Does anyone have problems with their nails?
The white part of the nails are getting bigger where the nail is not attached to my finger. The nails are also very thin and brittle so I can’t grow them long I just have to hide it with nail varnish as they look awful.
Hi Jolevans, have you asked professional opinion? I think if the nail is detaching, it will quite some sort of treatment. I would definitely contact my GP, send pictures and have a phone consultation, specifying the duration and it’s progress. It may be that there might be an easy solution. I hope so. Lx
Hi, yes several drs have seen it and don’t seem concerned about it!
I had a fungal infection in my toe nails, which I treated with tea tree oil as well as mint oil, I guess the doctors would have known the fungal infection, fairly easy to identify. I used to have my nail toe nails come off from its bed regularly. It eventually settled and it was usually when I had a lupus flare. If you cut it short and leave the tea tree oil regularly keeping clean and dry, I wonder if it would help? Please do not try anything without consulting with your doctor. I hope you get better soon. Lx
Hello Jolevans
Your photo and nail issues rang a bell with me.
My toe nails look similar. Some of them are separating from the nail bed which is called onycholysis. I also have pitting and ridges. Some of my “moons” have disappeared completely.
I would say you need to see a dermatologist.
For my toes, I saw a chiropodist recently and she confirmed what she could see, from her professional point of view. She thinks it’s lupus or psoriatic arthritis causing my changes.
Unfortunately my dermatologist is actually a GP with a special interest in skin.
So I will see a Dermy privately and then see my rheumatologists.
I have been Googling a lot to work it and pictures of nails like yours and mine come up.
Take a look at this.
dermnetnz.org/topics/nail-p...
I’m afraid with my situation, I have more questions than answers.
I should also point out I’m not a doctor or medically trained, just a fellow lupus patient.
Best wishes
Wendy
Thank you Wendy39 at least I now have a name for it but treatment doesn’t look very hopeful.
Just to clarify, the doctors haven’t been able to tell if my nails are fungal or psoriatic in nature. Only getting toe / finger nail clippings sent to a lab will tell you. Some of mine are fungal. Some aren’t. I even got told I might have skin cancer in one toe nail and they have to remove it. Half came back no fungal infection and the other half fungal??? But basically you can’t tell by looking. It’s needs investigating. Get your GP involved, for sending nails off to lab and then ask for Dermy referral. I’ve been treating mine for over 3 years with no success. Which is relevant. Plus to confuse things even more, you can have fungal infection and psoriasis in the same nails, at the same time. It’s not easy to work through. Have you checked out the LUPUS UK publications which might help. Good luck.
I have one nail that almost completely detached ring finger , I’ve seen a dermatologist privately , expensive drops , didn’t work , that’s two years ago , they can get better on there own mine did all but thumbs ring finger keep them dry , wear gloves to wash up , hope they recover for you x
Jolevans -
The sooner you get a diagnosis, the better. If it is a fungal infection, the new medication Jublia has been effective for me. A podiatrist may also recommend cutting your nails very short. Treatment period is about year - hard to treat.
I don’t know about other conditions, but there are many here with nail issues who can tell you what has worked.
Don’t give up. New medications continue to come out.
K
Thank you
It could be psoriasis which is another autoimmune disease which can also cause some arthritis too and also can affect other areas. I would suggest seeing the GP.
Is that a fungal nail infection? If you find that it is, you could try using nail paint made from natural oils
It could be psa
Strange nails!! 
Hands/nails
White line across nail
Lupus & Nail Loss
