Head & Finger Nail Abnormalities Flashcards
What are some examples of face abnormalities?
Acromegaly Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) Cushing’s Syndrome Myxedema Parkinson’s Disease
Describe acromegaly
- Results from excessive growth hormone
- Due to benign tumor or pituitary gland (pituitary adenoma)
- Results in excessive growth
- Generalized expansion of the skull
- Pronounced brow protrusion, often with ocular distension
- Pronounced lower jaw protrusion
- Macroglossia & teeth gapping
Describe Cushing’s Syndrome
- “Hypercortisolism”
- “Moon face”
- Facial swelling (rounding)
- Red cheeks
- Hirsutisim
- “The patient appears cushingoid.”
Describe Myxedema
- Severe hypothyroidism
- Dry, coarse & sparse hair
- Thin lateral eyebrows
- Puffy face
- Puffy eyes
Describe Parkinson’s Disease
- Decreased facial mobility
- Stare
- Blunted expression
- Masklike face
Describe Parotid gland enlargement
- One of the salivary glands
- Parotitis (infectious, blockage)
- Measles
- Chronic bilateral enlargement can be seen with obesity, diabetes, cirrhosis
- Gradual unilateral enlargement suggests neoplasm
Describe Bell’s Palsy
- Idiopathic paralysis of the facial nerve (CN VII)
- Unable to perform functions involving facial nerve
- Wrinkle forehead & Squeeze eyes shut
- Smile & Puff out cheeks
- In general, Stroke spares forehead wrinkles (allows for some wrinkling of the forehead) – Bell’s Palsy does NOT
Describe Androgenic alopecia
- Male pattern baldness
- Begins above both temples
- Hair also thins at the crown of the head
- Often a rim of hair around the sides and rear of the head is left
- Female pattern baldness (variant of androgenic alopecia)
- Hair thinner over the entire scalp but doesn’t recede
Describe Alopecia areata
- Clearly demarcated round or oval patches of hair loss
- Usually affects young adults & children
Describe Seborrheic dermatitis
- Results from overproduction of sebum (seborrhea)
- Flaky, white to yellowish scales on oily skin
Describe Hirsutism
- Male pattern hair growth on a woman
- Due to excess androgens or increased androgen sensitivity
- Can be a symptom of disease, commonly Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Describe Paronychia
- Acute or chronic inflammation of the proximal & lateral nail folds
- Nail folds swollen, red, tender
-Cause: Local trauma (e.g. nail biting, manicures) or frequent hand immersion in water
Describe Leukonychia
- Nonuniform white spots that grow slowly out with the nail
- Cause is trauma
Describe Koilonychia
-Spoon Nails
-Abnormally thin nails that have lost convexity, may become concave
-Associated with iron-deficiency anemia & Plummer-
Vinson syndrome
Describe Onycholysis
- Painless separation of the whitened opaque nail plate from the pinker translucent nail bed; starts distally & progresses proximally
- Cause: Trauma (e.g. psoriasis, manicures) Some systemic diseases e.g. diabetes, anemia, hyperthyroidism, syphilis
Describe Onychocryptosis
- Ingrown toenail, nail grows into dermis
- Cause: Improperly cutting toenails, Tight shoes
Describe Onychomycosis
- Fungal infection of the nail bed, plate, or matrix
- Cause: Occlusive footwear, locker room exposure, susceptibility (e.g. diabetes)
Describe Terry’s Nails
- Nail plate turns white with distal band of reddish brown
- Cause: Aging, Some chronic disease (e.g. liver disease – usu. cirrhosis, diabetes, heart failure)
Describe Beau’s Lines
- Transverse depressions of the nail plates, usually bilateral
- Cause: Temporary disruption of proximal nail growth from systemic illness
Describe Pitting
-Punctate depressions of the nail plate
-Cause: Defecting layering of the superficial nail plate
Usually assoc. with psoriasis
Describe Clubbing
- Bullous swelling of the soft tissue at the nail base with loss of normal angle
- Nail bed feels spongy or floating
- Cause: Conditions associated with hypoxia (e.g. congenital heart disease, lung diseases incl. lung cancer)
- Mechanism unknown but involves vasodilation & increased blood flow to distal portion of digits & changes in the connective tissue
