Nail Vocab

Question 1

Mantle

Answer 1

The layer of epidermis at the base of the nail, before the cuticle.

Function: to protect the matrix from physical damage.

Question 2

Nail Matrix

Answer 2

The area where your fingernails and toenails start to grow.

Creates new skin cells, which pushes out the old, dead skin cells to make your nails.

(As a result, injuries to the nail bed or disorders that affect the matrix can affect your nail growth.)

Question 3

Nail Root

Answer 3

The root of the nail is also known as the germinal matrix.

The root portion of this nail lies below the skin, underneath the nail, and extends several millimeters into the finger.

It produces most of the volume of the nail and the nail bed.

Question 4

Nail Bed

Answer 4

The skin beneath the nail plate.

Question 5

Nail Plate

Answer 5

The hard part of the nail.

Made of translucent keratin protein. Several layers of dead, compacted cells cause the nail to be strong but flexible.

Question 6

Lunula

Answer 6

The white area at the base of the fingernail.

Question 7

Eponychium

Answer 7

The thickened layer of skin at the base of the fingernails and toenails.

Question 8

Cuticle

Answer 8

A layer of clear skin located along the bottom edge of your finger or toe.

Function: to protect new nails from bacteria when they grow out from the nail root

Question 9

Nail Grooves

Answer 9

The indentation between the edges of the nail plate and the skin.

Question 10

Side Walls

Answer 10

The skin on either side of the nail plate, (aka the lateral nail fold), acts as a barrier against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Question 11

Perionychium

Answer 11

The tissue surrounding the nail, whether it be a fingernail or a toenail, including the tissue bordering the root and side.

Question 12

Free Edge

Answer 12

The part of a nail, such as a fingernail or toenail, that extends past the flesh of the finger or toe.

Question 13

Hyponychium

Answer 13

The area of epithelium, particularly the thickened portion, underlying the free edge of the nail plate on the nail.

Question 14

Onychosis

Answer 14

A disease or deformity of the nail.

Question 15

Etiology

Answer 15

The cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition.

Question 16

6 signs of infection

Answer 16

Pain · Swelling · Redness · Local fever · Throbbing · Pus.

Question 17

Onychomycosis

Answer 17

A fungal infection of the nail.

Also known as tinea unguium.

Question 18

Tinea Manus

Answer 18

A fungal infection of the hands.

Question 19

Tinea Pedis

Answer 19

A fungal infection that usually begins between the toes.

Question 20

Paronychia

Answer 20

An inflammation of the skin around the nail.

Can occur suddenly, when it is usually due to the bacteria Staph.

Question 21

Onychoptosis

Answer 21

The periodic shedding and falling of one or more nails, in whole or part.

Question 22

Onychia

Answer 22

an inflammation of the nail folds (surrounding tissue of the nail plate) of the nail with formation of pus and shedding of the nail

Question 23

Onychatrophia

Answer 23

Atrophy or wasting away of the nail plate which causes it to lose its luster, become smaller and sometimes shed entirely.

Injury or disease may account for this irregularity.

Question 24

Onycholysis

Answer 24

The medical term for when your nail separates from the skin underneath it.

Question 25

Blue Nails

Answer 25

Caused by a low level or lack of oxygen circulating in your red blood cells.

Question 26

Eggshell Nails

Answer 26

Hapalonychia- causes your nails to be soft and thin, bend or break .

Question 27

Corrugations

Answer 27

Long ridges that run either lengthwise or across the nail; some lengthwise ridges are normal in adult nails, and they increase with age.

Lengthwise ridges can also be caused by conditions such as psoriasis, poor circulation, and frostbite

Question 28

Kolionychia

Answer 28

Aka “spoon nails”

A nail disease that can be a sign of hypochromic anemia, especially iron-deficiency anemia.

Refers to abnormally thin nails (usually of the hand) which have lost their convexity, becoming flat or even concave in shape.

Question 29

Furrows

Answer 29

Transverse lines or grooves across the fingernails.

Question 30

Onychogryphosis

Answer 30

Aka “ram’s horn nail”

A nail disorder resulting from slow nail plate growth.

Characterized by an opaque, yellow-brown thickening of the nail plate with elongation and increased curvature

Question 31

Onychocryptosis

Answer 31

Ingrown nail

Question 32

Melanonychia

Answer 32

Dark pigmentation of the fingernails or toenails

Question 33

Onychauxis

Answer 33

A nail disorder that causes fingernails or toenails to grow abnormally thick.

Question 34

AgnailsorHangnails

Answer 34

A tiny, torn piece of skin next to a fingernail or toenail.

Question 35

Bruised NailsorSplinter Hemorrhages

Answer 35

Look like thin, red to reddish-brown lines of blood under the nails.

They run in the direction of nail growth.

They are named splinter hemorrhages because they look like a splinter under the fingernail.

The hemorrhages may be caused by tiny clots that damage the small capillaries under the nails.

Question 36

Leukonychia

Answer 36

A medical term for white discolouration appearing on nails.

Question 37

Pterygium

Answer 37

A wing of extra tissue.

In a nail, it is due to scarring in the matrix.

Question 38

Beau’s Lines

Answer 38

Horizontal (transverse) depressions in the nail plate that run parallel to the shape of the white, moon-shaped portion of the nail bed (lunula) seen at the nail’s origin..

Question 39

Onychophagy

Answer 39

Nail biting

Question 40

Onychorrhexis

Answer 40

Brittle nails