Common Causes
Nail problems that sometimes require treatment include Bacterial and fungal infections Ingrown nails Tumors Warts
Related Conditions
Summary. Healthy nails are usually smooth and consistent in color. Specific types of nail discoloration and changes in growth rate can be signs of lung, heart, kidney, and liver diseases, as well as diabetes and anemia. White spots and vertical ridges are harmless. Keeping your nails clean, dry, and trimmed can help you avoid some problems.
What are some common nail problems that sometimes require treatment?
The following list of nail disorders will help explain certain conditions affecting the finger and toe nails. Nail diseases include conditions leading to nail deformities, infections, inflammation and breakage of nails. Nail diseases and deformities are generally called onychosis.
What does it mean when your nails are healthy?
A medical professional can diagnose the condition and recommend suitable treatment. If someone undergoes treatment for a nail disease and there is no improvement, or new symptoms develop, they should seek medical advice. Many diseases can affect the nails.
What are nail diseases and diseases?
When should I seek medical advice for a nail disease?
How can nail disorders and diseases be treated?
Diagnosis and treatment of nail problemsAntibiotics for bacterial infections.Antifungal preparations, mainly oral tablets, for fungal infections in the nails.Treatment for any contributing skin disease.Advice on appropriate nail care.
How are nail diseases and nail disorders managed and treated?
Nail disease management requires a targeted treatment approach. Treatments include topical and/or systemic medications, discontinuation of offending drugs or surgical intervention, depending on the condition.
How can you prevent or avoid injuries in nail care services?
Practice good hand hygiene before and after each client, before and after wearing gloves, and in between breaks in service. Ask clients to also wash their hands thoroughly and dry them before nail treatments.
How do you prevent your nail from infection?
To prevent a nail infection, you should:Avoid biting or chewing on your nails or hangnails. ... Be careful not to cut your nails too short. ... Maintain good hygiene by washing your hands and keeping your nails clean. ... Use lotion on your nail fold and cuticles if your skin is dry.More items...•
How do you keep your nails healthy?
Tips for healthy nailsKeep nails clean and dry.Cut nails straight across. ... Keep nails shaped and free of snags by filing with an emery board.Do not bite fingernails or remove the cuticle. ... Do not use your nails as a tool, such as opening pop cans.Trim toenails regularly.More items...
How can I prevent skin hair and nail problems?
Drinking enough water each day is an often overlooked way to keep your hair, skin, and nails looking fresh and healthy. Water helps keep your hair and skin moisturized and prevent your nails from becoming brittle. Plus, staying hydrated can improve your overall health and can even boost your mood.
Why is it important to learn the different nail diseases and disorders?
The nail and the nail apparatus are important indicators of an individual's health. They can signify both systemic and local disease, and are significant in a person's appearance. Disease not only causes discomfort and impaired functionality, but severe psychological distress and social embarrassment.
Why do we always need to consider safety precautions in nail care?
Your nails are there to protect your hands, providing a strong shield as you work with them each day, as well as a barrier – the cuticle – which keeps out environmental pollutants. Regular, professional nail care ensures that your nails stay strong so they can do the job.
Why is it important to follow health and safety as a nail technician?
The risks you may face in a nail salon are not only significant due to the severity of health problems they can cause. They are also unseen, meaning you could be filing and painting nails day after day without even realising you're vulnerable.
How can we prevent painful ingrown fingernails and or toenails?
To avoid ingrown nails, always trim straight across. Wear ill-fitting shoes or tight hosiery that press your nail into your toe. Injure your toe by stubbing or jamming it. Put repeated stress on your toes from poor posture or physical activity that stresses your feet, such as running, ballet, or soccer.
How do you prevent nail fungus in nail salons?
Artificial nails also can create an environment that allows fungi and bacteria to grow more easily. If you're treated for a toenail fungus, try not to wear shoes without socks. Also, buy an over-the-counter antifungal powder or spray at the drugstore to treat your shoes, so you don't re-infect yourself.
What are the nail diseases and disorders?
