Psoriasis of the Nail

[rinbag]

Well I've had P for 14 years. I have a lot of coverage on my body and pretty much all of my scalp and I took off my nail varnish the other day to reveal that I'm now starting to get it on my nails as they're coming away from the nail bed.

Does anybody else have this? Is there anything I can do? Will they fall off? I don't think I could bear for that to happen.

[Grumpy]

Hi and welcome!

I've also had nails affected by psoriasis at various times, ranging from slight pitting to painfully deformed nails, although never to the point of falling off. It tended to be the front part of the nail that would come away from the nail bed, although once the skin around the edge of the base of the nail started to become affected, then the whole nail would begin to feel looser than normal.

I don't think there's anything you can do. If you can find a systemic treatment that can clear your psoriasis (whether oral systemics or biologics), then it will also tend to help with the nails too. Are you seeing a dermatologist at the moment?

My advice would be to keep the nails short as it can become easy to catch your nails on things otherwise, which can be quite painful when your nails are bad. Also, try to keep the skin around the base of the nails moisturised, as it can become quite painful when it starts to crack and become dry.

Hope that helps. 

[rinbag]

Thanks for your reply  I will keep them short now I guess. I don't want them to start going all weird and deformed. They've had lumps and bumps for years, but this is new to me.

I am seeing a derm yes and I'm having blood tests to see whether I'm okay to have methotrexate. Hopefully I get the green light and I can stop this getting any worse. I'm a bit scared though.

[Big-G]

Hi!

I registered so I could reply to this post only to find that Grumpy had beaten me to it hehe! 

My experience is pretty much the same as Grumpy's to  be honest. I have not had any nails fall off completely, but a couple of times I have had nails raise up so far from the nailbed and had to trim them so far back so that they don't catch on anything (damn that is painful when it happens!) that it has looked like the nail has disappeared completely even though it hasn't. I must add that my nails, have always eventually grown back ok, although it is normally only a matter of time before they become affected once again.

From what the dermatologists have told me, the psoriatic nails are near impossible to treat with creams and lotions although as grumpy says a moisturiser may help somewhat. i have however recently started on MTX, so I am hoping tha if/when that kicks in that it will help keep the psoriasis away from my nails too.

[rinbag]

Aw, I feel honoured. Thank you.

Gosh, do they raise up that far? That must be really uncomfortable. I wonder if I bound them with moisturised cling film when I slept it would help? Sounds crazy, but I do it with the rest of my body and it does wonders.

[MULLINDE]

Hi,

Yes, I also have nail P and have had for 12 years or so. I have been on Fumaderm for the past year and this has definitely improved the condition of my nails although they are still very lined and pitted.

Soaking in olive oil can help.

Regards,

Daryl

[jaysee]

I to have had p,p,p, and yes unfortunatley my nails turned green b4 lifting and falling off, very painfull i lost 6 altogether over about 6 months , but now after taking acitretin for nearly 3 years they have grown back as good as new. good luck and make sure you have enough white cotton gloves to wear all the time you can, it do's protect them a bit if you can get them on in the first place xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[rinbag]

Oh God... green? You poor thing.

I am now officially terrified.

[jaysee]

I am so sorry for you, as i was for me also, it is a horrible illness. i wore rubber gloves over my white cotton gloves to do anything wet including bathe and shower i couldnt get them wet at all. in the summer i wore my white cottens with my short sleeve and felt like everyone was laughing at me.i had to change all my clothing as i couldnt do buttons or zips even had to have elestic waist bands to make it possible to dress myself all loose clothing i still have fears when i crack eggs that was one of the worst jobs as its my sons favorite meal, i couldnt unscrew things or carry things or get my money out of my own  purse , only one good thing (i think) came from this as i was having regular blood tests it was my derm that spotted somethin wrong ,i now have leukaemia but without the blood tests i would not have found out so soon, now they think the trial drug "dasatinib" than i am on has helped cure the ppp as it has all gone ??

[MULLINDE]

Hi Rinbag,

Don't fret, PPP is a different form of P and quite rare.

My nails have had a brownish tinge over the years and have been brittle but I have never lost any, although for years I did not have to cut them because they used to just sort of disintegrate.

Being a male, I have never considered nail extensions (or false nails) but it could be a route for you to explore.

Regards,

Daryl