When you speak, your hands reveal a wealth of information about your thoughts, feelings, and emotions because they are among the most expressive parts of your body. To reassure someone, you can give them a firm handshake, a light hug, or a pat on the back. Your fingers embrace, nurture, and craft. The state of your general health can be inferred from the condition of your fingernails and toenails. At Moksha Dermatology in Cincinnati, Ohio, our dermatologists and expert providers are skilled at identifying nail issues and treating them comprehensively.

Changes in the condition of your nails, nailbeds, and cuticles may be indicative of underlying health issues and demand investigation.

Nail Infections Treatment

Nail infections are potentially dangerous and should be treated by one of our dermatological experts. Those with diabetes or compromised immune systems are more likely to develop ulcers that won’t heal without medical attention.

Types of Nail Infections

Paronychia
The skin illness known as paronychia can affect either the fingernails or toenails. Picking at nails, pulling at hangnails, or biting fingers can contribute to irritated or wounded skin. The skin around the nail’s base (the cuticle) or up its sides can get infected if bacteria or fungi are introduced to the irritated or wounded area.

Fungal Infections
Infections of the nails caused by fungi are prevalent. If identified and treated early, you can reduce the risk of infection and allow your nail to grow out normally. Fungal diseases can be extremely contagious if left untreated.

When you have a foot fungal infection, it can easily spread to one or more of your nails. Fungal infections are commonly seen in warm, damp environments like pool decks and locker rooms. A fungal infection can be easily disseminated through walking in infected areas.

Nail fungus can also develop if your fingernails or toenails are constantly damp. Another possible cause is reusing the same pair of sweaty shoes or boots every day.

Misshapen or Brittle Nails Treatment

Nail deformities can be caused by injuries to the nail bed or nail bed itself. You should make an appointment at Moksha Dermatology if you notice any of the following changes to the shape of your nails and you haven’t recently suffered an injury.

Nail Pitting
Little icepick-like indentations in the nails may be an indication of autoimmune diseases like psoriasis or atopic dermatitis or the hair-loss condition alopecia areata. Knowing what brought on your nail pitting will help you get the therapy you need and stop the disease from getting worse.

Nail Clubbing
Fingertip enlargement and nail curvature usually develop gradually over several years. Clubbing of the nails may indicate a lack of oxygen in the blood or a medical condition. As soon as you see nail clubbing, please contact us.

Spoon Nails
Nails with a spoon shape are round, soft, and curled upward. Celiac illness, stomach or intestinal problems, or a lack of sufficient diet can all lead to a deficiency of iron, which can manifest itself in the form of spoon nails. Spoon nails may be an indicator of heart disease or underactive thyroid. We can determine the cause of your spoon nails and work with your other doctors to ensure you get the care you need.

Terry’s Nails
Terry’s Nails manifests itself when the majority of a person’s nail bed is white, with a thin pink band at the tips. Terry’s Nails, a condition commonly associated with age, might actually be an indicator of diabetes or some underlying health problem, such as with the liver, heart, or kidneys. Causes can be identified with the help of our dermatologists.

Vertical Nail Ridges
Common nail issues include vertical ridges that run the length of the nail from the cuticle to the tip. They are not typically linked to any sort of physical illness, although they tend to increase in frequency or intensity as we become older.

Ram’s Horn Nails
This occurs when the nails become abnormally thick and long. Ram’s Horn Nails can appear for a variety of reasons, including psoriasis, poor circulation, or even heredity. For help with trimming and treating these nails, please consult with us.

Beau’s Lines
The indentations known as Beau’s Lines can be found running horizontally across the nails. These depressions may form if an injury or serious illness significantly slows or stops nail growth. Beau’s Lines can be caused by high fever from infections such scarlet fever, measles, mumps, and pneumonia, or uncontrolled diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Beau’s Lines can also be caused by eczema surrounding the nail, a lack of zinc, cancer chemotherapy, or poor diet. There is a wide range of potential causes, making medical assessment essential when this illness is present. Nails usually return to normal growth once the underlying reason has been fixed.

Nail Separation or Lifting Up
Fingernails that have become loose and separated from the nail bed may take on an opaque, white, yellow, or greenish hue in the area where they have split from the nail bed. Nail hardeners and adhesives can cause harm, as can drug reactions, especially to antibiotics, thyroid disease, and psoriasis. Injuries and infections can occur from rough manicures or using sharp objects to clean beneath the fingernails. We can recommend a therapy for nail lifting so that your nails can grow out normally again.

Brittle Nails
Nails on women are more likely to split, be brittle, soft, or be thin than on men. Nails become brittle with age, but illness or environmental factors might also play a role. Internal illness or vitamin deficits are extremely unusual causes of this nail condition. Nails can peel and become brittle if they are constantly exposed to water or nail paint. We can assist you figure out why your fingernails are breaking while your toenails are fine.

Nail Growths Treatment

A growth can also form on the skin around and under the nails. A growth under the nail can be completely imperceptible until it causes the nail plate to change color or become misshapen. When a discoloration or change in shape of the nail occurs, it is sometimes necessary to surgically remove the nail plate in order to evaluate and maybe biopsy the skin underlying (especially when it is present in just one nail).

Ingrown Toenails Treatment

An ingrown toenail develops when a nail’s edge or corner curves down and becomes embedded in the skin of the toe. The big toenail is the most common victim, however any nail is at risk. Common causes include improper nail trimming, tearing the corner off the nail, and wearing shoes that are either too small or too large. The nail bed of the affected toe may become red, swollen, and painful.

In healthy people, an ingrown toenail is not life-threatening, but you should come see us if the discomfort is unbearable or spreading. Other risk factors for complications from ingrown nails include diabetes and other conditions that reduce blood supply to the foot, therefore people with these conditions should seek the advice as soon as possible.

Schedule Your Nail Treatment Appointment in Cincinnati, Ohio Today 

If you are suffering from a nail condition or infection, contact Moksha Dermatology in Cincinnati, Ohio today to schedule your appointment. Say hello to healthy nails, today!