COMMON NAIL DISEASES AND NAIL ABNORMALITIESNail fungus or onychomycosis: ... Psoriasis of the nail: ... Lichen planus of the nail: ... Onycholysis: ... Paronychia: ... Onychorrhexis, onychoschizia, or brittle nail syndrome: ... Pseudomonas nail infection:
What is the most effective treatment for toenail fungus?
Prescription oral antifungals, such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or fluconazole (Diflucan), are traditionally used to treat toenail fungus.
Why is it important to know and identify the nail diseases and disorder?
The nail and the nail apparatus are important indicators of an individual's health. They can signify both systemic and local disease, and are significant in a person's appearance. Disease not only causes discomfort and impaired functionality, but severe psychological distress and social embarrassment.
What are the nail disorders?
Nail disorders affect the appearance of fingernails and toenails. Bacteria, fungus and viruses can cause nail infections. Skin conditions such as alopecia areata, eczema and psoriasis also affect the nails. Underlying conditions such as heart, lung, liver and thyroid conditions also change the nails.
How to prevent nail problems?
It’s easy to take your nails for granted, especially if you’re not into manicures and pedicures. But if you don’t take care of them, your nails can get out of hand. Keep these do's and don’ts in mind to stop nail problems before they start.
Why is it important to treat ingrown nails?
It’s especially important to treat infected or ingrown nails if you have diabetes or other conditions that affect your circulation or immune system.
How to soften nails that are too thick?
Nails too thick and hard to cut? Soak them in salt water, then smooth on a cream that contains urea or lactic acid to soften them.
Why do my nails split when I shower?
Bacteria and fungi thrive in moist environments, plus waterlogged nails are more likely to split. When you’re done at the sink or in the shower, dry your hands and feet thoroughly.
What is the cause of discolored nails?
If your nails are discolored, it’s a good idea to check in with your dermatologist. Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, can grow underneath your nails, and dark spots or streaks could be a warning sign.
Which is the healthiest nail?
The healthiest nails are cut short and straight across. Long nails are more likely to break and tear, and bacteria can live under them.
Can biting your nails make you sick?
Biting your nails can make you sick by giving cold -causing viruses an express ticket into your mouth. And if you happen to puncture or tear the skin, it sets you up for ingrown nails or infection.
What to look for when you have a yellow streak on your nails?
You want to look for: Changes in nail color, such as a white spot or brown or yellow streak. Changes to the texture of your nails. Soreness or swelling around a nail. Dry, itchy skin. If you notice any signs of infection, make an appointment to see your dermatologist. Image.
How to get rid of nail fungus in the pool?
Wear flip flops or shower sandals. Keep flip flops near the pool. That way, you can slip into them when you get out of the water. If you just finished treating nail fungus, throw away shoes, boots, skates, and other footwear that you wore before you started treatment.
How to sanitize nail clippers?
To sanitize your nail clipper, wash it with soap and water and then wipe it with rubbing alcohol. If you go to a salon for nail care, ask how often they disinfect nail clippers, emery boards, and other equipment. They should sanitize these after every client.
How to treat fungus in shoes?
Sprinkle antifungal powder in your shoes. These products cannot treat a fungal nail infection, but they can help prevent fungus from growing in your shoes.
How to keep fungus from growing in socks?
Put on a clean pair of socks every day and whenever your socks get sweaty. This helps prevent fungi from growing. Wearing moisture-wicking socks can also reduce the need to change your socks.
Can you share nail clippers?
Never share nail clippers, shoes, skates, towels, and other personal items. You can easily pick up a fungal infection by sharing a personal item. People also get athlete’s foot and ringworm (a fungal infection on the skin) by sharing personal items. Keep your feet clean and dry.
Can athlete's foot spread to nails?
If you get athlete’s foot, treat it right away. Fungi also cause athlete’s foot. This fungal infection can spread to your nails.
What are Nail Diseases and Disorders?
