CDC on nail changes

Nail changes in the news

Blogs on nail changes

Directions to Hospitals Treating Nail changes

Risk calculators and risk factors for nail changes

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief: Michael Maddaleni, B.S.

Overview

Nail abnormalities are problems with the color, shape, texture, or thickness of the fingernails or toenails.

What causes nail changes?

Injury:

  • Crushing the base of the nail or the nail bed may cause a permanent deformity.
  • Chronic picking or rubbing of the skin behind the nail can cause a washboard nail.
  • Long-term exposure to moisture or nail polish can cause nails to peel and become brittle.

Infection:

  • Fungus or yeast cause changes in the color, texture, and shape of the nails.
  • Bacterial infection may cause a change in nail color or painful areas of infection under the nail or in the surrounding skin. Severe infections may cause nail loss.
  • Viral warts may cause a change in the shape of the nail or ingrown skin under the nail.
  • Certain infections (especially of the heart valve) may cause red streaks in the nail bed (splinter hemorrhages).

Diseases:

Poisons:

  • Arsenic poisoning may cause white lines and horizontal ridges.
  • Silver intake can cause a blue nail.

Medications:

  • Certain antibiotics can cause lifting of the nail from the nail bed.
  • Chemotherapy medicines can affect nail growth.

Normal aging affects the growth and development of the nails.

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if you have:

  • A new or widening dark streak in the nail
  • Blue nails
  • Clubbed nails
  • Distorted nails
  • Horizontal ridges
  • Pale nails
  • White lines
  • White color under the nails

If you have splinter hemorrhages, see the doctor immediately.

Diagnosis

The health care provider will look at your nails and ask questions about your symptoms. Questions may include:

  • Type
    • What is the abnormality?
    • Are the nails an abnormal color?
      • What color are they?
      • Are there red lines running the length of the nail (splinter hemorrhage)?
    • Are they an abnormal shape?
    • Has the texture changed?
    • Has the thickness changed?
    • Are the nails pitted?
    • Are the nails detached?
    • Are there ridged nails?
      • Which direction does the ridging go?
    • Does the whole end of the finger look enlarged?
    • Is there a lack of luster?
    • Are the nails brittle?
  • Location
    • Is it the hands?
    • Is it the feet?
    • Is it only on one side?
    • Are both sides the same?
    • Is it only one specific nail?
  • Aggravating factors
    • Have you had an injury to the nail?
    • Do you bite your nails?
    • Do you pick your nails or rub the fingers or toes chronically?
    • Are the nails frequently moist?
    • Do you use nail polish?
  • Other
    • What other symptoms are also present?

Diagnostic tests will depend on what other symptoms, if any, exist. These may include x-rays, blood tests, or examination of parts of the nail in the laboratory.

Where to find medical care for (condition)?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition

Prevention

  • Do not bite, pick, or tear at your nails (in severe cases, some people may need psychological help or encouragement to stop these behaviors).
  • Keep hangnails clipped.
  • Wear shoes that don't squeeze the toes together, and always cut the nails straight across along the top.
  • To prevent brittle nails, keep the nails short and avoid nail polish. Use an emollient (skin softening) cream after washing or bathing.
  • Using the vitamin biotin and clear nail polish that contains protein can help strengthen your nails.

Sources

Template:WH Template:WS