Also Known As:

What is Nail Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin condition. The disease is characterised by the rapid build-up of skin cells, causing inflammation and scaling on the skin’s surface.

Nail Psoriasis is relatively common type of Psoriasis. It causes pitting, abnormal growth, onycholysis and discolouration on fingernails and toenails. About 50 percent of people with some form of psoriasis develop nail changes. In rare cases, the nails are the only part of the body that shows signs of psoriasis.

Causes

Doctors are unclear as to the exact underlying cause of Nail Psoriasis. However, the two general factors are:
•   Immune System: Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition.
•   Genetics: Some people inherit genes that make them more likely to develop Nail Psoriasis.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of Nail Psoriasis include:
•   Pitting: Nail psoriasis causes your nail plate to lose cells. This results in small pits forming on your fingernails or toenails.
•   Nail bed separation: The nail can separate from the nail bed, which is the skin underneath the nail plate. This separation is called onycholysis.
•   Changes shape or thickness: Lines called Beau’s lines can form across your nails. Weakness of the structures that support nails can cause your nails to crumble.
•   Discoloured nails: There may be yellow-red patch that looks like a drop of oil under your nail plate, which is where it gets its name “oil-drop spot”. They can also turn a yellow-brown colour. Crumbling nails often turn white.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Nail Psoriasis is diagnosed by a Doctor using a physical examination.

Nail psoriasis can be hard to treat because psoriasis affects the nail as it grows. Treatment options include:
•   A prescription steroid that you rub onto your nail or your doctor injects into the affected nail bed
•   Oral antifungal drugs to treat fungal infections
•   Light therapy
•   Removal of the affected nail

Additional Information

Nail Psoriasis isn’t contagious. Touching a Psoriatic condition on another person won’t cause you to develop the condition.

Also see: Psoriasis