Nail Disorders

What Are Brittle Nails? Brittle nails are abnormalities of the nail plate that are characterized by poor nail structure affecting all fingernails and toenails seen as thin, dry nails that easily chip, split, and are difficult to maintain a clean ...

What Is Iron? Iron is an essential mineral that is required for normal body function. Almost two-thirds of iron in the body is found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues. Smaller amounts of ...

What Are White Spots And White Bands In Nails? White spots in the nails is a feature of zinc deficiency and white bands signify protein deficiency characterized by abnormal appearance anywhere in one or more nails. White spots and bands ...

What Are Splinter Hemorrhages In Nails? Subungual (under the nail) splinter hemorrhage is characterized by fragility of the underlying capillaries resulting in bleeding under the nail . Bleeding that results looks like a brown streak or splinter.1 Because the streak of ...

What Is Koilonychia? Koilonychia is a feature of an iron deficiency state characterized by abnormally shaped nails, called spoon shaped nails, meaning that the normal downward curve is reversed. Depending on the inadequacy of iron, nails may simply remain flat ...

What Are Horizontal Ridges In Fragile Nails? Horizontal ridges, also called “beau’s lines,” are abnormalities of the nail plate that appear as rumpling from the base to the tips of nails and are characterized by poor nail structure of both fingernails and ...

What Is Hangnail? Hangnail is a broken strip of epidermis (piece of skin) at root or lateral (side) edge of fingernail or toenail that causes sharp pain. A hangnail develops because the skin around the nail is unhealthy due to ...

What Are Rounded Nails With Curved Ends? Rounded, curved, dark and dry nails are a well known feature of vitamin B12 deficiency. Q: How does vitamin B12 deficiency cause the nails to grow this way? A: Vitamin B12 deficiency affects ...