How To Treat And Deal With Nail Psoriasis

By on February 15, 2013

Psoriasis is a non-contagious skin disease. It is a chronic skin condition that has been categorized as a disorder of the immune system of the body. The body is triggered to produce skin cells in a rapid rate due to faulty immune signals.

Since the body doesn’t shed excess skin cells, the new skin cells pile up in the surface of the skin and produce lesions.

It primarily affects the skin in all areas, even the nails. Nail psoriasis occurs in a large number of individuals with psoriatic conditions.

The exact causes of this illness are still undetermined but it is believed that it results from combination of hereditary, immunologic, and environmental factors.Men and women have equal chances of acquiring psoriasis. It can also appear in individuals of all races.

There are several signs and symptoms associated with nail psoriasis. One is the oil drop or salmon patch. This is a clear yellow-red nail pigmentation that appears to be a drop of blood or oil in the nail plate. Next is the nail matrix.

These are the pitting in nails caused by loss of cells in the nail plates. Beau lines are also seen in psoriasis of the nails.

These are side to side lines across the nails cause by repetitive inflammation of the nails. Another sign is the leukonychia or midmatrix diseases. This appears as areas of white spots in your nail plates. Subungual hyperkeratosis may also be seen. nail psoriasis

This is the thickening of the skin cells beneath your nails. This can probably lead to loosening and detachment of the nail plates to the nail beds. The medical term for loosening of the nails is onycholysis/nail hyponychium.

Crumbling of nails also occurs because the structures under the nail plates are unhealthy. Splinter haemorrhages or the tiny black tip-to-cuticle lines may also be seen. This happens because the tiny capillary vessels bleed between the nail and the skin under the nail plate.

Lunula or the redness of the pale arched area at the bottom of nail plate may occur due to congested capillaries.

To correctly diagnose psoriasis, your doctor will have you undergo medical assessment, history, and diagnostic test such as nail bed biopsy. At present times, there is no cure yet for psoriasis of the nails. The goal of treatment is directed to improve the function and appearance of the nails.

The doctor may prescribe antibiotic or antifungal medications to prevent or treat infections brought by bacteria or fungi. It is presumed that a person with psoriasis of nails also has psoriasis of the skin, so treatment plan are actually synonymous.

These include topical steroids, ultraviolet rays light or phototherapy, intake of methotrexate, etaneraept, and retinoids. If medications and other treatments have failed, the doctor may suggest surgical removal of the nails. The area is numbed through the use of local anesthetics such as lidocaine before the procedure.

Self-care of this disease includes proper care for the nails. Loosened nails should be trimmed gently back to the skin where it is connected. Protect your nails from further injuries from accidents and vigorous trimming of nails.

psoriasis free for life

 

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *