Re: About nails

[Guest guest]

Sherry did a good job of explaining what pitting looks like. I

always say it looks like your nails have been poked with a straight pin.

As for the other nail issues Sherry talked about I have all them too

except for the blackening and crumbling. Many of my finger and toe

nails looks like I have fungus and are lifting from the bed and are

really painful. My one thumb the nail is seperated from the bed

almost all the way to the cuticle. Does anyone have any advise as to

what to do about the nail lifting? I had read somewhere that you are

supposed to trim the nail down to where it is lifted from the bed...

does anyone know if that is correct? Thanks anyone for your help on

that subject.

M

At 05:09 PM 8/3/2006, you wrote:

>I think the pitting is when it sort of looks like orange peel. With

>tiny little indententations. Sometimes you can only see it when you

>look at an angle in good light. Many people also have either

>vertical or horizontal ridges during a flair. I get the nail signs

>right before or concurrent with a flair. When the worst of the

>flair passes, my nails get normal or almost. Another thing many

>people notice is that the cuticle on the base of the nail adheres to

>the nail and won't push back.

>

>Another nail issue is the thickening of the nail, usually with some

>scaly debris underneath. Sometimes mistaken for a fungal

>infection. Many people also get swelling around the margins of the

>nail, and that area also thickens and scales off.

>

>Worst cases for nail is when it blackens, crumbles, or lifts. I've

>had everthing up to this stage. Hopefully, won't ever get here, but

>I know it *could* happen so I won't panic if it does.

>

>(All this info from my derm and my rheumy.)

>

>sherry z

>

>

> >

> > Liz,

> > You know I am not really for sure what PITTING is.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Jayson,

I had one toe nail that was lifting. The doctor took a piece. He never

told me what it was, just that it was rare. Then he prescribed a cream for it

that did nothing but empty my wallet.

After about 10 years with that, I got my first case of sausage digits and

was sent to a rheumy. She used that toe nail as part of the DX for PA. Then,

she said just in case it is something else,

1. Trim that nail and nail bed as far back and down as you can.

2. Soak the toe in APPLE cider vinegar. It was be made from apples.

3. It was a long journey. I had to repeat Steps 1 and 2 enumerable times.

Each time it seemed to take longer for it to start bothering me again.

Finally one day I noticed that darn toe nail needed to be trimmed. Then it hit

me. It looked like a normal nail except it was yellowish. It was fully

attached.

We, Rheumy and I, still don't know what it was, but that's okay. It WAS

awful. It ISN'T anymore. lol

Sandy swOhio

[Guest guest]

On my 'bad' hand, my thumbnail and little nail have grown thick and are

unnaturally out from my finger. I have one nail which is about 50% separated

and two nails which are 100% separated down to the cuticle. My fingertips are

described as somewhat bulbous, but who really looks at your fingertips THAT

closely.

It began when I was about 7 with one nail. It took over 20 years for all five

of them to eventually go funky. I have lived with them this way now for over 20

years. I spend over an hour every week 'sculpting' them or at least

camouflaging them as best I can. I have the same thing on my toes--all ten of

them--but they don't get seen very often. Hideous beasts are kept outta sight,

so I don't fuss much with them.

My regime consists of gently filing down the ridges to smooth them out a little.

(If you're too vigorous, you'll make them too weak and thin.) I scrape back the

cuticle growth, which is nearly triple that of my 'good' hand. I keep them

short, but not abnormal short. If they've become too 'wavy' or misshapen, I put

a fake nail on. This sometimes helps in training the new nail growth to lay a

little flatter. A temporary measure at best. I also super glue the nails to the

nail bed for the ones that are not connected except at the cuticle. I've yanked

them completely backwards, by accident, way too many times. I don't cut them

down to the cuticle because I've found that does not facilitate normal growth.

It has never done anything beneficial for me.

As for super gluing the nails to the nail bed, I can't advocate this as a

solution because some people may have a reaction to it. But within a week, the

glue has pretty much dissolved and been washed away with normal day-to-day

living. I haven't had a problem--not once. But then it's not hard to get in

there and keep them clean when they aren't connected anyway. I guess I'm trying

to say that residual glue isn't a problem for me. I clean them out and re-glue

every week.

