About half of people with psoriasis experience changes in their toenails. This disease occurs in both women and men, of all ages and although it is not contagious, it is unsightly and sometimes painful and can affect the patient's quality of life.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease of the immune system that primarily affects the skin. It evolves by plates, more or less extensive and scatose. It can appear in several regions of the body.
Psoriasis appears more frequently in a genetically predisposed field, associated with several possible triggering factors: stress, emotional shock, intense fatigue, being overweight, diabetes, alcohol or tobacco, etc.
Ungueal psoriasis attacks the ungueal matrix and may affect a single nail or all fingers.
In the initial phase, a change in the color of the nails is produced, which acquire a yellow tone . The nails become soft and broken.
The diagnosis is made from the observation of the nail and the presence of psoriasis in other parts of the body. In addition, in order to refine the diagnosis and monitor the efficacy of therapy, cultures are usually performed at the beginning and during treatment.
There is no widespread treatment, each patient has his own treatment. Patients usually come diagnosed and treated by the dermatologist. Treatments depend on the degree of affection of the nail and the criterion of the doctor.
In some patients laser therapy has yielded good results.
Our goal is to prevent the disease from getting worse and for our patient to be able to carry out their daily activities normally.
The first step, regardless of the degree of affection, is to take general measures to cure nails such as: avoid trauma, constant humidity, polish and keep them short.
- Cut the nails regularly. Keep them short to avoid injuries
- Keep your nails clean. The lesions of the surrounding skin can generate psoriasis
- Avoid cleaning nails with a brush of nails or a sharp object
