Posts Tagged ‘hereditary disorder’

Koilonychia

Koilonychia is a hereditary disorder that affects the fingernails. The nails start to get thinner and end up lifting at the outer edges, a condition more commonly known as spoon nails. This is caused by the poor absorption of iron into the bloodstream, also known as anemia.

What Causes Koilonychia?

The following are common causes of Koilonychia:

• Poor circulation
• Poor Thyroid Function
• Muscle Skinning Condition
• Universal Lupus
• Hemochromatosis
• Patella Syndrome
• Reynaud’s Syndrome,
• Erythematosus
• Poor health
• Iron deficiency
• Overuse of soaps and oils
• Glossitis
• Cheilosis
• Pica
• Undernourishment

Symptoms and Solutions

Koilonychia is a symptom of anemia and/or iron deficiency. It needs to be caught quickly once the visual symptoms have shown. Granted, spoon nails can also be caused by worrying the edge of the nail, causing them to detach from the nail bed and curl up. However there are many ways that Koilonychia can be prevented.

• Wear protective covering on your hands while washing dishes or immersing your hands in liquid for a long period of time.
• Don’t bite your nails as this can cause irritation and inflammation to the nail bed
• Obtain proper nourishment whenever possible
• Take vitamin supplements
• Work with your doctor to identify the cause of your anemia and supplement your diet accordingly.
• Don’t eat or drink things that cause your system to shed iron, for instance, caffeinated beverages slow down iron absorption.
• Take vitamin C and Iron supplements to increase healthy nail growing capacity.

Treatment usually consists of taking an iron supplement once or twice a day, and/or increasing the iron rich foods in the affected patient’s diet. The intestinal system may or may not allow the full absorption of the increased iron dosage, depending on the person.