Leukonychia

Leukonychia






Leukonychia is the condition in which the color of the fingernails changes to fully white instead of normal rose or pink color. This can be the result of underlying organic disease or due to hereditary factor. It reflects in the form of small white spots on almost all fingernails.

Symptoms :

Some of the obvious signs of leukonychia are white spots on the fingernail. It is observed in the form of small white lines on the nails and change in color of the nails which become totally white. The white spots may also occur on toenails. The nails become colorless and brittle losing the original texture. The nail may change its color to fully white (leukonychia totalis) or half white (leukonychia partialis).

Apart from the above signs, the person affected with leukonychia may also have problems like deafness, gingivitis, and Hyperkeratosis and Hammer Toes if they are suffering from systemic disorders.

Causes :

It can be due to nail injury or infection. Sometimes it can be due to nail disorder or bacterial infection on the nail-bed. The white spots and change of nail to full-white color is due to the presence of para-karyotic cells that contains a compound called keratohyalins. On reflection to the light the normal color of the nail looks fully white.

Leukonychia can also occur due to heavy poisoning, heart problem, kidney disease, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency and stress.

Lack of essential nutrients like zinc and protein can also cause discoloration of nails. Ulcer in advance form can affect the fingernails. Further it can be caused due to Pneumonia and hepatic cirrhosis and various other skin problems.People with diseases like typhoid, cholera, rheumatic fever, and colitis may also show this symptom of white spots on fingernails.

Individuals with family history of leukonychia have more chance of developing this problem than others. Patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer may also get this disease. Prolonged use of nail enamels and nail hardeners can be the reason for white spots on the fingernail. Bacterial or fungal infection on the nails can cause this problem.

Diagnoses :

It is easy to identify this disease by physically examining the nails of the person affected. If needed, your doctor will ask you to do blood culture and other test for measuring the nutrients like zinc and vitamins.

Pictures of Leukonychia :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Leukonychia

Treatment :

You can get some relief from the symptoms by including lot of nutrition in your daily diet. Proteins, vitamins and zinc are essential elements that are to be added in daily food. You can eat nuts and green leafy veggies that carry lot of zinc.

The white spots on the fingernail will gradually diminish if you start taking zinc in daily food.In case if the problem is due to anemia then you will be given folic acid and iron supplement pills. If the symptoms are due to renal failure, then your doctor will initiate treatment for the condition. Suitable medicines will be given for treating the underlying disease like liver problem or ulcer or anemia.

Do not change your nail polish frequently and always use trusted brands. Limit the usage of nail enamels and polish to certain occasions. Avoid biting your nails since it may worsen the condition.

In case if the white spots or white coloration on the fingernails does not improve for more than 2 months, you can consult your doctor who would help you to find the actual cause.

Almost in many cases, the symptoms of leukonychia are due to deficiency of nutrients and zinc and only in rare cases, it will be due to underlying systemic disorders.

Leukonychia – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Pictures

Leukonychia – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Pictures

What is Leukonychia?

This is a disease that is related to fingernails. With this condition, the color of the nail changes either partly or totally white. It can be essentially a hereditary problem or can be due to some systematic disorder. This condition is the reason that some individuals have white spots on their fingernails.

Leukonychia Symptoms

The most common symptoms and signs include:

• Hammer Toes


• Hyperkeratosis


• Gingivitis


• Abnormal nail colors


• Deafness


• Skin cysts


• Skin syndactyly of fingers


• Arthrogryposis


• Joint contractures

The first sign of this condition is the appearance of white spots on the nail. There can also be multiple white lines in the fingernails as well as nails that become totally white.

This condition is more common in fingernails than toenails but can occur with both.

Leukonychia Causes

The cause that is most common of this nail disorder is a trauma to the nail base where the nail if developed. This region is known as the “matrix region”.

Other possible reasons for this problem with nail color can be linked to:

• Arsenic poisoning


• Pneumonia


• Heart disease


• Renal failure


• Ill health


• Hypoalbuminemia


• Vitamin deficiency


• Ulcerative Colitis


• Hypoproteinemia


• Hepatic cirrhosis


• Psychogenic stresses


• Onychophagia


• Occupational trauma


• Lack of zinc


• Lack of protein


• Psoriasis as well as eczema

This condition can also be linked to some rare disorders such as typhoid fever, trichinosis, frostbite, diphtheria, Gout, cholera, acute rheumatism, myocardial infraction, colitis and any number of other ailments that not many individuals normally develop.

Congenital or hereditary leukonychia is another cause of the disorder and is present at birth. Additional forms of this condition appear in early childhood. Other forms of this can also merely be caused from an injury that is minor that happened when the nail is growing.
Leukonychia may also appear as a rare side effect of systemic chemotherapy in certain patients.

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But, it is to be remembered that the major cause of this condition is merely an injury or trauma to the base of the nail and as the nail grows out, these white spots or streaks are able to be seen.

There are some persons who are more at risk for this condition. Individuals that use nail enamels, artificial nails or nail hardeners can also develop these white streaks or spots due to an allergic response to the product and these can cause fragility of the nail as well as very fine layering or splitting the plate of the nail.

Individuals who frequent beauty shops or gyms are also at a risk of the development of leukonychia since white spots such as these can very easily be caused by infections gotten at these businesses due to yeast, fungus or bacteria. Such nail infections attack the nail substance and leave whitish streaks or spots behind.

If an individual gets medical attention in a timely matter, leukonychia may be controlled as well as treated. Normally physicians will take a scraping of tissue from the nail for bacterial and fungal cultures in order to discover if one of these organisms causes the spots. After final diagnosis, the physician can prescribe or advocate topical as well as oral medications to clear up the problem which can take only a few weeks to get better.

Leukonychia Treatment

Normally there is no precise treatment for leukonychia. But an individual can improve his/her diet to see if that helps to diminish the white spots. Try including more products in the diet that are rich in proteins, zinc as well as vitamins. Nuts as well as leafy vegetables are rich sources of zinc and if regularly consumed can get rid of this disorder of the nails.

Products such as nail polish can offer temporary solutions for hiding the white spots until the nails grow out. But remember that overuse of these products could have caused the problem in the first place. So it is advised to use the products in moderation.

An individual can prevent leukonychia by taking better care of the nails and prevent them from being mistreated by stopping hitting, rubbing or biting them.

If there has not been any improvement in these white spots or discolored nails in over 8 months, then it is advised to consult with your primary care physician to perhaps see if there is not some other underlying health problem or infection contributing to this problem.

Leukonychia Pictures