How do I know I have Nail Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that is pretty common. It usually affects the skin at the scalp, knees, elbows and trunk.
Psoriasis can also affect toenails and fingernails, resulting in the nails becoming thicker and have pits and irregular contours.
Most people who have psoriasis of the nails also have psoriasis of the skin. Only a small percentage of 5% of people who have psoriasis of the nails do not have psoriasis of the skin.
The cause of psoriasis of the nails is not clearly known, although genetic factors, immunology and environmental factors are thought to be the contributing factors that lead to the development of psoriasis of the nails.
While the disease is not contagious, it seems to be heredity. If a parent or a sibling has psoriasis, the chances of you getting the condition are between 16% to 25%. This percentage increases to 75% of both your parents have it.
Both males and females are equally susceptible to the condition and psoriasis can affect people of all ethnicities and locations.
So how would I know if I have psoriasis of the nails? There will be a clear spot on the nail that is yellowish red in colour.
It might look like a drop of oil or blood under the nail plate. This is the first sign of psoriasis that doctors will use to make a diagnosis.
The second symptom is when the surface of the nails starts to lose cells and pits start to develop. This is called the pitting of the nail matrix. You will also start to notice that there are lines that go across one side of the nail to the other.
Doctors may refer to these as Beau lines of the nail. These are actually signs that the nail has become inflamed as the reaction of cells to psoriasis.
Psoriasis is one condition that has many tell-tale signs, thus it isn’t difficult to ascertain if you have it.
The nail plate becomes white (midmatrix or leukonychia disease) and there will be thickening of the skin under the nails (subungual hyperkeratosis) which eventually leads to the loosening of the nails (nail bed onycholysis).
A while area will start to develop on the nail where it starts to get detached from the skin beneath the nail. Finally, the nails start to crumble as they weaken, fine black lines appear from the tip to the cuticle and red patches will appear at the bottom of the nail.
With all these clearly visible and distinctive symptoms, it is vital to get treatment as soon as possible as psoriasis can lead to social and functional problems if left untreated.
_________________________________________________________________
