Mathews Journal of Dermatology

2474-6894

Previous Issues Volume 7, Issue 1 - 2023

Nails Changes and Disorders in Elderly Libyans

Elfaituri Safa Suleman*

Dermatology Department, Medical faculty, Benghazi University, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

*Corresponding author: Dr. Safa Suleman Elfaituri, Dermatology Department, Medical faculty, Benghazi University, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Email: [email protected].

Received Date: May 02, 2023

Published Date: May 15, 2023

Citation: Elfaituri SS. (2023). Nails Changes and Disorders in Elderly Libyans. Mathews J Dermatol. 7(1):21.

Copyrights: Elfaituri SS. © (2023).

Abstract

Our nails change as we get older. Aging can affect color, contour, surface, thickness, growth rate, chemical composition and histology of the nail unit. Our aim was to study the frequency and spectrum of nail abnormalities in elderly Libyans attended dermatology outpatient clinic. One thousand patients of variable ages were subjected to onychologic study. Elderly patients constituted 13% of the total patients seen. Frequency of nail conditions among elderly was significantly higher (100%) than the other age groups (27%). All the elderly patients have at least one nail change because of ageing. Other conditions caused by infections (60%), trauma (26%), and tumors (3%) or associated with skin (18%) or systemic diseases (12%). The observed senile nail changes were longitudinal ridges (92%), brittle nails (19%), onychauxis (37%), onychocromia (86%), pincer nail (7%) and onychogryphosis (3%). Nail infection were tinea ungums (47%), chronic paronychia (9%) and periungual wart (3%). Though nail disorders are frequently asymptomatic, however they may cause pain and affect daily activities. Understanding the signs and symptoms of the aging nail and the associated diseases is important for better assessment, diagnosis and management of the onychologic disorder in the large and growing senile population.

Keywords: Nails, Old People, Nutritional Problems, Trauma, Infections, Diabetic, Chemotherapy, Breast Cancer.

 


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