Onychoschizia

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Onychoschizia, also known as nail splitting and brittle nails, is a splitting of the free-edged tip of the nail. [1] There is also often a longitudinal split in addition to the separation of keratin layers. [2]

Contents

Cause

Frequent hand-washing is the usual cause, but it is also part of normal ageing. [3] Manicures, nail polish and remover, nail biting, and repeated trauma such as typing, can contribute to nail splitting. [1] Dehydration likely plays a role. [3] Nutritional deficiencies that can result in nail splitting include iron, selenium, and zinc. [1] Some skin diseases such as psoriasis and lichen planus may feature such nails. [3]

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is by its appearance, but sometimes blood tests are required to look for iron deficiency, thyroid problems, and kidney problems. [1]

Treatment

Treatment is by discontinuing nail polish and applying moisturiser. [2] An acceptable alternative is gel nails. [2] Some favourable response has been reported with biotin if the person is deficient in vitamin B7. [1] It is not routinely given. [1]

Epidemiology

It is common among women and occurs in almost a third of newborns. [2]

Other animals

It also occurs in hooved animals such as horses. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Tinea nigra, also known as superficial phaeohyphomycosis and Tinea nigra palmaris et plantaris, is a superficial fungal infection, a type of phaeohyphomycosis rather than a tinea, that causes usually a single 1–5 cm dark brown-black, non-scaly, flat, painless patch on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet of healthy people. There may be multiple spots. The macules occasionally extend to the fingers, toes, and nails, and may be reported on the chest, neck, or genital area. Tinea nigra infections can present with multiple macules that can be mottled or velvety in appearance, and may be oval or irregular in shape. The macules can be anywhere from a few mm to several cm in size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monilethrix</span> Medical condition

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trachonychia</span> Nail condition involving linear ridges

Trachyonychia is a condition characterized by rough accentuated linear ridges on the nails of the fingers and toes. When the condition occurs on all the twenty nails of the fingers and toes, it is known as twenty-nail dystrophy, most evident in childhood, favoring males.

Id reactions are types of acute dermatitis developing after days or weeks at skin locations distant from the initial inflammatory or infectious site. They can be localised or generalised. This is also known as an 'autoeczematous response' and there must be an identifiable initial inflammatory or infectious skin problem which leads to the generalised eczema. Often intensely itchy, the red papules and pustules can also be associated with blisters and scales and are always remote from the primary lesion. It is most commonly a blistering rash with itchy vesicles on the sides of fingers and feet as a reaction to fungal infection on the feet, athlete's foot. Stasis dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, acute irritant contact eczema and infective dermatitis have been documented as possible triggers, but the exact cause and mechanism is not fully understood. Several other types of id reactions exist including erythema nodosum, erythema multiforme, Sweet's syndrome and urticaria.

Bubble hair deformity is damage of the hair shaft, resulting in patches of short weak brittle hair, that feels rough.

Tripe palms, also known as acanthosis palmaris, is a medical sign characterized by thick ridged velvety palms, typically as part of a paraneoplastic syndrome. It resembles the lining of the stomach of some animals (tripe). Other signs that may be noted at the same time include most frequently acanthosis nigricans (AN), and less commonly finger clubbing and Leser-Trélat sign.

Two feet-one hand syndrome(TFOHS), is a long-term fungal condition where athlete's foot or fungal toe nail infections in both feet is associated with tinea manuum in one hand. Often the feet are affected for several years before symptoms of a diffuse scaling rash on the palm of one hand appear, which is when most affected people then seek medical help.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sloan, Brett (2022). "16. Multiple nail: nail splitting". In Waldman, Reid A.; Grant-Kels, Jane M. (eds.). Dermatology for the Primary Care Provider. Philadelphia: Elsevier. pp. 277–278. ISBN   978-0-323-71236-1.
  2. 1 2 3 4 James, William D.; Elston, Dirk; Treat, James R.; Rosenbach, Misha A.; Neuhaus, Isaac (2020). "33. Diseases of the skin appendages". Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology (13th ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier. p. 785. ISBN   978-0-323-54753-6.
  3. 1 2 3 Johnstone, Ronald B. (2017). "2. Diagnostic clues and "need-to-know" items". Weedon's Skin Pathology Essentials (2nd ed.). Elsevier. p. 31. ISBN   978-0-7020-6830-0.
  4. Colombo, Victor E.; Gerber, Françoise; Bronhofer, Max; Floersheim, George L. (December 1990). "Treatment of brittle fingernails and onychoschizia with biotin: Scanning electron microscopy". Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 23 (6): 1127–1132. doi:10.1016/0190-9622(90)70345-i. PMID   2273113.