What should you know about nail pitted?

Nail pitting occurs when growth in the nail matrix is interrupted in small areas. The result is a pattern of pinprick-like hollows, sometimes with roughness, ridges, colour change, or separation from the nail bed. Nail psoriasis commonly presents with pitting, but eczema, alopecia areata, injury, and other disorders can produce similar findings. Looking at all fingernails and toenails, plus the skin and joints, helps a clinician interpret the pattern.

Keep nails short and smooth, moisturise the hands and nail folds, and use gloves when prolonged water or chemical exposure is unavoidable. Avoid scraping pits, aggressive buffing, false nails, and cuticle cutting because these can injure the matrix. Photograph the nails periodically from the same angle so changes are easier to describe. Treatment depends on the cause; a dermatologist may use a medicine applied to the nail, an injection into selected areas, or a treatment acting on inflammation throughout the body.

Arrange a review if pitting is new, persistent, spreading, or present in several nails, particularly when there is nail lifting, thickening, or discolouration. Seek prompt care for pain, swelling, drainage, warmth, or redness around a nail. Tell the clinician about scaly skin, hair loss, or joint stiffness, since these details can help distinguish possible causes.

Ask what pattern your pits suggest, whether nail psoriasis is present, and whether a fungal test or other examination is appropriate. Discuss whether treatment is needed for the nail itself, how long regrowth may take, and what symptoms should prompt an earlier review.