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Reduce gouges, pits and spots
Psoriasis is a skin disease in which the production of new skin is much too fast. The skin cells build up and create thick, red, scaly patches that often appear on the knees, elbows, or in skin folds. But did you know that you can also suffer from nail psoriasis?
Nail psoriasis mainly occurs in combination with psoriasison the skin. About half of the patients with skin psoriasis also have problems with their nails. Only 5 percent of people with nail psoriasis have no skin symptoms. Especially in children, psoriasis nails can be a precursor of the skin disease.
Psoriasis on the skin or nails is not contagious. How you get there is not clear. It probably has to do with a combination of hereditary, immunological and environmental factors. If one of your parents or siblings has psoriasis, you have a higher risk of getting it too.
How do you recognize it?
If you have nail psoriasis, you may see several abnormalities in the nails of your fingers and toes. For example:
- transverse grooves or pits in the nails
- small black lines or white spots
- a yellow / red discoloration, as if there is a drop of oil under your nail
- thickened skin under your nail
- nails that crumble or peel off
- redness of the crescent moon in the fingernail
If you notice any of these changes in your nails or if your nails are painful, it is best to see your doctor. The doctor will then take a sample of the skin under your nails to determine whether it is indeed psoriasis.
Treatment difficult
The treatment of psoriasis nails is very difficult. Your nail forms a barrier between the creams you put on it and your skin, making it difficult for medication in the form of liniments to reach the skin. In addition, damage and stains in your nails have to grow out completely, a process that takes months.
A liquid is available at the drugstore and pharmacy for the treatment of fungal and psoriasis nails. Your doctor may also prescribe an ointment or cream with a derivative of vitamin D3 in it or inject corticosteroids under the nail. Light therapy and medication can also help, but because of the side effects, this is only used in very severe nail psoriasis.
You can also do a few things yourself to improve the appearance of your nails. It is important to keep the nails dry and clean, otherwise they are a good breeding ground for fungi and infections. Trim your nails carefully so that they don’t get caught on anything easily. Try to avoid bumps and damage, so that your nails don’t become even looser. Optionally, you can have the top layer of your nails milled away and have nail polish or artificial nails applied, but do not do this if your nails are peeling.
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