Nail appearance and discomfort are the main motivators for most patients to schedule a consultation. During the patient visit, it is important for practitioners to delve into the cause of the problematic nail change, known as onychodystrophy. Onychodystrophy, which is any alteration of nail morphology, encompasses a wide spectrum of nail disorders. Caused by either exogenous or endogenous factors, nail dystrophy may manifest as a misshapen, damaged, infected, or discolored nail unit that may affect the fingernails, toenails, or both. Nails may also be affected by systemic causes (such as psoriasis, lichen planus, etc.) and by tumors (such as melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, etc.). A special grouping is toenail disorders due to their constant trauma in shoes and from the environment (such as onychomycosis and pincer nails). This chapter explores a range of nail disorders from changes to the nail plate to infections.
Disorders of Nails
