Onycholysis is when a person’s nail or nails detach from the skin underneath. Although not a serious health condition by itself, onycholysis can be a symptom of a potentially serious illness.
It is important for a person to understand what onycholysis is and what it may mean so they can make informed medical decisions.
Onycholysis can last for several months and will typically correct itself when the nail fully grows out. Until then, the nail will not reattach to the skin beneath it.
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Recovery time varies for onycholysis as it is largely dependent on nail growth. It is not uncommon for fingernails to take about 4 to 6 months to grow to a full size. Toenails may take up to 8 months.
When a person has onycholysis, the nail will start to pull away from the nail bed beneath. A person may also notice the nail turns a different color. What color it changes to depends on what is causing the onycholysis.
Simply tapping nails repeatedly for a long time can cause the nail to separate from the skin. Injuries such as slamming a finger in a car door or stubbing a toe may also cause onycholysis.
What Are The Causes Of Onycholysis?
If a person’s nails are detaching from the nail bed, it may be because of an underlying medical condition. If onycholysis cannot be explained by one of the more usual causes listed above, it may be one of the first symptoms of something more serious going on inside the body.
The first step in treating onycholysis is to determine what is causing the nail to lift from the nail. Treating the correct condition will allow the nail to heal and reattach to the skin as it grows out again.
Injuries may not require much additional treatment. However, if the skin opened, it is important to keep the area clean and prevent infection. A person should take care not to clean under the nail, as the water may push bacteria or fungus deeper under the nail.
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Fungal Infections require antifungal medication to heal the underlying infection. Typically, fungus medication is administered through medicated creams and ointment applied near or on the nail.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by red, scaly patches on the skin. In some cases, psoriasis flares can affect the nails.
Nails affected by psoriasis may turn an ashy color and detach from the nail bed underneath. Psoriasis is typically treated with topical creams, creams, biologics, systemics, and phototherapy.
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Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are often treated with dietary changes. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe or recommend supplements. A person with brittle or detaching nails may be required to take iron supplements to help the nails regain strength.
Home remedies that may help onycholysis include a range of essential oils. There is some evidence that tea tree oil can help treat fungus infections. Often combined with a carrier oil, tea tree oil has natural antifungal properties and might mean a person does not have to seek further treatment.
No matter the cause, it is important for a person to follow a doctor’s instructions on how to treat the underlying condition. Failing to treat the underlying cause fully may result in onycholysis worsening or recurring.
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No matter the cause, it is possible that further treatment will be needed to fight off the infection. A person should see his or her doctor as soon as possible once the symptoms start.
Failing to treat the underlying cause may result in further medical complications or the nail failing to heal. It is important to follow a doctor’s recommendations to ensure the underlying condition is treated correctly.
Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Onycholysis is a condition in which the nail separates from the skin it. It may be caued by a nail injury, fungus, or psoriasis. The condition does not go away, and a person must wait until a new nail grows.
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Onycholysis is the medical term for when your nail separates from the skin underneath it. Onycholysis is not uncommon, and has several possible causes.
This condition lasts for several months, because a fingernail or toenail won’t reattach to its nail bed. Once a new nail grows to replace the old one, symptoms should resolve. Fingernails take 4 to 6 months to fully regrow, and toenails can take 8 to 12 months.
Injury to the nail can cause onycholysis. Wearing tight shoes can cause injury. The condition can also result from an allergy to products used on the nail, like chemical nail polish remover or artificial nail tips. Onycholysis can also be a symptom of nail fungus or psoriasis.
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Nails tend to be a barometer of your overall health. If your nails look unhealthy or have problems like onycholysis, this could be the first visible sign that something deeper is going on in your body.
Sometimes onycholysis can indicate a serious yeast infection or thyroid disease. It can also mean that you aren’t getting enough of essential vitamins or minerals, such as iron.
If you have onycholysis, your nail will begin to peel upward from the nail bed. This is not usually painful. The affected nail may become yellow, greenish, purple, white, or gray, depending on the cause.
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Determining the cause of your onycholysis is the most important step. Once the cause is found, treating the underlying issue will help resolve the issue.
While it’s important to keep your nails short, aggressive clipping is not recommended. As the affected portion of the nail grows out, you will be able to clip off the lifted nail as the new nail comes in.
The cause of the nail separation will need to be addressed before the symptoms stop occurring. It may feel unnecessary to visit your doctor over a nail issue, but it’s not. Onycholysis, especially recurring onycholysis, might need a diagnosis and a prescription in order to heal.
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It’s not uncommon to have onycholysis as a symptom of psoriasis. The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Association estimates at least 50 percent of people with psoriasis experience problems with their nails.
Fingernails in particular are affected by psoriasis. Treating psoriasis in the nails can be difficult. Doctors may prescribe topical vitamin D or corticosteroids to treat nail psoriasis.
A blood test may reveal that you have a thyroid condition or vitamin deficiency causing you to have onycholysis. In this case, your doctor may prescribe medication or an oral supplement to treat the underlying cause.
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In the meantime, you might want to try to treat your onycholysis at home. Don’t try to clean underneath the nail, as you could sweep bacteria deeper underneath the nail or make the problem worse.
Talk with your doctor before using tea tree or another essential oil. Don’t put essential oils directly on your skin. It’s also important to dilute them first.
Applying a mixture of tea tree oil diluted by a carrier oil, such as jojoba or coconut oil, may get rid of the fungus. It’s important to keep the nail dry while it heals.
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A skin sensitivity to products such as glue, acrylics, or acetone used during manicures and pedicures. If you have skin allergies to these products, avoid the nail salon. Choose allergen-free products and paint your nails at home.
If you have a fungus or yeast growth causing your onycholysis, you can stop it from spreading by taking proper care of your nails. Don’t bite your nails, as this will spread the problem and may possibly affect your mouth.
If your onycholysis is happening in your toenails, make sure you’re wearing clean socks and exposing your feet to dry air as much as possible.
Why Are My Cuticles And Nails Separating?
Onycholysis is easy to spot. If you notice that your nail is beginning to lift or peel away from the nail bed underneath, you have onycholysis.
Finding out the underlying cause might be trickier. You may need to visit a dermatologist, especially if it affects more than one digit of your fingers or toes. The FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you don’t already have a doctor.
Onycholysis is not a reason for an emergency medical appointment, but you need to find out what’s causing it. With effective treatment, your nail will reattach to the nail bed as new growth occurs.
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Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
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