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Changes in the thickness of the nail: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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On the hands, the normal thickness of the nail plate averages 0.5 mm, on the feet - 1 mm. Reduction and increase in these indicators should be diagnosed as a thinning or thickening of the nail.
Thinning of the nail plates occurs with coilonichia, as well as with exfoliating nails (lamellar dystrophy, or onychosis). Isolate distal and proximal lamellar dystrophy, depending on the localization of the process. Distal lamellar dystrophy begins with a free part of the nail plate and develops with frequent contact with water, detergents, obligate chemical stimuli, including cosmetic preparations for nail plates. According to the mechanism of development, distal lamellar dystrophy is the result of pronounced dehydration and delipidization of the nail plate
Structural changes from the nail matrix lead to proximal lamellar dystrophy. Changes from the side of the nail are possible with the use of a number of drugs (synthetic retinoids, etc.), the proximal form of onychomycosis, the progressive stage of psoriasis and other diseases.
Thickening of the nail can be associated with thickening of the nail plate (pachyonichia) and with subungual hyperkeratosis.
Pachyonihia, or true thickening of the nail plate, can be a sign of a number of dermatoses, it is diagnosed in psoriasis, erythrodermia of various origins, atopic dermatitis, allergic dermatitis, nesting baldness, congenital ectodermal dysplasia, Reiter's disease. With chronic lymphostasis, there is often a combined thickening of all nail plates with their yellowish staining.
Subungual hyperkeratosis is most often diagnosed with onychomycosis caused by filamentous fungi. Severity of subungual hyperkeratosis. It can be different: they release moderate hyperkeratosis (1-2 mm) and expressed hyperkeratosis (more than 2 mm). In addition, this phenomenon occurs with red flat lishay, eczema, mushroom mycosis, psoriasis.
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