title: Diagnosis using the nail bed and hyponychium.
abstract: "Nails protect the fingertips and toes. Diseases affecting the nail can cause cosmetic disfigurement and social embarrassment. Physical functioning may be impaired. Disorders of the nail bed may cause pain or create difficulty grasping fine objects. The nail bed is the area beneath the nail plate between the lunula and the hyponychium. Disorders of the nail bed can cause onycholysis, subungual hyperkeratosis, and/or onychogryphosis. Ventral pterygium is less common. Tumors of the nail bed are rare and commonly missed."
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Grattan street, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Dermatology, Epworth Hospital, Bridge Road, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia.
authors.forename: Eshini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Grattan street, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Dermatology, Epworth Hospital, Bridge Road, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia; Department of Dermatology, Sinclair Dermatology, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia. Electronic address: rodney.sinclair@sinclairdermatology.com.au.
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinclair
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003286:Contracture / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019066:Facies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005918:Glomus Tumor / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007642:Keratosis / Q000382:microbiology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D009264:Nails, Malformed / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D054039:Onycholysis / Q000209:etiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Glomus tumor; Hyponychium; Melanoma; Nail bed; Onycholysis; Pterygium; Squamous cell carcinoma; Subungual tumors