title: The spotted lunula. A neglected nail sign associated with alopecia areata.
abstract: Three patients with alopecia areata were observed to have spotty absence of t4e whiteness of the lunulae of their nails. This was ascribed to defects in the tongue of matrical epithelium which lies under the nail plate and accounts for the lunula.  An analogy is drawn with Wickham's striae.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000209:etiology*