Health

Will lifting nails damaged by formaldehyde repair themselves?

July 26, 2011 | Bookmark +

I saw a client who damaged her nails with nail hardener containing formaldehyde and all her nails have lifted from the nail bed — some worse than others. Will they repair themselves over time?

Answer

You are describing formaldehyde-induced onycholysis (separation of the nail plate from the nail bed).  Once separation occurs there is a warm, moist space beneath the nail plate where things like yeast, bacteria, and fungus like to grow. It is important to keep the nail clipped short and to avoid filing. It is also important to avoid using any nail cosmetics during the healing phase so that the chemicals in the products do not come into contact with the delicate unprotected nail bed that no longer has a firmly attached nail plate to protect it. Your client should wear gloves with any wet work.  

— Dana Stern, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in nails. She works in private practice in New York City.

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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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