What is the cause of spoon nails?
Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft nails that look scooped out. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.
Is koilonychia reversible?
Treatment / Management Appropriate workup is important not only to exclude an underlying cutaneous or systemic disorder but also to distinguish between the different aetiologies to provide appropriate management of koilonychia. Most of the cases with acquired causes are reversible.
How do you treat koilonychia?
Treatment will depend on the cause of koilonychia. Some causes will respond to dietary changes. Consuming enough iron in the diet can also help prevent unwanted nail changes. A doctor will likely take a full medical history, perform a physical exam, and may order blood tests.
What do spooning nails look like?
Spoon nails look like the center of your nail is scooped out. The nail becomes thin and the outer edges turn up. Your nail may crack, and the outer part may come out of the nail bed. Some infants are born with spoon nails, but they eventually grow out of it.
How do you test koilonychia?
Chronic microcytic anaemia. When attempting to diagnose koilonychia, we use a 1-mL syringe to place a few drops of water on the patient’s nail. For nails with normal or convex curvature, the liquid will quickly trickle off the nail plate.
Why does Anaemia cause koilonychia?
Koilonychia occurs in 5.4% of the patients with iron deficiency. It is thought to occur due to the upward deformation of lateral and distal portions of pliable iron deficient nail plates under mechanical pressure. Nail matrix changes due to blood flow abnormalities was also proposed as a pathomechanism.
Can you tell by your eyes if you are anemic?
One of the best ways to tell if you’re anemic is to look at the mucous membranes of your eyes, also commonly referred to as the water line above your lower lashes. This is a vascular area so if it’s pale, it’s a good sign that you’re not getting enough red blood cells to other areas of your body either.
Is there a link between koilonychia and psoriasis?
In psoriasis, a problem with the immune system can lead to nail and skin changes. Learn more about nail psoriasis. Scientists say there may be links between koilonychia and products that contain petroleum. Some people, such as hairstylists, may frequently work with products that contain petroleum.
What are the signs and symptoms of koilonychia?
Koilonychia: Symptoms & Signs. This pattern can sometimes be seen in normal infants, but it disappears as the child ages. Koilonychia is a component of the nail-patella syndrome, a genetic disease characterized by numerous abnormalities including musculoskeletal and kidney abnormalities. Spooning fingernails can also result from trauma,…
Can a spoon like nail cause koilonychia?
Given the various medical issues that can cause koilonychia, it’s not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with the accompanying symptoms. The most noticeable of symptoms is the spoon-like nail. Your nails become concave and may even reach the point where a drop of water placed in the center won’t go anywhere.
Is there a cure or treatment for koilonychia?
Unfortunately, koilonychia causes like lupus or thyroid disease might be hidden or unpreventable. But in many of those cases, treatment is an option. The first step to treating koilonychia is having both the spoon nail and its possible underlying cause diagnosed.