Cosmetology Learning Module 10 – 12’
Nail Disorders & Diseases
Upon completion of this Cosmetology Learning Module the student will be able
to list and describe the various disorders and irregularities of nails; recognize diseases
of the nails that should not be treated in the salon; with 80% accuracy, using the time
necessary for the individual student's own learning pace. A test will be given upon
completion of this module.
National Skill Standards:
 Conducting services in a safe environment and taking measures to prevent the
spread of infectious and contagious diseases.
To be completed:
1. Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology, Chapter 10, and PP-204 - 217.
2. Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology, Chapter 10, Review Questions
PP 216, # 1 – 8.
3. Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology Theory Workbook, Chapter 10,
PP 107 – 112.
4. Science Learning Module 1.3 - Describe the structure and composition of
nails
5. Flashcards of diseases and disorders on front side, and with definitions on the
reverse side (may use if flashcard app is installed)
6. Information Sheet # 1 - Nail Disorders/Irregularities.
7. Information Sheet # 2 - Nail Diseases.
8. Information Sheet # 3 - Memory Hints.
9. Worksheet # 1 – Disorders of the Nail
10. Worksheet # 2 – Diseases of the Nail
11. Complete an outline
12. State Board Exam Review # 10.
Research not optional
[Remember you must complete one (1) research project per marking period].
13. Write a research paper on the importance of having a working knowledge of
nail anatomy and diagnosing diseases and disorders. Include how a
manicurist/cosmetologist might transmit diseases and disorders without this
working knowledge – to both themselves and others . The paper must be
double-spaced, typed or printed (not cursive) neatly. You must have at least
three (3) sources and include a list of your sources, in bibliography format.
Science Learning Module 1.3
Describe the structure and composition of nails
Upon completion of this Science Learning Module the student will be able to
describe the structure and composition of nails, with 90% accuracy, using the time
necessary for the individual student's own learning pace.
To be completed:
1. The Nail and its Disorders Video (Tape 13) and worksheet.
Must complete one (1) of the following projects:
2. Make a poster depicting five (5) nail disorders. The poster must be label what
the disorder is and whether it is treatable in a salon. The poster must be at
least 11 x 13 ", encompassing 90% of the paper.
3. Make a poster concerning safety and sanitation against the spread of nail
diseases within the salon. The poster must be at least 11 x 13 ", encompassing
90% of the paper.
4. Make a brochure to be handed out to the clients to enable them to take better
care of their hands. Include a diagram of the nail and its parts, explaining
proper at home hand and nail care maintenance for the prevention of diseases
and disorders.
Cosmetology
Science Learning Module 1.3
Name
Worksheet #1
The Nail and its Disorders Video
1. As a nail technician you want to work on nails that are
.
2.
is the technical term for the nail.
3. What are the three-(3) main parts of the nail and define.
a.
b.
c.
4. What is the nail matrix?
5. What is the technical term for half moons?
6. What creates the half moon?
7. Where is the eponychium located?
8. Where is the hyponychium located?
9. What influences the growth of the nail?
a.
b.
c.
Page 1 of 3
page 2 of 3
10. How much does the nail grow in a month?
11. How many months does it take for a nail to replenish itself?
12.
is the technical term for white spots.
13.
is the overgrowth in the thickness of the nail.
14.
is the wasting away of the nail.
15. Pterygium is:
16. What is onychophagy?
17. Onychorrhexis is:
18. What must be applied immediately after a cut?
19. What constitutes a nail disease?
a.
b.
c.
d.
20. Onychomychosis or Tinea Ungium is :
21. In order to keep athlete’s foot from becoming chronic the client must keep the foot:
a.
b.
c.
page 3 of 3
22.
is an infectious and inflammatory condition
of the tissue around the nail.
23.
is an inflammation of the nail matrix. It is caused
by
.
24.
is an ingrown nail.
25.
is the loosening of the nail.
26.
is the swelling of the nail.
27.
is an enlarged and increased curvature of the nails.
Cosmetology
Cosmetology Learning Module 10 – 12’
Information Sheet #1
page 1 of 5
NAIL DISORDERS/IRREGULARITIES
1. Onychophagy - Bitten nails. Chew the nail or the hardened damaged skin
surrounding the nail plate. Most common form of deformed nails.
Cause:
Nervous habit.
Prognosis:
Condition will subside if nail biting is stopped. If habit is
continued, risk of infection of cuticle from mouth bacteria or
disease from bacteria on nails.
Treatment:
Frequent manicures and care of the hardened eponychium Cut
nails and cuticles short. Keep nails polished with a dark
shade, along with frequent manicures.
2. Hangnails - Agnails. Small skin tears or nail splits living skin can bleed, be painful,
and raw.
Cause:
Dryness or injury, improper manicure techniques, cutting cuticle
too close to the nail.