I just do what I can to make myself content that they don't bring undo

attention. Without polish they are perfectly ugly from a noticeable distance.

I haven't gone without polish for over 2 decades. If I were a man, I'd probably

buy the fake nails that look look like real nails, or paint them to resemble at

least the correct color. As it is, I keep them a nondescript color similar to

the color they should be.

Up close, they still don't look normal. But it is a 100% improvement for

leaving them natural.

The only person that has ever seen my nails naked and in their full glory is my

daughter, one time, and that was only after she begged me. " Doing " my nails is

a private thing. Even I look at them with a yuck factor, but then I wiggle my

fingers and think, " Thank God you guys are okay! " : )

[Guest guest]

Deb...you are a brave one with a grand attitude of gratitude. Good goin'

gal! -Betz

>

> On my 'bad' hand, my thumbnail and little nail have grown thick and

are unnaturally out from my finger. I have one nail which is about 50%

separated and two nails which are 100% separated down to the cuticle. My

fingertips are described as somewhat bulbous, but who really looks at

your fingertips THAT closely.

>

> It began when I was about 7 with one nail. It took over 20 years for

all five of them to eventually go funky. I have lived with them this way

now for over 20 years. I spend over an hour every week 'sculpting' them

or at least camouflaging them as best I can. I have the same thing on my

toes--all ten of them--but they don't get seen very often. Hideous

beasts are kept outta sight, so I don't fuss much with them.

>

> My regime consists of gently filing down the ridges to smooth them out

a little. (If you're too vigorous, you'll make them too weak and thin.)

I scrape back the cuticle growth, which is nearly triple that of my

'good' hand. I keep them short, but not abnormal short. If they've

become too 'wavy' or misshapen, I put a fake nail on. This sometimes

helps in training the new nail growth to lay a little flatter. A

temporary measure at best. I also super glue the nails to the nail bed

for the ones that are not connected except at the cuticle. I've yanked

them completely backwards, by accident, way too many times. I don't cut

them down to the cuticle because I've found that does not facilitate

normal growth. It has never done anything beneficial for me.

>

> As for super gluing the nails to the nail bed, I can't advocate this

as a solution because some people may have a reaction to it. But within

a week, the glue has pretty much dissolved and been washed away with

normal day-to-day living. I haven't had a problem--not once. But then

it's not hard to get in there and keep them clean when they aren't

connected anyway. I guess I'm trying to say that residual glue isn't a

problem for me. I clean them out and re-glue every week.

>

> I just do what I can to make myself content that they don't bring undo

attention. Without polish they are perfectly ugly from a noticeable

distance. I haven't gone without polish for over 2 decades. If I were a

man, I'd probably buy the fake nails that look look like real nails, or

paint them to resemble at least the correct color. As it is, I keep them

a nondescript color similar to the color they should be.

>

> Up close, they still don't look normal. But it is a 100% improvement

for leaving them natural.

>

> The only person that has ever seen my nails naked and in their full

glory is my daughter, one time, and that was only after she begged me.

" Doing " my nails is a private thing. Even I look at them with a yuck

factor, but then I wiggle my fingers and think, " Thank God you guys are

okay! " : )

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I've never read an account of PA nails that came closer to my own experience and

was full

of some very good tips. When I was little, my grandmother used to scold me for

biting

my nails, saying " You're going to run the shape of your fingernails! " For

years, I assumed

that was exactly what had happened. Lo and behold -- on this forum -- I learn

otherwise.

>

> On my 'bad' hand, my thumbnail and little nail have grown thick and are

unnaturally out

from my finger. I have one nail which is about 50% separated and two nails

which are

100% separated down to the cuticle. My fingertips are described as somewhat

bulbous,

but who really looks at your fingertips THAT closely.

>

> It began when I was about 7 with one nail. It took over 20 years for all five

of them to

eventually go funky. I have lived with them this way now for over 20 years. I

spend over

an hour every week 'sculpting' them or at least camouflaging them as best I can.

