What should you know about causes of onycholysis?

The nail plate may lift after it is struck, picked, filed aggressively, or exposed to pressure from footwear. Frequent wet work, detergents, solvents, and nail products can weaken the seal beneath the nail. A fungal infection may change the nail colour or texture while it lifts; nail psoriasis can create pits, crumbling, or debris under the plate. Less commonly, inflammation around the nail or a medicine-related reaction contributes. The appearance alone cannot identify the cause.

Keep the nail short, dry, and gently protected. Do not pull off the attached portion, scrape underneath it, or seal moisture beneath polish or an artificial nail. Wear gloves for wet or chemical work and allow damp gloves to dry between uses. Arrange a dermatology assessment if separation persists, spreads, or affects several nails; an examination may distinguish fungus from psoriasis or irritation, and treatment depends on that finding.

Seek prompt medical care for increasing pain, warmth, swelling, pus, a rapidly changing dark mark, or redness extending onto the finger or toe. A nail that separates after a significant crush injury also deserves assessment. These changes can signal infection or deeper injury rather than simple mechanical lifting.

Ask whether the nail needs testing for fungus, whether a medication or skin condition could be contributing, and how much of the lifted nail should be trimmed. You can also ask how to protect the nail during regrowth and which signs would mean the diagnosis needs to be revisited.