Onychorrhexis (from the Greek words ὄνυχο- ónycho-, "nail" and ῥῆξις rhexis, "bursting"), is a brittleness with breakage of finger or toenails that may result from hypothyroidism, anemia, anorexia nervosa or bulimia, or after oral retinoid therapy.James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. . It can also be seen in melanoma that involves the nail and onychomycosis.
Signs and symptoms
Onychorrhexis refers to the mild form of brittle nail syndrome. It is characterized by fine longitudinal ridges, usually affecting multiple nails. The condition is often idiopathic or caused by external factors (such as repetitive wetting and drying) or nutritional deficiencies.
Epidemiology Onychorrhexis affects up to 20% of the population.
Differential diagnosis
In contrast, a deep longitudinal split of the nail plate (also called split nail), particularly when affecting only a single nail, is not part of onychorrhexis or classic brittle nail syndrome. This presentation requires further investigation to exclude underlying causes such as nail unit tumors. This can be tumors such as Onychopapilloma.
See also Nail anatomy List of cutaneous conditions
References
Further reading
External links WebMD VisualDx