| Onychorrhexis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Brittle nails |
| Specialty | Dermatology  |
Onychorrhexis (from the Greek words ὄνυχο- ónycho-, "nail" and ῥῆξις rhexis, "bursting"), is a brittleness with breakage of finger or toenails that may result from hypothyroidism, anemia, anorexia nervosa or bulimia, or after oral retinoid therapy.: 786 It can also be seen in melanoma that involves the nail and onychomycosis.
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Onychorrhexis refers to the mild form of brittle nail syndrome. It is characterized by fine longitudinal ridges, usually affecting multiple nails. The condition is often idiopathic or caused by external factors (such as repetitive wetting and drying) or nutritional deficiencies.
Onychorrhexis affects up to 20% of the population.: 786
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In contrast, a deep longitudinal split of the nail plate (also called split nail), particularly when affecting only a single nail, is not part of onychorrhexis or classic brittle nail syndrome. This presentation requires further investigation to exclude underlying causes such as nail unit tumors. This can be tumors such as Onychopapilloma.