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Erythronychia

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Erythronychia

What is Erythronychia and what causes it?

Erythronychia is something we see more often in the nail salon or podiatrist practice but don’t recognize – it is a general name for a group of nail problems that begin at the distal matrix of the nail unit. 

Erythronychia is a term that covers a range of pathological patterns of red discoloration of the subungual tissues. The intensity of the red contrasts with the pale pink of the nail bed, or the cream color of the lunula. It is typically due to one or more factors that include inflammation, vessel proliferation, engorgement, and focal thinning of the nail plate.

The pathological basis or the reason for it happening could be one of many things, and it is up to a medical specialist to make the call. 

We can divide the reasons into 3 groups

  • Dermal tumor (adjective-relating to the skin or dermis) pressure
    • Glumos Tumor (slow growing tumor, generally found in the nail bed but can be on the fingertip or somewhere in the toenail unit) 
    • Vascular Tumor (fast growing tumor formed from blood vessels or lymph vessels)
  • Matrix 
    • Epidermis disease 
      • Darlier Disease (a kind of keratosis)
      • Dysplasia (abnormal cell growth) 
      • Possible viral infection (or wart)
  • Nail plate with ventral groove
    • Nail bed swells into the nail plate grove with capillary engagement and hemorrhage
    • Thinned nail plate that disintegrates distally 
    • Exposed Distal nail bed 
    • Generating Multi nucleate giant cells (mutation, thickening) and protruding keratosis 

Who does it affect?

Anyone.

How can nail technicians help?

There is a contraindication for application for all artificial nail products until a medical practitioner has made a diagnosis. 
If the medical practitioner gives the green light, a nail technician can cosmetically correct it by applying a coating.
However, sometimes small surgeries are needed to correct the problem.

erythronychia
In this example, the blue arrows show an exposed distal nail bed with protruding keratosis. We also see possible alopecia dimples in the nail plate on the left (Yellow Arrows), and on the right, we see possible psoriasis dimples in the nail plate (Green Arrows) .
Erythronychia
This example shows the nail bed swelling into the nail plate grove (blue arrows) with capillary engagement and hemorrhaging (yellow arrows), possibly caused by a virus infection, in this case, a wart. The pink arrows show the 2 roots of the wart (not diagnosed from the picture). This diagnosis was confirmed by this client’s dermatologist.
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byTracy Anne Shelverton
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Someone who is qualified to provide a wide range of nail services.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_98681bf785eb4a57aa1e6110f1dcfbbb":"

Erythronychia<\/div>
Erythronychia conditon explained\n

Erythronychia\u00a0is something we see more often in the nail salon or\u00a0podiatrist<\/a>\u00a0practice but don\u2019t recognize \u2013 it is a general name for a group of nail problems that begin at the distal\u00a0matrix<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0nail unit<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_f1900331d29da2f6edfcddc565366df5":"

Lichen Planus<\/div>
Diagram showing lichen planus on woman skin\n

Lichen planus is a condition that can cause swelling and irritation in the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes. Lichen planus occurs when your immune system attacks cells of the skin or mucous membranes. It's not clear why this abnormal immune response happens. The condition isn't contagious. It can have complications and a medical practitioner should be consulted<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_8c27e109832c73f847a7b01c281cfd31":"

Dermatologist<\/div>
\n

A\u00a0dermatologist\u00a0is a doctor who specializes in conditions involving the skin, hair, and nails. A\u00a0dermatologist\u00a0can identify and treat more than 3,000 conditions. These conditions include eczema, psoriasis, and skin cancer, among many others. If anyone develops an allergic reaction to any product, it is important that a dermatologist carries out an allergy test to identify the specific ingredients that are causing the problem as an allergy is for life.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_783442aaff5178bd8416a959b2c3204e":"

Inflammation<\/div>
\n

Inflammation refers to\u00a0your body's process of fighting against things that harm it, like infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_1246a1b7fb9bed3e4702bd0168f71114":"

Nail plate<\/div>
Nail Plate\n

Hard layers of modified and keratinised skin cells, bonded together, to form a protective plate on the end of each finger and toe, that prevents damage to the underlying bone and allows for manual dexterity.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_6d42b2a1e753198a87c1cc08328cfbec":"

Podiatrist<\/div>
Podiatrist\n

A podiatrist or podiatric physician (or chiropodist) is medically qualified professional devoted to the treatment of disorders of the foot, toe nails, ankle, and related structures of the leg.<\/p>\n
\n

To practice as a podiatrist in the UK, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and to do this you need to successfully complete an HCPC approved Podiatry Degree.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_ac495df187bbf96e6482b41f45437ba1":"

Nail unit<\/div>
Nail Unit\n

The nail unit is an anatomically correct term used to describe the area at the end of fingers and toes. A relatively complicated area that protects the last bone and aids dexterity.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_726676b2500718705d6078b640f6e359":"

Epidermis<\/div>
epidermis\n

The outermost of three layers of the skin covering the human body.\u00a0 It is a protective layer and provides a barrier from pathogens. Its thickness varies depending where on the body it is situated.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_3fbe17906d867d6cdf7897672557fe3f":"

Hemorrhage<\/div>
\n

Hemorrhage refers to uncontrolled bleeding from blood vessels. In relation to nails, a nail hemorrhage typically occurs due to injury or trauma, causing bleeding under the nail plate and resulting in a visible dark red or purple spot.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_f40c0a8d177feab9b9fd3ec8ba6ac4fc":"

Psoriasis<\/div>
Psoriasis\n

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, non-contagious autoimmune disease with periodic manifestations in the form of severe skin lesions and dermatitis.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_c1a36df0013019a12f8f575de70e853d":"

Nail bed<\/div>
Nail Bed\n

An area of the nail unit under the nail plate consisting of Nail Bed Epithelium and Dermis.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_3301334d7b41d59c5fe2f5d888d1da1e":"

Coating<\/div>
\n

A coating in nail services terms is any product that is applied to the nail plate<\/a> and leaves a layer of product. It can be traditional nail polish, a strengthening product, a UV gel product, an L&P product.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_2148207913ecc1f48ed0c13e7ab96a1b":"

Alopecia<\/div>
Alopecia areata\n

This is a condition where the immune system attacks the hair follicles resulting in hair loss. It is most common on the scalp but it can affect other areas of the body. There are different types of alopecia:
Alopecia areata, also known as\u00a0spot baldness, in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body. Often, it results in a few bald spots on the scalp.
In a few cases, all the hair on the scalp is lost (alopecia totalis), or all body hair is lost (alopecia universalis), and loss can be permanent.
<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_a94c3bad4f9dcf2a5f6fcaba474a9914":"

Matrix<\/div>
The Nail Matrix\n

The area, beneath the proximal nail fold ,where stem cells modify skin cells into the cells of the nail plate.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_eb4a2a1671240a1ea4bf22d3ef36486f":"

Lunula<\/div>
Nail Lunula\n

Distal edge of the nail matrix, the area where the stem cells of the matrix modify skin cells into the cells of the nail plate. Visible on some nail plates as a half-moon, whiter shade.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_8dd837180de99c10499c1ae1fbe3b534":"

Dermis<\/div>
\n

The layer of skin below the epidermis that is rich in blood vessels, nerve endings and many other structures necessary for all the various areas of the body.<\/p>\n<\/div>","cmtt_36de48b4e0994542c215d206ddafdc83":"

Virus<\/div>
virus cells\n

A virus is a pathogen that infects all forms of life. It replicates only inside a living cell of an organism. There are many 1000's of species identified. One many are aware of is COVID-19. Others are the flu virus or norovirus<\/p>\n<\/div>"}}; -->