Conditions
Nail Psoriasis
This condition affects your nails, causing them to become pitted and discoloured. They can also grow in strange ways, leaving big gaps betwen the nail and the nail bed, and sometimes becoming thick, loose and separate. In the severest of cases, the nails can crumble away entirely. Most people who suffer from nail psoriasis also suffer from skin psoriasis, and the causes of both are similar, and have a genetic link. There are not currently any cures fro nail psoriasis, but there are treatments that can be used to mitigate against any additional symptoms, such as fungal infections of the nail. Gently trimming back the nail can reduce the appearance of unsightly growths, as will ensuring the nail doesn’t suffer any unneccesary damage.
Comments and Questions
You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
I have also had Psoriasis of the nails and body for many years now. My doctor used to treat my nails for fungal infections, but as a lot of people on here have said, it does not solve the problem in the long run. It was only about six months ago that I realised that it could be Psoriasis of the nails and that there is not a lot that can be done. I too feel embarrassed when using my hands in public and tend to hide my nails when working or in public (although this is tricky as I use a keyboard all day long!) I look forward to the day that they find a permanent cure.
My is extremely terrible to start with. Two years ago, both my toe and finger nails started growing yellow and chunky without pains; I’ve visited so many specialists to no avail. I used to have a very beautiful nails, now you can’t look at them twice. It knocked down my confidence as I can’t read story books, papers or magazines on buses, train or at any social gathering. These developments sadden my heart all the time. Friends out there, please email me should u find cure for yours. may God heal us
hi as long as i can remember my nail have been brown im 30 now and it really bothers me because i wont wear sandals or when i go swimming i start worrying about wat others may say ive been to my GP however they havent helped me. i have no pain so i dont think its psoriasis
i am 24 and i think it started about when i was 13.my nails hurt some times .i have to cut them short just to look not to bad.i hope some one can find a cure.
I am a biochemist working in medical reseearch and have nail psoriasis myself- pretty much nothing is known about the causes and mechanism of the disease. Psoriasis research is at a standstill.
Hi, I have suffered from psoriasis for over 45years [about 30 years for nail psoriasis]. I have numerous treatments creams, ointments, vitamin injections and sun treatment most work for a while just for the psoriasis to return. the best of these treaments is sun treatment, although I have not had this for anumber of years. I have recently found that rubbing vicks into my nails daily, has had a marked improvement,[but I dont know how long for].
i have nail psoriasis, its painful... my skin has fallen off, nails are hard and discoloured. I find it painful to wear shoes. My mum has had psoraisis for years, i only found out 6 weeks ago i have the same, i didnt realise it could affect nails
Hi, I only found out about 3months ago i had psoriasis, my mum has suffered most of her life. I then noticed a change in my toenails, pitted, skin beside was dry and coming away.Painful to wear shoes. My nails just seem to rot away. Doctors weren`t sure, but thought it was psoriasis, waiting to go to hospital.I have been off work for last 3 months. Im going back on monday, but I have requested not to wear closed shoes, so they are going to do a risk assestment
I have had Psoriasis for 27 years,both skin and toenails.For my Skin treatment I find the sun the best treatment for me it completely clears up though the skin itself does not tan but stays white but no scales and redness .Sunbeds do the same a quick zap 3 times a week works well only 9 mins at a time . However my toenails are horrendous ,my GP told me to use my Dovonex on them but did not work sometimes it really hurts when I wear shoes .Lets hope they find a cure eventually !
both my big toenails have dried up and started flaking away but they are really hard, ive tyied fungal gels and creams but nothing seems to help. all i can do is cut the nail down as much as i can but it makes the toes sore, sorry cant help anymore hope you find something soon to help you out.
Thank you for visiting our web site and for discussing your problem so openly. If you would like the opportunity to be seen by one of the Embarrassing Bodies Doctors and have your problems assessed and treated by a specialist, then why not apply for the chance to take part in the programme. Please visit the following link and click ‘Apply to be on the show’ where you can fill in an application form: http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/features/be-on-embarrassing-bodies/
I HAVE BAD TOENAILS BOTH MY BIG TOENAILS ARE BAD AND 1 NEXT TO MY LEFT BIG TOE IS BAD AS WELL BEEN TO DOCTORS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WAS ON TERBINAFINE TABLETS FOR 7 MONTHS DIDNT WORK STILL GOT BAD TOENAILS I THINK THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO PLEASE CAN YOU HELP
I was diagnosed with nail psoriasis two years ago, although I have had it much longer. I also have mild scalp psoriasis, this started in my early teens and comes and goes. I have the odd patch of skin psoriasis, sometimes around the nose or in the corners of my mouth (very sore). My nail psoriasis seems to affect my index, middle and ring fingers only, often mirroring on the opposite hand. It starts at the side of the nail with a sore, tender feeling and then I can see the skin at the side of my finger start to look dry and scaly. A redness starts to spread slowly under the nail and gradually the nail will detatch from the nail bed. By this stage I will need to trim my nails almost daily to stop any further trauma (often my nail can catch on things when doing housework, causing pain and further detatchment from the nail bed). My nails have never fully detached but I have had to trim them to almost half their usual length at times. My nail psoriasis comes and goes, sometimes I can get a clear break of up to a month before it returns again. Once a nail becomes affected, it can take 3-4 months to return to "normal". I use Dovonex cream at the first hint of soreness but I am not sure if this speeds up the recovery. I am lucky in some respects that my nail psoriasis doesn't cause my nails to go thick or yellow. I just get the soreness and the detatchment from the nail bed. I have pitting of the nails but not severely. My toenails do not seem to be affected (yet)!
I have had Nail Psoriasis for 15 years. Its used to be very bad and nails used to break and had lumps and bumps. I have tried all sorts of creams but the best cure has always been Sun No shaving foam Aqeuous is best as a soap etc
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here