Prognosis:
Small areas can rebuild skin itself. Large areas may require
treatment and time for correction.
Treatment:
To avoid infection, small areas should be treated with an antiseptic
solution. If large area, painful, bleeding, and raw refer to a
physician. Hot oil manicures treatment will help solve the
dryness. Keeping cuticles trimmed neatly will also help prevent.
3. Seleronychia - Corrugations or wavy ridges. Some lengthwise ridges
are normal in adults, and they increase with age.
Cause:
Age, heart disease, pregnancy, emotional shock, or some acute
infections, minor injury to the nails.
1. Wavy horizontal lines - uneven growth of nails, high fevers,
measles in childhood, or zinc deficiency in body.
2. Furrows or Depressions - Stems from systematic origin
(illness)or injuries to the cells near the nail matrix.
3. Lengthwise, Longitudinal, Transverse Furrows - Develop due to
an injury or growth at the base of the nail, poor circulation,
psoriasis and frostbite.
Prognosis:
Usually grows out normally in three (3) months.
Treatment:
Carefully buff the nail plate to minimize appearance of ridges.
Apply ridge filler and cover with colored polish. Avoid using
metal cuticle pusher. Use plastic pusher. Sometimes drinking one
(1) envelope of gelatin mixed with fruit juice each day. Buffing
with pumice powder may help, but not completely smooth
corrugations. Advise to see a physician for the underlying cause of
the nail condition.
Page 2 of 5
4. Onychauxis Cause:
Prognosis:
Treatment:
5. Leukonychia Cause:
Prognosis:
Treatment:
Hypertrophy, is an overgrowth in the thickness or depth of the nail
plate.
Injury or internal imbalance, local infection, heredity or from
minor injury to the nail. Can also be hereditary.
Client should be advised to see a physician for prognosis.
If infection is not present, manicurist may file nails smooth and
buff nails with pumice powder. Advise client to see physician
White spots in nail plate.
Heredity or minor injury to the nail matrix, or bruises.
Spots will disappear as nail grows out.
None
6. Onychatrophia - Atrophy or wasting away of the nail plate. The nail loses
sheen/luster; the plate becomes smaller and may separate from the
nail bed.
Cause:
Injury to matrix or internal disease
Prognosis:
Nail regeneration depends on extent of injury or illness of client.
If internal disease is cured nail may regenerate itself.
Treatment:
Use only fine emery board. DO NOT use a metal cuticle pusher
or file during manicure! Advise client to avoid highly alkaline
soaps and detergents.
7. Onychorrhexis - Split or abnormal brittle nails. Includes striation (lines)
longitudinal (lengthwise) ridges parallel to each other, giving a
rough appearance.
Cause:
Heredity and in some cases, from use of permanent type polishes
or strong solvents for removing nail polishes, excessive use of
cuticle removers, harsh cleaning agents, along with aggressive
filing or vitamin deficiencies. Injury may also cause
splitting.
Prognosis:
If nail is allowed to continue to split infections could occur and
Physician’s treatment would become necessary. These nails often
lack sufficient moisture
Treatment:
Services can be rendered only if not split below free edge. Daily
treatments with a high quality, penetrating nail oil. Hot oil
manicures, discontinuing of use harsh soaps, detergents, and polish
removers, and practice proper filing techniques with client.
page 3 of 5
8. Pterygium Cause:
Prognosis:
Treatment:
Abnormal condition when skin is stretched by the nail plate.
Forward growth of eponychium cuticle on the nail
Serious injury, adverse skin reaction to chemical products,
circulatory problems, or never pushing cuticle back.
If not treated will grow to the free edge.
Do not treat nail Pterygium by pushing the extension of the skin
back with an instrument. Gently massage conditioning oils or
creams into the affected area. Hot oil manicures will be beneficial.
If painful or signs infection – refer to a physician.
9. Blue Nails - Bluish in color not healthy pinkish color.
Cause:
Heart problems, or other circulatory problems (blood flow), or
topical and oral medications.
Prognosis:
Referred to a physician about internal cause/systemic disorder.
Treatment:
Referred to a physician, may receive regular manicures.
10. Bruised nails - Dark spots caused by dried blood/blood clot underneath nail plate.
Cause:
Injury to the nail.
Prognosis:
New growth will depend on the extent and nature of the injury.
Treatment:
None – Avoid pressure
11. Eggshell Nail – Noticeably thin, white nail plates and curved over the free edge and
more flexible than normal.
Cause:
Improper diet, hereditary factors, internal disease, medication.
Prognosis:
Very fragile and can break very easily.
Treatment:
Use fine side of emery board to file gently and do not use pressure
with a metal pusher at the base of the nail.
12. Nevus - A black or brown stain on the nail.
Cause:
A pigmented mole that occurs in the nail.
