Beau lines, onychomadesis, and retronychia: A unifying hypothesis

Mark A Braswell; C Ralph Daniel 3rd; Robert T Brodell

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.08.003

Beau lines, onychomadesis, and retronychia: A unifying hypothesis

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015 Nov;73(5):849-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.08.003.

Authors

Mark A Braswell¹, C Ralph Daniel 3rd², Robert T Brodell³

Affiliations

¹ Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Kansas City, Missouri.
² Department of Dermatology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi; Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
³ Department of Dermatology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi; Department of Dermatology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York. Electronic address: rbrodell@umc.edu.

PMID: 26475537
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.08.003

Abstract

Beau lines, onychomadesis, and retronychia are nail dystrophies with distinctive clinical findings. Trauma has been reported as the initiating factor in each of these entities. Infections, severe medical illnesses, major surgery/anesthesia, medication side effects, and autoimmune disease can produce Beau lines and onychomadesis. This article illustrates the common underlying pathophysiological mechanism that produces each of these nail dystrophies.

Keywords: Beau lines; medication reactions; nail dystrophy; nails; onychomadesis; retronychia; trauma.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Nail Diseases / diagnosis*
Nail Diseases / etiology
Nail Diseases / physiopathology
Nail Diseases / therapy*