Fingernails and toenails are composed of translucent keratin proteins and various sulfur-containing fibrous proteins, which also form the chemical basis of hair and skin. Healthy nails are consistent in shape and uniform in color. Abnormal color,...
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system is unusually active. This causes immune cells to attack the cells at the surface of the skin. The resulting inflammation causes rapid growth and division of skin cells, resulting in...
Having short nail beds can be embarrassing and painful, and can be caused by excessive biting of your nails. If too much damage has been done, it might not be possible for your nail to reconnect itself with your fingertip. In this case, you can...
Your fingernails are one of the first things people see when you wave hello or shake hands. You want them to look their best. Nail beds can become damaged for a number of reasons, from dry weather to handling chemicals to picking at the delicate...
Athlete's foot, or tinea pedis, is a form of the fungal infection ringworm. The fungus thrives in moist dark places, such as between your toes, and in severe cases can infect the nail bed. Getting rid of athlete's foot between your toes is fairly...
Healthy finger and toe nails hint at good personal hygiene. Maintaining a healthy diet is the easiest way to keep your nails healthy; it also helps if you avoid using your nails to pick or pry at things. But odd colors and shapes, dents,...
Medline Plus, an online medical encyclopedia associated with the U.S. National Library of Medicine, reports that the purpose of fingernails and toenails is to protect the sensitive tissue at the end of the fingers and toes. The American Podiatric...
Toenails are made up of a protein called keratin. This protein works to cover and protect the sensitive skin of the nail bed. Sometimes, when the nail becomes injured, it detaches from the nail bed and turns black. Home removal of a toenail should...
Your nails say a lot about how you take care of yourself. Peeling fingernails can be caused by harsh products, nail hygiene or the manner in which you are using your nails. According to Nia Terezakis, M.D., a clinical professor of dermatology at...
Psoriasis is an immune disease that affects skin and joints. In psoriasis, cells grow too fast on the skin, causing skin cell buildup that forms skin lesions. According to the PsoriasisNet website, 50 percent of people with active psoriasis have...
Fingernails appear, and begin growing, during the third month of pregnancy. From that day on, your fingernails undergo a continual process of growth that takes about six months from start to finish. The process of fingernail growth depends on age,...
If you have inspected your feet recently and discovered that the nails are dark, thick and brittle, there's a chance that your toenails have been infected with a fungus. This form of infection, known as onychomycosis, most often occurs when a...
Psoriasis is a condition in which the immune system attacks skin cells--and in some cases cells in other parts of the body--causing them to grow abnormally fast. This can cause scaly plaques to develop on the skin and can also affect the...
Nails are made up of keratin, which is a hard form of protein. The hardened protein grows on both fingers and toes and helps protect nerve endings and the nail bed. Healthy nails are usually free of breakage and dents and should be taken care of...
Nails are composed of layers of protein called keratin. The nail grows outward from the base of the nail or nail matrix which is under the cuticle. The nail plate is the actual fingernail or toenail. The nail bed is the skin under the nail plate....
When you have a toenail fungus, it can be unsightly and sometimes uncomfortable. Whether you have discomfort or not, you should address the problem. Conventional medicine offers topical medications and oral prescriptions to treat the infection....
More than a rash, psoriasis is a lifelong immune disease that affects the skin. In psoriasis, T-cells, a type of white blood cell that fights infection, mistakenly triggers a reaction in skin cells, causing the body to over produce skin cells,...
Nail fungus may grow in the nail bed on both the fingernails and the toenails. Fungus grows in dark, moist areas and may grow under the nails after you use public showers and swimming pools, says the Mayo Clinic. Additionally, toenail fungus may...
Fingernails are an extension of the skin in the human hand. Just like other parts of the body, sickly looking fingernails can mean an underlying health problem. According to Columbia University, if nails grow in pitted, yellowing or misshapen,...
Psoriasis is a chronic, immunologic skin condition that affects the skin and joints. In psoriasis, the skin makes new skin cells at a rapid rate, much faster than normal; skin cells build up and cause lesions to form. According to the Psoriasis...
Repeated fungal infections of your nails or ingrown nails can require removal of the nail as a last resort of treatment. Also, crushing your nail can cause it to fall off, and some diseases, such as kidney, thyroid and liver disease, can cause you...
Fingernails and toenails function as protective coverings for the skin underneath, and fingernails help people to grasp and scratch at objects or itchy skin. Nails follow a gradual progression from the original cells to the extra bits that get...
According to the Mayo Clinic, the nails are composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin. This same protein is also found in the hair and skin. The nails are made up of several parts, including the nail beds, folds, cuticles and...
A nail infection, also known as onychomycosis, is often caused by a fungus that makes its way through the skin near the nail, and into, or under, the nail bed. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, nail infections develop in toenails...
The health of your fingernails and toenails indicates your overall health. Nails, which are made up of layers of a hardened protein called keratin, function to protect and support the tissue of the fingers and toes. Many diseases, including lung,...
Psoriasis, a chronic, inflammatory disease involving the skin and joints, affects almost 2 percent of the population, according to the American Academy of Dermatology article titled, "Guidelines of Care for the Management of Psoriasis and...
Fingernail fungus can be extremely uncomfortable and unsightly. Usually marked by a discoloration of the nail, fungus can enter a nail where the skin at the nail bed has been injured through a scratch, cut or other type of wound. Fingers that...
While some men may balk at the idea of a professional manicure, there are plenty of ways to improve the health and appearance of your nails without setting foot in a salon. If you're not sure about the state of your nails, the Mayo Clinic offers...
Doctors often examine the nails when diagnosing patients. The presence of certain nail conditions, such as white lines in the nails, can give doctors an idea of what may be happening inside the body. Nail abnormalities may also indicate the...
An ingrown toenail is a form of nail disease where the nail cuts into the nail bed, get expert tips and advice on treatments for an ingrown nail in this medical video.
Nail fungus is a common nail disorder. Get expert tips and advice on nail treatments in this video.
Taping fingers is good for minor injuries of the middle joint because taping supports the injured area without preventing motion. Learn how to tape fingers and stay fit in this sports medicine video.