Nail diseases and disorders are different from skin conditions. The conditions affecting the nails can occur due to a bacterial or fungal infection. It may also be due to a trauma affecting the nails. These trauma include nail-biting, removal or rubbing of the skin more than the normal visible area of the nail. Frequent exposure to nail polish or moisture can also cause the nails to become brittle. A fungal infection causes the nails to change color, texture as well as shape. In case of a bacterial infection, the nail and surrounding areas become extremely painful and turn green in color. Many times, health conditions also affect the appearance of the nails. Heart diseases lead to a disorder called ‘hippocratic finger’ where the nails start growing upside down and are shaped like a spoon. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals can cause the nails to become fragile, dry and form pits. Arsenic or silver poisoning can lead to nails turning blue in color or develop white lines. The following list of nail disorders will help explain certain conditions affecting the finger and toe nails.
What is the term for a nail disease?
Let's Work Together! Nail diseases include conditions leading to nail deformities, infections, inflammation and breakage of nails. Nail diseases and deformities are generally called onychosis.
Why are my nails white?
An injury to the base of the nail, that is, the matrix causes leuconychia. This condition is also called white nails due to the white discoloration appearing on the nail. There are different types of leuconychia that include leukonychia totalis (entire nail becomes white), leukonychia partialis (some parts of the nail become white), leukonychia striata (white lines that run parallel to the luna) and leukonychia punctata (also called true leukoncychia, where small spots appear on the nail).
What causes ingrown toenails?
Onychocryptosis is one of the common nail disease that causes ingrown nails. It is also known as unguis incarnatus. This is a very painful condition as the nail tends to cut in the nail bed. Ingrown nails can occur in fingers as well as toes. However, it affects toenails more often than fingernails.
What is the condition of the nail plate?
Paronychia. This is a disease of the nail that occurs as a sudden (acute paronychia) or gradual (chronic paronychia) infection. This condition causes the tissues around the nails to become inflamed, thickened and one may observe brownish discharge of the nail plate.
What is a spoon nail?
Also called a spoon nail, Koilonychia is a nail disease that occurs due to iron deficiency anemia. The nails become abnormally thin and turn flat or concave in shape.
What is the disease that makes your nails yellow?
Tinea unguium is also known as the ringworm of the nail or onchomycosis. It is a common disease of the nail that causes thickening and yellowish appearance of the nails. The affected nail becomes crumbly and can separate off from the nail bed.
What are the signs of a healthy nail?
Healthy nails are usually smooth and consistent in color. Specific types of nail discoloration and changes in growth rate can be signs of lung, heart, kidney, and liver diseases, as well as diabetes and anemia. White spots and vertical ridges are harmless.
What is green nail syndrome?
Green Nail Syndrome (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) Ingrown Toenails (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish. Nail Bed Injury (American Society for Surgery of the Hand) Nail Fungus (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish.
What is the medical term for thick toenails?
Onycholysis (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) Paronychia (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish. Subungual Hematoma (American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) Thick Toenails (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) Also in Spanish.
How to get rid of a nail infection?
Wash your hands and feet regularly. Wash your hands after touching an infected nail. Moisturize your nails after washing.
How to treat nail fungus?
The following habits can help prevent nail fungus or reinfections and athlete's foot, which can lead to nail fungus: 1 Wash your hands and feet regularly. Wash your hands after touching an infected nail. Moisturize your nails after washing. 2 Trim nails straight across, smooth the edges with a file and file down thickened areas. Disinfect your nail clippers after each use. 3 Wear sweat-absorbing socks or change your socks throughout the day. 4 Choose shoes made of materials that breathe. 5 Discard old shoes or treat them with disinfectants or antifungal powders. 6 Wear footwear in pool areas and locker rooms. 7 Choose a nail salon that uses sterilized manicure tools for each customer. 8 Give up nail polish and artificial nails.
Why is my fingernail yellow?
Nail fungus. Nail fungus. Nail fungus can cause the nail to become thick or ragged and appear yellow, green, brown or black. An infected nail may separate from the nail bed. Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause ...
Why do my nails get brittle?
