TLL- from Singapore asked a question

What could be the cause for nail bed separation and whitish nails? (photo)

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Dr Kevin Chua

Aesthetic

(3 Reviews)

36 answers on DxD

Skin, Hair & Nails

My mum has noticed that some of her nails have been separated from the nail bed, resulting in white appearance of the affected part of the nail. It seems to be spreading as some of the nails on the other hand are also slowly showing the whitish appearance. She has not experienced any pain though. What could be the likely causes of this? Does she need to see a skin specialist? What are some of the treatments available? Thanks in advance!

DOCTOR’S ANSWER (1)

Dr Colin Theng

Dermatologist

(4 Reviews)

Consult Doctor

Hi Lee Ling,

Thank you for your question. The separation of the nail from the nail bed is called onycholysis. There are many causes of onycholysis.

These include trauma, underlying medical problems such as thyroid disorders and psoriasis, certain oral medications and infections such as fungal infection.

If you have noticed that more of the nails are involved, you should consider seeing your doctor or dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis and rule out and underlying cause.