Prognosis:
None
Treatment:
Colored nail polish or artificial nail service.
13. Discolored Nails - Is a condition in which the nails turn a variety of colors, including
yellow, blue, blue-gray, green, red, and purple.
Cause:
Poor circulation, a heart condition, or topical or oral medications.
It may also indicate the presence of a systemic disorder.
Prognosis:
Depends upon the origin of the cause.
Treatment:
Artificial tips or wraps or an application of colored polish can hide
this condition.
page 4 of 5
14. Melanonychia – Darkening of the fingernails or toenails. Black band within nail
plate, extending from base to free edge.
Cause:
Localized area of increased pigment cells.
Prognosis:
Fairly common occurrence and considered abnormal in African
Americans could be indicative of disease condition in Caucasians
Treatment:
None –
15. Plicatured Nail – “folded nail” - Surface of nail is generally flat while edges of plate
are folded at an angle of 90 degrees or more down into the softtissue nail margins.
Cause:
Injury that deforms the matrix bed, but may inherited
Prognosis:
Could develop into ingrown nails
Treatment:
None
16. Tile-shaped Nails – An increased crosswise curvature throughout the nail plate.
Cause:
Increased curvature of the matrix bed itself.
Prognosis:
None
Treatment:
None
17. Trumpet/Pincer Nail – Edges of the nail plate curl around d to form the shape of a
trumpet or cone at the edge.
Cause:
Increased curvature of the matrix bed itself.
Prognosis:
Nail bed may become restricted and become painful
Treatment:
Natural nail plate should be carefully trimmed and filed to make
client comfortable. Extreme or unusual cases should be referred to
a qualified medical doctor.
18. Beau’s Lines – Visible depressions running across the width of the nail plate.
Cause:
Matrix slows down in producing nail cells for an extended period
of time. Major illness or injury that traumatized the body, adverse
drug reaction, surgery, heart failure, massive injury, and high
fever.
Prognosis:
Nail plate thickness usually to normal after illness or condition is
resolved.
Treatment:
None
page 5 of 5
19. Fungi –
Cause:
Prognosis:
Treatment:
Parasites which may cause infection of the feet and hands
Parasites, contagious and spread through unsanitary implements,
grow where skin is warm, moist and dark.
with medical treatment will grow out
Refer to a physician
20. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa – discolorations of the nail plate which is a bacterial
infection
Cause:
Naturally occurring skin bacteria can grow out of control and an
infection if conditions are correct for growth, use of contaminated
implements with large numbers of bacteria
Prognosis:
Will grow out with treatment
Treatment:
Refer to a physician
Cosmetology
Cosmetology Learning Module 10 – 12’
Information Sheet #2
page 1 of 3
NAIL DISEASES
1. Onychosis - Technical term for any nail disease.
2. Onychomychosis/Tinea Ungium - Ringworm of the nails - Infectious disease three
(3) forms:
1. Whitish patches that can be scraped off the surface.
2. Long yellowish streaks within the nail substance, invades free
edge and spreads toward root, infected portion is thick and
discolored.
3. Deeper layers are invaded causing superficial layers to appear
irregularly thin, infected layers peel off and expose diseased
parts of nail bed.
Cause:
Vegetable parasite
Prognosis:
If not treated by physician nail could fall off an infection could
occur with damage to nail matrix resulting. Highly contagious.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
3. Tinea - Ringworm of the hands, Red lesions occurring as patches or rings over the
hands, itching may be slight or severe
Cause:
Vegetable parasite (fungus)
Prognosis:
Must be treated by a physician immediately, highly contagious.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
4. Tinea Pedis - Ringworm of the feet - Athlete's foot - In acute conditions deep, itchy,
colorless vesicles (blisters) appear singly or in-groups. Spread
over sole, between toes and sometimes infecting the nail. When
vesicle ruptures the skin becomes red, and oozes. Lesions dry as
they heal.
Cause:
Vegetable parasite (fungus)
Prognosis:
Fungus infection of the feet is likely to become chronic.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician, wash feet every day and dry them completely,
wear cotton socks, change them twice a day, and wear different
shoes each day, over the counter antifungal powders – may speed
healing
page 2 of 3
5. Paronychia or Felon - Infectious and inflammatory condition of tissues surrounding
the nail. Gradual thickening and brownish discoloration of the nail
plate, redness, swelling and tenderness of the tissue surrounding
the nail.
Cause:
Yeast infection of the soft tissue traced to a bacterial infection, use
of unsanitary implements or by aggressive pushing or cutting of
the cuticle.
Prognosis:
Causes damage to the nail plate.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician, use moisturizing hand lotions to keep skin
healthy and feet clean and dry
6. Onychia - Inflammation of the nail matrix, accompanied by pus formation. Tissue at
nail base may be red and swollen.
