The evaluation of nail heath conditions with skin ultrasound.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Skin ultrasound is a non-invasive technique widely used in the dermatological fields. Previous studies have indicated that ultrasound was able to measure nails depth. The use of ultrasound is particularly appropriate for the study of nail morphology because of the differences in tissue density. The objective of this present study was to understand the characteristics and changes of adult nail texture associated with mild irritation. METHODS: The skin ultrasound measurement and clinical grading scales were used to evaluate nail texture and other important objective parameters relating to nail health in subjects with and without mild irritant hand eczema (IHE). RESULTS: There was no difference in the objective parameters between the left and right hands of subjects within each group (P > 0.05). There were significant differences between the groups for the objective parameters (P < 0.05), and the left hand was more obviously damaged than the right one. CONCLUSIONS: The surface texture of nails with IHE was different from the normal group. The nails of the IHE group were much more uneven and thicker, although there was no noticeable change in density.