What should you know about nail bed psoriasis?

Changes may include tiny pits, grooves, ridges, yellow-red patches beneath the nail, thickening, crumbling, or separation from the nail bed. One or several nails can be affected. Nail psoriasis can resemble a fungal infection, and both conditions can occur together, so appearance alone cannot confirm the cause. Nail symptoms may also accompany psoriasis elsewhere or joint symptoms such as stiffness and swelling.

A dermatologist can examine the nails, skin, and joints and may test a nail sample when fungus is possible. Keep nails short, avoid biting and picking, wear gloves for wet or irritating tasks, and moisturise the surrounding skin. Tell the clinician about morning stiffness, swollen fingers or toes, or new scaly plaques. Treatment is selected according to severity and may address both nail inflammation and psoriasis in other body areas.

Book an assessment for persistent nail separation, pain, marked thickening, or repeated cracking. Seek earlier review if a nail becomes suddenly dark, bleeds, drains, or develops spreading redness. Prompt medical attention is also warranted for a swollen painful joint or stiffness that limits movement, because psoriasis-related joint inflammation benefits from early assessment.

Do my nail changes fit psoriasis, fungus, injury, or a combination? Is testing needed? Are my joints showing signs of inflammation? Which nail care and treatment plan suits the number of nails involved? When should we reassess the response?