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Psoriatic Nail, What Is This? - Dr. Jacoby

By Dr. Richard Jacoby Expert March 31, 2010 - 1:39pm
 
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Dr. Jacoby describes nail psoriasis, a very common condition that occurs when there is rapid cell turnover.

More Videos from Dr. Richard Jacoby 37 videos in this series

Dr. Jacoby:

Psoriatic nail is very common. Psoriasis, a very common skin disease, and there are new medications for that, is a rapid turnover of the epidermal cells in the skin – the top layer of skin. So there’s a rapid turnover. When it happens in the nail it becomes a very flaky-like appearance, almost has an iridescence to it, looks like fungus but it is not necessarily fungus although they can occur together.

In other words, psoriasis pits the nail, allows either a bacteria or a fungus to get in them. So you treat them for what you think it is, like mycosis, and it never goes away and most likely what you have is a psoriatic nail.

Psoriatic nails can go on to be rather systemically problematic. In other words, what I mean by that is it can get into the bone and it can cause psoriatic arthritis, which is a very destructive process on the bone, especially in the toenails.

About Dr. Richard Jacoby, D.P.M.:
Dr. Richard Jacoby, D.P.M., graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his residency at Parkview Hospital, Philadelphia, specializing in foot and ankle surgery. Board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeons, he is currently president of Valley Foot Surgeons in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition, Dr. Jacoby is chairman of the board of Healthcare Networks of America.

Dr. Jacoby has been named the 2010 President of The Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons.

Visit Dr. Jacoby at Valley Foot Surgeons

 
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