Fungal nail infection can develop in people at any age, but it's more common in older adults. As the nail ages, it can become brittle and dry. The resulting cracks in the nails allow fungi to enter.
What is it called when you get fungus on your toes?
When fungus infects the areas between your toes and the skin of your feet, it's called athlete's foot (tinea pedis).
What are the factors that increase the risk of developing nail fungus?
Factors that can increase your risk of developing nail fungus include: Being older, owing to reduced blood flow, more years of exposure to fungi and slower growing nails. Sweating heavily. Having a history of athlete's foot. Walking barefoot in damp communal areas, such as swimming pools, gyms and shower rooms.
How long before shaving to cut cuticles?
Ms. Williams: To reduce your risk, Dr. Miest says don't shave 24 hours beforehand and don't have your cuticles cut.
What is a thickened nail?
A thickened nail separated from the nail bed by thick, crumbly debris that pushes the nail away from the bed.
What causes a greenish brown swollen area under the nail plate?
A type of bacterial infection that can appear r combination with paronychia under the nail plate with an artificial nail, causing a greenish-brown discoloration, or on the cuticle and nail folds as a swollen, red area often oozing pus.
Why is handwashing and disinfecting important?
Handwashing and disinfecting work surfaces and implements are extremely important in preventing the spread of the common cold, the flu, strep throat - the everyday illnesses that can sweep through a community. “Influenza -this is why we disinfect,” asserts Bronow. “It’s easy to start a flu epidemic.
What is it called when you have a red bump on your nail?
Also called athlete’s foot, jock itch, or ringworm, depending on where it appears, a fungal infection of the skin appears as a patch of red bumps and lines. See Fungal Infection of the Nail. A fungal infection of the skin often has a “portal It of entry” such as a cut in the skin or a detached cuticle.
Is a salon a risk?
A salon, on the other hand, is not singled out as a place where risk is unusually high. In other words, your chance (or your clients’ chances) of catching a cold are no better (or worse) than the supermarket, bank, or other casual contact setting.
Can nail technicians get AIDS?
With all of the media hype about diseases like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, it’s understandable that nail technicians and their clients are concerned about exposure to them in the salon. But the transmission of these diseases, and even the far more benign ones, such as fungal infections of the nails, are highly unlikely in the salon. In feet, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., says it’s so unlikely that the CDC hasn’t even done any studies in a “casual contact” setting (such as a nail salon) since 1985, when the causes of HIV/AIDS were not yet understood.
Why are my nails pink?
On the other hand, if your nails are pink and healthy then that is probably an indicator of the fact that you are also in the very pink of your health. So, here are some of the nail issues described below and also the disease indications that they provide:
Why do my nails look pitted?
When nails develop some depressions in them which kind of look as if they have been made by an ice pick, then this condition is known as nail pitting. Such nails could be an indicator of Psoriasis which is an autoimmune disease in which the skin becomes abnormal and develops patches which are red, scaly and itchy. It can also indicate another autoimmune disorder called alopecia areata in which the person who has the disorder suffers from hair loss.
Why do my nails turn white?
Sometimes, nails get crumbly and turn white in color. This is usually an indicator of various infections and disorders of the body especially fungal infection.
What does it mean when your fingernails are clubbing?
Nail clubbing is a condition in which the nails curve around the tip of the fingers which are usually enlarged . This usually happens over a fairly long period of time. Nail clubbing can be an indicator of various lung disorders as well as low oxygen content in blood.
Why do my nails have brown spots?
They can also happen due to injuries to the nails but if such is the case then it will gradually disappear. If the streaks are not disappearing, then you should immediately consult your doctor.
Why do my nails get yellow?
This is a syndrome in which the new nail growth slows and as such nails become thick and yellow. Sometimes, nails also get detached from the bed and cuticle is also lacking in them.
What is it called when your nails turn yellow?
This condition of the nails is known as Onycholysis. In this condition, nails get separated from the nail beds and they also become dirty yellow in color or opaque with a greenish tint to them.
