Health

Why does my natural nail client have red moons?

February 07, 2006 | Bookmark +

I have a natural nail client who has red moons. They used to be healthy and white, but now they are an angry red about halfway up from the cuticles. She hasn’t changed medications or detergent and she isn’t experiencing any discomfort. What could this be?

Answer

Red lunula (moons) are seen in a number of disorders but also can be idiopathic (meaning they occur with no associated disease). Cardiac failure, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, pulmonary disease, and carbon monoxide poisoning are a few of the conditions that may be associated with red lunula. Also, some conditions that affect the nail can have red lunula such as psoriasis or alopecia areata, but usually there are other visible nail changes with those conditions. Your client should have a good physical examination, but if everything checks out normal, she should not worry about this change. — Phoebe Rich, M.D., is an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Oregon Health & Science University and a member and former president of the Council for Nail Disorders.

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What’s the cause of the pinkish-red oval area on the pad of my client’s toes?

I have a client who has a recurring problem with her fourth toes during the winter months. Both of her “ring finger” toes develop a pinkish-red oval area on the pad. Then a month later, when I see her again, the skin has become dry and hard like a callus, with the layers of skin peeling away to reveal a deeper, dark epicenter.  It’s extremely painful for her and, needless to say, we do not touch it. But it clears up in the summer when she’s wearing open-toed sandals, so I suspect it has to be due to the boots she wears in the winter. Plus she never puts lotion on her feet or uses a foot file in between visits. What do you think causes this?

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What are the big white spots on my natural-nail client’s nails?

I have a client who has been with me for about two years. She used to wear acrylic nails but has been a natural nail client for eight months or so. She has these white spots on her nails — big spots that are dry, but not flaky, right in the middle of the nail. I did try to buff them lightly but they do not come off or grow off. I had a new client come in last week who had the same on her toenails. She said it started after she had a pedicure done at another salon. Can you help?

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