Onychomycosis and Nail Psoriasis

Onychomycosis and Nail Psoriasis
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Differentiation in Presentation and Management of Onychomycosis and Nail Psoriasis
The two nail conditions are Onychomycosis, a very common nail infection, and nail psoriasis, an autoimmune condition. The two nail conditions differ in presentation and how they are managed. Onychomycosis usually starts with the appearance of various white or sometimes yellowish spots under the tips of individual nails (Gupta, 2019). Over time, as the fungal infection tends to go deeper, the nails start to thicken and may appear discolored. On the other hand, psoriasis is a condition that mainly affects individuals over the age of 40, individuals with a family history of psoriasis, and people with psoriatic arthritis.
Differences in presentation
According to Thomas (2021), the presentation of psoriasis entails nails detaching from the nail bed of an individual, a gap is created, and bacteria can easily infect this. The other symptom is yellowing of the nails, and a person may experience pain if there is a buildup under the nails. It may also result in a change in an individual’s nail structure. Due to this, grooves are said to develop under a patient’s nails, which may lead to the crumbling of the nails.
On the other hand, Onychomycosis entails the darkening of the nails’ color, pitting, and sometimes deformation of the nails. Similarly, an individual’s nails with this condition may appear dull, and the nail shape tends to distort progressively (Monod, 2019). The other presentation is a foul odor, and when there is a complication, the nail fungus can be painful and may also result in permanent damage to the nails.
Management of the Two Nail Conditions
Management of psoriasis mainly entails the prescription of corticosteroids. When using corticosteroids in the form of nail polish or cream, the condition can be effectively managed (Rigopoulos et al., 2021). Furthermore, medical injection is the most recommended management option if the condition is serious. Medications such as etane...