I have

the same thing on my toes--all ten of them--but they don't get seen very often.

Hideous

beasts are kept outta sight, so I don't fuss much with them.

>

> My regime consists of gently filing down the ridges to smooth them out a

little. (If

you're too vigorous, you'll make them too weak and thin.) I scrape back the

cuticle

growth, which is nearly triple that of my 'good' hand. I keep them short, but

not abnormal

short. If they've become too 'wavy' or misshapen, I put a fake nail on. This

sometimes

helps in training the new nail growth to lay a little flatter. A temporary

measure at best. I

also super glue the nails to the nail bed for the ones that are not connected

except at the

cuticle. I've yanked them completely backwards, by accident, way too many

times. I don't

cut them down to the cuticle because I've found that does not facilitate normal

growth. It

has never done anything beneficial for me.

>

> As for super gluing the nails to the nail bed, I can't advocate this as a

solution because

some people may have a reaction to it. But within a week, the glue has pretty

much

dissolved and been washed away with normal day-to-day living. I haven't had a

problem--not once. But then it's not hard to get in there and keep them clean

when they

aren't connected anyway. I guess I'm trying to say that residual glue isn't a

problem for

me. I clean them out and re-glue every week.

>

> I just do what I can to make myself content that they don't bring undo

attention.

Without polish they are perfectly ugly from a noticeable distance. I haven't

gone without

polish for over 2 decades. If I were a man, I'd probably buy the fake nails

that look look

like real nails, or paint them to resemble at least the correct color. As it

is, I keep them a

nondescript color similar to the color they should be.

>

> Up close, they still don't look normal. But it is a 100% improvement for

leaving them

natural.

>

> The only person that has ever seen my nails naked and in their full glory is

my daughter,

one time, and that was only after she begged me. " Doing " my nails is a private

thing.

Even I look at them with a yuck factor, but then I wiggle my fingers and think,

" Thank God

you guys are okay! " : )

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I wonder how many of us with hand/foot/nail psoriasis were nail biters

since infancy? <Raising hand- me! me!> I suspect my Dad also had P

although it was never called such, only " dry skin " and he also was a

nail biter. I always tried to explain to my mother and sisters that

if my nail were hard like theirs I wouldn't " pick " at them all the

time. They insisted it was the other way 'round, but I knew they were

wrong. My mother said I was biting my nails before I could talk.

Speak up, hand people - why was or is a nail biter?

sherry z

[Editor's Note: I was NOT a nail biter but still have the nail involvement.

For those who were nail biters, I doubt you bit your toenails but perhaps

they're not so good either. I don't believe there is a correlation between nail

biting and nail psoriasis. Kathy F. ]

>

> I've never read an account of PA nails that came closer to my own

experience and was full

> of some very good tips. When I was little, my grandmother used to

scold me for biting

> my nails, saying " You're going to run the shape of your

fingernails! " For years, I assumed

> that was exactly what had happened. Lo and behold -- on this forum -

- I learn otherwise.

[Guest guest]

I was not a nail biter and I do not have nail problems now (except ridges on the

nails, and they break easily if hit by something).

" S. Zorzi " <szorzi_1999@...> wrote:

I wonder how many of us with hand/foot/nail psoriasis were nail biters

since infancy? <Raising hand- me! me!> I suspect my Dad also had P

although it was never called such, only " dry skin " and he also was a

nail biter. I always tried to explain to my mother and sisters that

if my nail were hard like theirs I wouldn't " pick " at them all the

time. They insisted it was the other way 'round, but I knew they were

wrong. My mother said I was biting my nails before I could talk.

Speak up, hand people - why was or is a nail biter?

sherry z

[Editor's Note: I was NOT a nail biter but still have the nail involvement. For

those who were nail biters, I doubt you bit your toenails but perhaps they're

not so good either. I don't believe there is a correlation between nail biting

and nail psoriasis. Kathy F. ]

>

> I've never read an account of PA nails that came closer to my own

experience and was full

> of some very good tips. When I was little, my grandmother used to

scold me for biting

> my nails, saying " You're going to run the shape of your

fingernails! " For years, I assumed

> that was exactly what had happened. Lo and behold -- on this forum -

- I learn otherwise.

