Guide To The Conditions That Trachyonychia Can Indicate

Vitiligo

Trachyonychia is often observed in patients who suffer from a skin condition known as vitiligo. This condition causes skin patches to lose their pigmentation, and it is more noticeable in individuals with darker skin. In addition, it may cause stress in those who experience it. The exact cause of vitiligo has not been established, but studies have shown that it is associated with specific genetic alterations or susceptibility. It typically affects one percent of the global population, and it is equally seen both in males and females.

There is no cure for vitiligo. However, dermatologists suggest that patients wear sunscreen and makeup, especially those with light skin. The only symptom of vitiligo is light patches' appearance in the skin, even though some may have some itching before a new patch occurs. Patches are commonly seen on the face, wrists, and hands and are initially small and tend to grow and change shape. Treatment often combines steroid creams with phototherapy with ultraviolet lights.

Hay-Wells Syndrome

Another condition that has been linked with trachyonychia is Hay-Wells syndrome. It is a rare ectodermal dysplasia characterized by frequent skin erosions, hearing loss, deformed nails, little production of sweat (hypohidrosis), and cleft palate or lip. Hay-Wells syndrome is not so common and only occurs in one hundred thousand births in the United States. It becomes apparent when abnormal development of teeth in the child occurs, but symptoms tend to be noticeable since birth.

Apart from causing absence or malformation of nails, patients also have coarse and sparse hair, and the scalp's chronic inflammatory disease may be present. All of this explains why most individuals with Hay-Wells syndrome also suffer from trachyonychia. Treatment may include ointments for the skin lesions, and surgery may be necessary to fix the cleft palate and missing teeth. Genetic counseling may be useful for the patient and their family.