Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsEczema vs. PsoriasisSymptomsDiagnosis & TreatmentWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Eczema vs. Psoriasis
Symptoms
Diagnosis & Treatment
When to See a Provider
Eczema on the nails can cause discoloration, grooving, pitting, and other problems. It usually occurs in people who have eczema elsewhere on the body.
Nail eczema is usually treated with a combination of lifestyle changes such as avoiding triggering products and keeping your hands dry, and medications such as topical steroids.
This article discusses eczema on the nails, what it looks like, and how it is diagnosed. It also looks at some of the things you can do to reduce eczema on your nails.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022
What Is Nail Eczema?
Eczema is a common skin disease affecting around 5.5% of American adults.It’s also calledatopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is only one of the multiple types of eczema.
Psoriasis vs. Eczema vs. Rosacea: Know the Difference
Nail Eczema vs. Nail Psoriasis
Nail eczema and nail psoriasis are similar in that having eczema or psoriasis elsewhere on the body is usually a precursor. Both conditions can cause pitting in the nails, but nail psoriasis also causes lifting and white discoloration in the nails. While nail eczema can appear at any age, nail psoriasis typically shows up inolder adults.
Symptoms of Nail Eczema
The main symptoms of nail eczema include:
More severe cases of nail eczema can cause nail deformity that requires medication and lifestyle changes.
A 2019 study looked at the nails of 235 patients aged 2 to 19 with eczema. Of the group, 10% of people had nail abnormalities.The most common nail changes found were grooved nails (25%), nail pitting (16.7%), andkoilonychia, which refers to thin or concave nails (16.7%).
Does nail eczema loosen the toenails?Usually, eczema in the nail doesn’t loosen the toenail. However, it can cause other symptoms like crumbling nails.
Does nail eczema loosen the toenails?
Usually, eczema in the nail doesn’t loosen the toenail. However, it can cause other symptoms like crumbling nails.
Nail Eczema: Diagnosis and Treatment
Allergy testingor tests of nail clippings may be done to rule out a fungal infection.
Treatment starts with seeing a dermatologist for proper diagnosis, specifically differentiating nail eczema from another skin disease like nail psoriasis.
Your healthcare provider may recommend the following treatment for nail eczema:
Nail eczema may improve in a few weeks with the proper treatment.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
When you notice changes to your skin and nails, it’s best to consult a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis. After your diagnosis, keep an eye on your symptoms and see your healthcare provider again if they are getting worse or your treatments aren’t working.
Summary
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leasure AC, Cohen JM.Prevalence of eczema among adults in the United States: A cross-sectional study in the All of Us research program.Arch Dermatol Res. 2023;315(4):999-1001. doi:10.1007/s00403-022-02328-0Quaade AS, Simonsen AB, Halling AS, Thyssen JP, Johansen JD.Prevalence, incidence, and severity of hand eczema in the general population - A systematic review and meta-analysis.Contact Dermatitis. 2021;84(6):361-374. doi:10.1111/cod.13804Fowler JR, Stern E, English JC, Goitz RJ.A hand surgeon’s guide to common onychodystrophies.Hand (N Y). 2014;9(1):24-28. doi:10.1007/s11552-013-9564-zChung BY, Choi YW, Kim HO, Park CW.Nail dystrophy in patients with atopic dermatitis and its association with disease severity.Ann Dermatol. 2019;31(2):121-126. doi:10.5021/ad.2019.31.2.121
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leasure AC, Cohen JM.Prevalence of eczema among adults in the United States: A cross-sectional study in the All of Us research program.Arch Dermatol Res. 2023;315(4):999-1001. doi:10.1007/s00403-022-02328-0Quaade AS, Simonsen AB, Halling AS, Thyssen JP, Johansen JD.Prevalence, incidence, and severity of hand eczema in the general population - A systematic review and meta-analysis.Contact Dermatitis. 2021;84(6):361-374. doi:10.1111/cod.13804Fowler JR, Stern E, English JC, Goitz RJ.A hand surgeon’s guide to common onychodystrophies.Hand (N Y). 2014;9(1):24-28. doi:10.1007/s11552-013-9564-zChung BY, Choi YW, Kim HO, Park CW.Nail dystrophy in patients with atopic dermatitis and its association with disease severity.Ann Dermatol. 2019;31(2):121-126. doi:10.5021/ad.2019.31.2.121
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Leasure AC, Cohen JM.Prevalence of eczema among adults in the United States: A cross-sectional study in the All of Us research program.Arch Dermatol Res. 2023;315(4):999-1001. doi:10.1007/s00403-022-02328-0Quaade AS, Simonsen AB, Halling AS, Thyssen JP, Johansen JD.Prevalence, incidence, and severity of hand eczema in the general population - A systematic review and meta-analysis.Contact Dermatitis. 2021;84(6):361-374. doi:10.1111/cod.13804Fowler JR, Stern E, English JC, Goitz RJ.A hand surgeon’s guide to common onychodystrophies.Hand (N Y). 2014;9(1):24-28. doi:10.1007/s11552-013-9564-zChung BY, Choi YW, Kim HO, Park CW.Nail dystrophy in patients with atopic dermatitis and its association with disease severity.Ann Dermatol. 2019;31(2):121-126. doi:10.5021/ad.2019.31.2.121
Leasure AC, Cohen JM.Prevalence of eczema among adults in the United States: A cross-sectional study in the All of Us research program.Arch Dermatol Res. 2023;315(4):999-1001. doi:10.1007/s00403-022-02328-0
Quaade AS, Simonsen AB, Halling AS, Thyssen JP, Johansen JD.Prevalence, incidence, and severity of hand eczema in the general population - A systematic review and meta-analysis.Contact Dermatitis. 2021;84(6):361-374. doi:10.1111/cod.13804
Fowler JR, Stern E, English JC, Goitz RJ.A hand surgeon’s guide to common onychodystrophies.Hand (N Y). 2014;9(1):24-28. doi:10.1007/s11552-013-9564-z
Chung BY, Choi YW, Kim HO, Park CW.Nail dystrophy in patients with atopic dermatitis and its association with disease severity.Ann Dermatol. 2019;31(2):121-126. doi:10.5021/ad.2019.31.2.121
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