---------------------------------

Groups are talking. We & acute;re listening. Check out the handy changes to

Groups.

[Guest guest]

> >

> > I've never read an account of PA nails that came closer to my own

> experience and was full

> > of some very good tips. When I was little, my grandmother used

to

> scold me for biting

> > my nails, saying " You're going to run the shape of your

> fingernails! " For years, I assumed

> > that was exactly what had happened. Lo and behold -- on this

forum -

> - I learn otherwise.

I have psoriasis all under my toenails which make the toes hurt. I

end up cutting them so low until some toes end up with no nail on

it. My fingernails are also pitted on some of them. I have been

wearing nail wraps on them and do not know what they look like now

underneath. And no, I never bit my nails.

Janet in NY

>

[Guest guest]

Kathy - the only barely possible connection I'm wondering about is if

the flaky, thin, brittle, peeling, pitted nail and flaky, peeling nail

margin that some P sufferers have might have been with me even from an

early age? Which made me constantly worry with them, even as a very

young child.

BTW, I quit biting my nails when I was 30. I had really nice nails

from then until this stuff started up now. Still don't bite them, but

they are breaking, peeling, etc. Plus with the ridges and pits, they

don't look so hot.

sherry z

[Editor's Note: Ah, Sherry, yes, I see what you were getting at now (sorry I

was dense before). Yes, the nail biting could have been BECAUSE of the PA rather

than the nail PA being the result of the nail biting. It makes perfect sense.

I guess those of us with PA shouldn't expect to have careers as hand or foot

models, LOL. Kathy F.]

>

> [Editor's Note: I was NOT a nail biter but still have the nail

involvement. For those who were nail biters, I doubt you bit your

toenails but perhaps they're not so good either. I don't believe

there is a correlation between nail biting and nail psoriasis. Kathy

[Guest guest]

Sherry,

How did you stop biting when you were 30?

Raising hand as nail biter,

Jody

" S. Zorzi " <szorzi_1999@...> wrote:

BTW, I quit biting my nails when I was 30.

[Guest guest]

Jody -the miracle of acrylic nails! I got them put on weekly at first

because they kept popping off because there was hardly anything to

glue them to. The technician called them M & Ms cause they were just

short round blobs at first. After a while my nailbeds elongated and

my nails got stronger. Then I switched to just having a manicure and

polish every week. It was a stretch financially, but worth everything

I had to give up to afford it. (I was a teacher at the time.)

I'm wondering if I had a touch of P nails all along through my youth

though. Since my hands started peeling 3 years ago, my nailbeds have

been shrinking - and I'm not biting my nails!!!

Actually, I made a typo - I was 38, not 30.

sherry z

>

> BTW, I quit biting my nails when I was 30.

>

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I never was what one would call a nail bitter , however, I did have the

pitting, and ugly nails. My nails would grow so strong and long but come loose

from the nail bed so here I was with long strong nails just barly hanging on to

the nail bed. So being young I figured that if I just cut my nails off to where

they were hanging on then they would soon attach to the nail bed. WRONG !

There I would be without hardly any nails at all and boy did my fingers hurt.

Took many years not to cut the nails and sides of nails off that were not

attached. I have been on Enbrel for three years now and I have beautiful nails.

There are no more pitting, ridges, and the only problem is my nails grows out so

long and so hard nails. I have always kept my nails polished to hide the

psoriasis . Even when my nails were long but so pitted I always had people tell

me how beautiful my nails looked. Good cover up huh? Even little girls and

teenagers have always remarked about my

beautiful long nails and I always think inside my self wonder what they would

think if they saw my nails naked psoriasis and all. With the Enbrel my nails

are normal now and all grown to the nail bed right. Still get them polished all

the time and still get so many compliments over them being so long. On the

other hand my hair on my scalp grows very slow. What takes one person 2 months

to grow some inches mine is still at that same point. I will not complain

because I do have some hair thin and all but do have hair but wish my hair would

grow as fast as my nails. Blessings, Zoella