Nail Fungal Infection (onychomycosis)

Fungal infection of the nails is known as "onychomycosis". It is increasingly common with increased age. It rarely affects children. Tinea unguium may affect one or more toenails and/or fingernails and most often involves the great toenail or the little toenail. It can present in one or several different patterns:

• Lateral onychomycosis. A white or yellow opaque streak appears at one side of the nail.
• Subungual hyperkeratosis. Scaling occurs under the nail.
• Distal onycholysis. The end of the nail lifts up. The free edge often crumbles.
• Superficial white onychomycosis. Flakey white patches and pits appear on the top of the nail plate.
• Proximal onychomycosis. Yellow spots appear in the half-moon.

Nevi

(see moles)

NickEL Allergy

Contact allergic dermatitis to nickel may develop at any age. Once this nickel allergy has occurred, it persists for many years, often life-long. Nickel allergy is more common in women, probably because they are more likely to have pierced ears than men, although this is changing. The degree of allergy varies. Some people develop dermatitis (also called eczema) from even brief contact with nickel-containing items, while others break out only after many years of skin contact with nickel. Some people develop intermittent or persistent eczema on their hands and feet. It is usually a blistering type of eczema, known as pompholyx. Sometimes it is due to contact with metal items containing nickel, but often there is no obvious reason for it.

Nummular Eczema

Nummular dermatitis, also known as discoid eczema, is a skin condition which can occur at any age. It can affect any part of the body particularly the lower leg. One or many patches appear, and may persist for weeks or months. The majority of patches are round or oval, hence the name "discoid" or "nummular" dermatitis, which means coin or disc-shaped dermatitis. They can be several centimeters across, or as small as two millimeters. The skin between the patches is usually normal, but may be dry and irritable. Discoid eczema may be extremely itchy, or scarcely noticeable. When the patches clear, they may leave marks for some weeks of months, which are darker or sometimes paler than the normal skin tone. In most cases no specific allergy can be found. Discoid eczema does not run in families, and unlike atopic dermatitis, it is not associated with asthma. It does not result from food allergy. It is not infectious to other people, although bacteria sometimes secondarily infect it.