Cause:
Improper sanitation of nail implements and bacterial infection.
Prognosis:
If not treated immediately by a physician, severe damage could
occur.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
7. Onychocryptosis - Ingrown nails - the nail grows into the sides of the flesh.
Cause:
Filing nails too much in corners, failing to correct hangnails, or ill
fitting shoes.
Prognosis:
Infection could occur
Treatment:
If no infection is present - round corners to relieve pressure on the
nail groove. If infection is present refer to a physician.
8. Onychoptosis - Periodic shedding of one (1) or more nails, either in whole or in part.
Cause:
Might follow certain disease such as syphilis, as a result of fever
and system upsets, as a reaction to prescription drugs or as a result
of trauma.
Prognosis:
The nail periodically falls off the finger. Can cause irreversible
damage if not treated.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
9. Onycholysis - The loosening of the nail from the nail bed, without shedding.
Caused:
Internal disorder, physical injury, trauma, allergic reaction of the
nail bed, infection, or certain drug treatments, natural nails filed
too aggressively, artificial nails improperly removed
Prognosis:
Can occur in either hands or feet.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician, nail plate should be kept short, underneath
nail plate kept clean and dry
page 3 of 3
10. Onychophyma - Swelling of the nails.
Cause:
Internal imbalance, local infection or heredity.
Prognosis:
Can occur on either hands or feet.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
11. Onychophosis - Refers to a growth of the horny epithelium in the nail bed.
Cause:
Prognosis:
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
12. Onychogryposis - Enlarged and increased curvature of the nail “Ram’s horn nail”.
Cause:
Injury to the matrix, long term neglect or hereditary
Prognosis:
Results in inflammation and pain if the nail grows into the skin.
Treatment:
Trim across the nail plate at the groove. Refer to a physician.
13. Onychomadesis – Separation and falling off of a nail from the nail bed.
Cause:
Localized infection, minor injuries to the matrix, or severe
systemic illness, chemotherapy or X-ray treatments for cancer..
Prognosis:
Nails may fall off and infection could occur.
Treatment:
Do not apply enhancements. If no active infection, basic manicure
may be given.
14. Pyogenic granuloma – Severe inflammation of the nail in which a lump of red tissue
grows up from the nail bed.
Cause:
Prognosis:
Loss of nail completely.
Treatment:
Refer to a physician.
15. Nail Psoriasis -
Cause:
Prognosis:
Treatment:
tiny pits or severe roughness on the surface of the nail plate –
sometimes occur randomly, sometimes appear in evenly spaced
rows – nail plate looks as if filed with coarse abrasive
Skin psoriasis, - affects the nail bed, causing to develop a
yellowish to reddish spots underneath nail plate – salmon patches
Develop Onycholysis
Refer to a physician.
Cosmetology
Cosmetology Learning Module 10 – 12’
Information Sheet # 3
Page 1 of 2
MEMORY HINTS
Disorders:
1. Onychophagy - Chopping or biting
2. Hangnails - Pieces of skin hanging beside the nail.
3. Seleronychia - Celery has ridges.
a. Longitudinal - vertical
b. Transverse - across country
4. Leukonychia - white - leukemia: white blood cells
5. Onychauxis - Hypertrophy - over
6. Onychatrophia - Wasting away, 2 "A's"
7. Onychorrhexis - Ax/split
8. Pterygium - Gyms have seats surrounding walls that pull forward toward floor.
9. Blue Nails - Blue in color
10. Bruised Nails - Bruised
11. Eggshell Nails - Eggs are curved and white
12. Nevus - Nighttime is dark or black out
13. Discolored Nails - Discolored
14. Melanonychia – Melanocytes - pigment
15. Plicatured Nails 16. Tile-shaped Nail –
17. Trumpet/Pincer Nail – Looks like a trumpet horn or as if the nail has been “pinched.”
18. Beau’s Lines
19. Fungi –
20. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa -
page 2 of 2
Diseases:
1. Onychosis 2. Onychomychosis - Ringworm of the nail " o' my, I have ringworm!"
3. Tinea - Ringworm of the hands - You hold a tin can in your hand
4. Tinea Pedis - Ringworm of the feet - Athlete's feet - round blisters (Pedis = pedicure
= feet)
5. Paronychia or Felon - Felons get paranoid when surrounded
6. Onychia 7. Onychocryptosis - ingrown nail - painful so you cry
8. Onychoptosis - Shedding of nails (hop to - from nail bed)
9. Onycholysis - loosening of the nail from the nail bed
10. Onychophyma - swelling - ma's swell when pregnant
11. Onychophosis 12. Onychogryposis - increased curvature of the nail - grips finger tip
13. Onychomadesis –
14. Pyogenic granuloma – red lump – pyrotechnics – fire = red
15. Nail Psoriasis -