Etiopatogenia de las uñas frágiles / Etiopathogenesis of brittle nails

Las uñas frágiles se caracterizan por ser quebradizas, de superficie áspera y descamativa, es una entidad que predomina en mujeres y afecta principalmente las uñas de las manos. En condiciones normales las uñas estás compuestas por agua, cuya concentración oscila entre 7 % al 18 %, lípidos entre 0,1 % y 5%, siendo el colesterol su principal componente, además están compuesta por células queratinizadas sin descamación, dando origen a tres capas histológicas llamadas dorsal, media y ventral. Estas también contienen trazas de elementos como hierro y zinc. La alteración y disminución de estos componentes favorecen está condición. La causa puede ser idiopática o secundaria a enfermedades sistémicas, pueden estar presentes en algunas patologías dermatológicas. Una correcta anamnesis e historia clínica son necesarias para un correcto abordaje terapéutico. Su implicación cosmética nos obliga a tener un conocimiento claro de su etiopatogenia para así poder establecer un tratamiento efectivo y oportuno(AU)

Brittle nails are characterized by being brittle, witha rough and scaly surface, it is an entity that predominates inwomen and mainly affects the fingernails. In normal conditions the nails are made up of water, whose concentration ranges from7% to 18%, lipids between 0.1% and 5%, with cholesterol beingits main component, they are also composed of keratinized cellswithout desquamation, giving rise to three histological layerscalled dorsal, middle and ventral. These also contain traces ofelements such as iron, and zinc. The alteration and decreaseof these components favor this condition. Yhe cause may beidiopathic or secondary to systemic diseases, they may be presentin some dermatological pathologies. A correct anamnesis andmedical history are necessary for a correct therapeutic approach.Its cosmetic involvement forces us to have a clear understandingof its pathogenesis in order to establish an effective and timelytreatment(AU)

A case of twenty nail dystrophy affecting a 12 year old boy

Nail diseases in children may be congenital or acquired and occurs in 3 to 11% of pediatric population. Twenty nail dystrophy is a nail disorder with a classical presentation, often affecting all twenty nails. It is an idiopathic disorder in childhood but can be associated with other diseases such as lichen planus, alopecia areata, psoriasis, eczema, IgA deficiency, atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris and vitiligo. Twenty nail dystrophy is otherwise called trachyonychia. Typically, the condition is bilateral and symmetrical affecting all the nails of hands and feet. It is cosmetically disfiguring and can be source of anxiety for children and parents, which can impact further the quality of life. Twenty nail dystrophy is of two types, based on the clinical presentation namely opaque or shiny trachyonychia. Since this nail disorder is associated with a number of dermatologic diseases, children require long term follow up. We report a case of a 12-year-old boy with a three-year history of twenty nail dystrophy with no relevant family history of skin or nail diseases. The child had isolated nail manifestation without any other dermatologic condition. Twenty nail dystrophy is a self-limiting disease, which is treated conservatively. The aim of this report is to highlight importance of a thorough physical examination to diagnose nail disorders in early stages, which will be helpful to clinicians to distinguish the different nail conditions and associated illness and decide on the correct management. It is important to counsel the family about the benign nature of the disease and good prognosis.