chapter 6: Nail Disorders and Diseases

Beau’s lines

depressions running across the nail plate’s width due to a slowing production of matrix cells.

bruised nail bed

dark purplish spots, usually due to a small nail bed injury.

discolored nail

nail that has turned a variety of colors; may indicate surface staining, a systemic disorder, or poor blood circulation.

eggshell nail

noticeably thin, white nail plate that is more flexible than usual; usually caused by diet, heredity internal disease, medication, or overfiling with an abrasive.

hangnail

damaged skin around the nail plate (often on the eponychium) becomes split or torn.

infected finger

finger with visible redness, pain, swelling, broken skin, or pus.

leukonychia

whitish discoloration found inside the nail plate, usually caused by injury to the nail matrix.

melanonychia

significant darkening of the fingernails or toenails cause by increased pigment cells (melanocytes) may be seen as black band under or within the nail plate, extending from the base to the free edge.

nail disorder

an unhealthy nail condition that is hereditary or caused by injury or disease of the nail unit.

nail melanoma

Also known as subungual melanoma; a rare and serious type of skin cancer that begins in the nail matrix. It is more prevalent in the nails of your thumbs and big toes and usually affects one nail at a time. Sometimes it can look like other conditions that affect that nail bed, such as a bruise. If untreated it can metastasize or spread to other parts of your body.

nail psoriasis

nail surface pitting, roughness, onycholysis, and bed discolorations randomly or evenly spaced; nail plate may appear as if it has been filed with a course abrasive, or the free edge may be ragged, or both.

nail pterygium

irregular streching of the sponychium or hyponychium arounf the nail plate; usually from serious injury or an allergic skin reaction.

onychia

inflammation of the nail matrix followed by sheeding of the natural nail caused by infection or injury.

oonychocryptosisnyc

also known ingrown nail; nail grows into thw living tissue around the nail.

onychomadesis

separation and falling off a nail plate from the nail bed; caused by infection, matrix injury, systemic illness, or medical procedure.

onycholysis

separation of the nail plate and bed, often due to injury or allergic reactions.

onychomycosis

nail plate fungal infection, consisting of the whitish patches that can be scraped off the nail’s surface or long whitish or pale yellowish streaks within the nail plate.

onychophagy

also known as bitten nails; result of a habit of chewing the nail or chewing the hardened skin surrounding the nail plate.

onychorrhexis

irregular split or brittle nails appearing as nail plate surface roughness; potentially caused by heredity, matrix injury, excessive exposure to cuticle removers, harsh cleaning agents, or aggressive filing techniques.

onychosis

any deformity or disease of the natural nails.

paronychia

bacterial inflammation of the tissues surrounding the nail unit; redness, pus, and swelling are usually present.

pincer nail

also known as trumpet nail; a form of dramatically increased nail curvature of the free edge, whereby the nail can curl in upon itself or may be deformed only on one sidewall.

plicatured nail

also known as folded nail; a type of highly curved nail plate usually caused by injury to the matrix, but may be inherited.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

rapidly growing and contagious bacteria that can cause infection; seen in the early stages as a yellow-green spot that becomes darker in its advanced stage, changing from yellow to green to brown to black.

pyogenic granuloma

severe inflammation of the nail in which a lump of red tissue grows up from the nail bed to the nail plate.

ridged nail

vertical lines running the length of the natural nail plate, usually the result of aging.

splinter hemorrhage

damage to the capillaries under the nail, giving the appearance of a lengthwise small splinter underneath the nail plate; caused by physical trauma or nail bed injury.

tinea pedis

also known as athlete’s foot medical term for the fungal infection of the feet; often seen as red patches or scaling of the skin on the bottom of the feet and/or between the toe.