Nail Disorders and Diseases

Nail Disorder

Unhealthy nail condition that is hereditary or caused by injury/disease of nail unit; it is your professional responsibility and requirement to know whether to treat/refer

Beau’s Nails

visible depressions running across width of natural nail plate

Discolored nails

Nails turn a variety of colors; may indicate surface staining, systemic disorder, or poor blood circulation

Bruised nails

Blood clot forms under nail plate causing blue and purple spot

Eggshells

Noticeably thin, white nail plates that are more flexible than normal; improper diet, hereditary causes, internal diseases, and medications may cause this

Hangnail

Condition in which living skin around nail plate splits and tears

Leukonychia

Whitish discoloration of the nails; caused by minor injury of the nail matrix

Melanonychia

Darkening of the fingernails/toenails; increased pigment cells

Pincer nails

TRUMPET NAILS; curvature of the free edge where it might curl upon itself; forms a sharp cone of the free edge

Splinter hemmorhage

Caused by physical trauma or injury to nail bed that damages capillaries and allows small amounts of blood flow

Nail infection

Signs are: visible redness, pain, swelling, broken skin, pus

Nail psoriasis

Associated with tiny pits or severe roughness, or onycholysis, on surface of nail plate

Onycholysis

Lifting of the nail plate from nail bed without shedding, usually beginning at free edge and continuing toward lunula area

Paronychia

Bacterial inflammation of tissues surrounding the nail; redness, pus, swelling are usually seen in skin adjacent to nail plate

Pseudomas aeruginosa

Common bacteria that can lead to a bacterial infection that appears as a green/yellow/black discoloration to the nail bed

Tinea pedis

Also known as athlete’s foot; fungal infection of the feet