Onycholysis is a condition in which the nail separates from the skin it. It may be caued by a nail injury, fungus, or psoriasis. The condition does not go away, and a person must wait until a new nail grows.
Onycholysis is the medical term for when your nail separates from the skin underneath it. Onycholysis is not uncommon, and has several possible causes.
This condition lasts for several months, because a fingernail or toenail won’t reattach to its nail bed. Once a new nail grows to replace the old one, symptoms should resolve. Fingernails take 4 to 6 months to fully regrow, and toenails can take 8 to 12 months.
Onycholysis Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty Free Images
Injury to the nail can cause onycholysis. Wearing tight shoes can cause injury. The condition can also result from an allergy to products used on the nail, like chemical nail polish remover or artificial nail tips. Onycholysis can also be a symptom of nail fungus or psoriasis.
Nails tend to be a barometer of your overall health. If your nails look unhealthy or have problems like onycholysis, this could be the first visible sign that something deeper is going on in your body.
Sometimes onycholysis can indicate a serious yeast infection or thyroid disease. It can also mean that you aren’t getting enough of essential vitamins or minerals, such as iron.
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If you have onycholysis, your nail will begin to peel upward from the nail bed. This is not usually painful. The affected nail may become yellow, greenish, purple, white, or gray, depending on the cause.
Determining the cause of your onycholysis is the most important step. Once the cause is found, treating the underlying issue will help resolve the issue.
While it’s important to keep your nails short, aggressive clipping is not recommended. As the affected portion of the nail grows out, you will be able to clip off the lifted nail as the new nail comes in.
Fungal Nail Infection
The cause of the nail separation will need to be addressed before the symptoms stop occurring. It may feel unnecessary to visit your doctor over a nail issue, but it’s not. Onycholysis, especially recurring onycholysis, might need a diagnosis and a prescription in order to heal.
It’s not uncommon to have onycholysis as a symptom of psoriasis. The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Association estimates at least 50 percent of people with psoriasis experience problems with their nails.
Fingernails in particular are affected by psoriasis. Treating psoriasis in the nails can be difficult. Doctors may prescribe topical vitamin D or corticosteroids to treat nail psoriasis.
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A blood test may reveal that you have a thyroid condition or vitamin deficiency causing you to have onycholysis. In this case, your doctor may prescribe medication or an oral supplement to treat the underlying cause.
In the meantime, you might want to try to treat your onycholysis at home. Don’t try to clean underneath the nail, as you could sweep bacteria deeper underneath the nail or make the problem worse.
Talk with your doctor before using tea tree or another essential oil. Don’t put essential oils directly on your skin. It’s also important to dilute them first.
Staying One Step Ahead Of Toenail Fungus
Applying a mixture of tea tree oil diluted by a carrier oil, such as jojoba or coconut oil, may get rid of the fungus. It’s important to keep the nail dry while it heals.
A skin sensitivity to products such as glue, acrylics, or acetone used during manicures and pedicures. If you have skin allergies to these products, avoid the nail salon. Choose allergen-free products and paint your nails at home.
If you have a fungus or yeast growth causing your onycholysis, you can stop it from spreading by taking proper care of your nails. Don’t bite your nails, as this will spread the problem and may possibly affect your mouth.
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If your onycholysis is happening in your toenails, make sure you’re wearing clean socks and exposing your feet to dry air as much as possible.
Onycholysis is easy to spot. If you notice that your nail is beginning to lift or peel away from the nail bed underneath, you have onycholysis.
Finding out the underlying cause might be trickier. You may need to visit a dermatologist, especially if it affects more than one digit of your fingers or toes. The FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you don’t already have a doctor.
Onycholysis Stock Photos
Onycholysis is not a reason for an emergency medical appointment, but you need to find out what’s causing it. With effective treatment, your nail will reattach to the nail bed as new growth occurs.
Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Onycholysis is when your nail separates from its nail bed. It often appears after an injury to your nail, but it may have other causes, including fungi. Treatment may only involve cutting away the separated nail as it grows out, or you may need to take antifungal medications or stop using certain nail products.
Onycholysis (on-uh-coll-uh-sis) is when a nail (nail plate) on your fingers or toes separates from the skin on which it rests (the nail bed). It typically only affects one nail.
Nail Separating From Skin Underneath
Onycholysis is common, and it generally lasts for several months or over a year. Any conditions that affect the skin underneath your nails eventually cause onycholysis.
Onycholysis usually isn’t painful, but what causes your onycholysis may be painful or irritating. If you have onycholysis due to injuries or fungal infections, you may experience pain and irritation.
Depending on what causes your onycholysis, it may be contagious. Onycholysis caused by an injury, nail psoriasis or reaction to a medication or chemical isn’t contagious. However, onycholysis caused by a fungus may be contagious.
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A person with an infection can spread the fungus to someone else through skin-to-skin contact. You can also get nail fungus by touching an infected surface (indirect contact), like walking barefoot around public pools or showers or by sharing items like towels, nail clippers and nail scissors.
Onycholysis is easy to recognize, so you don’t necessarily need a healthcare professional to diagnose it, especially if you know its cause.
If you don’t know what’s caused your onycholysis, seeing your healthcare provider is a good idea. They’ll look closely at your affected nails to evaluate your symptoms.
Common Nail Disorders
There isn’t a cure for the section of your nail that’s detached from the nail bed — you can’t reattach it. But treatment can keep new nail growth attached to your nail bed.
If you have onycholysis because of an injury, the detached part of your nail will eventually grow out. Use nail clippers or nail scissors to remove your affected nail as it grows out.
Nail fungi can be difficult to treat. It’s important to finish your full course of medicine. If you stop too soon, the fungus that caused your onycholysis may come back and be harder to treat.
The People's Pharmacy
While essential oils are safe for most people, it’s a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before trying them. You may be at risk of developing an allergic reaction.
If you and your healthcare provider can determine the cause of your onycholysis, your nails will slowly but surely regrow. Your fingernails grow slowly, and your toenails grow even slower. It may take up to six to nine months for your fingernails to grow completely out, and it may take 12 to 18 months for your toenails to grow completely out.
Onycholysis causes your nails to pull up from nail beds. It usually isn’t painful, but can be contagious if a fungus is the cause.
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It’s important to pay attention to your nails. If you haven’t experienced an injury or trauma to your affected nails, it’s a good idea to contact your healthcare provider as soon as you notice onycholysis. You may have a fungus, or your onycholysis may be a symptom of a more serious condition.
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Onycholysis is characterized by a spontaneous separation of the nail plate starting at the distal free margin and progressing proximally. In onycholysis, the nail plate is separated from the underlying and/or lateral supporting structures. Less often, separation of the nail plate begins at the proximal nail and extends to the free edge, which is seen most often in psoriasis of the nails (termed onychomadesis). Rare cases of onycholysis are confined to the nail's lateral borders. Treatments may include topical or intralesional corticosteroids, pulsed-dye laser, or psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) light.
Common Nail Conditions
Nails with onycholysis usually are smooth, firm, and without inflammatory reaction. Onycholysis is not a disease of the nail matrix, but nail discoloration may appear underneath the nail as a result of secondary infection. When onycholysis occurs, a coexistent yeast infection is suggested. Treating primary and secondary factors that
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