The nail is half empty and not connected to the flesh

In daily life, some people have half of their nails empty and not connected to the flesh. This will not only cause great harm to the patient's physical health, but also seriously affect their normal life and work. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the cause of the disease and find scientific and effective treatment methods. This situation is most likely nail bed separation, which requires timely medical treatment to recover as soon as possible.

1. What is nail bed separation?

Onycholysis is actually a very common nail problem, the main manifestation of which is that the fingernails (toenails) separate from the nail bed underneath and no longer fit tightly. It usually starts from the front and spreads slowly toward the roots.

2. Why does nail bed separation occur?

Anyone may have such nail problems. Generally speaking, it is caused by inflammation of the skin in certain parts of the body. A more direct reason is that the nails are in direct contact with irritating substances, external injuries or infections. Statistically, women have a higher incidence rate than men.

There are many reasons, the most common ones are:

1. Repeated injuries or external forces, such as tapping the keyboard with the tip of your fingernails every day.

2. Excessive nail trimming or cleaning, such as cleaning dirt under the nails too hard or overusing nail products.

3. Frequent contact with water.

Other less common causes include:

1. Complications of certain skin diseases, such as psoriasis, recurrent dermatitis or skin blistering diseases.

2. Infection: Infection by mold, bacteria or viruses may cause it.

3. Certain medical diseases: such as amyloid deposition disease, iron deficiency anemia, diabetes, hyperhidrosis, thyroid disease, poor blood circulation, etc.

4. Taking certain medications: such as tetracycline, photosensitizers, contraceptives, certain anti-tumor drugs, etc.

5. In addition, there are a few cases of congenital dermatitis, of unknown cause, or contact dermatitis caused by certain substances.

5. How to treat nail bed separation

Patients must find out the cause and gradually treat and improve the condition based on the cause. For example, if it is caused by a thyroid problem, the thyroid disease should be treated; if it is caused by an infection, antimicrobial drugs should be used. It’s just that the separated part of the nail cannot stick back together on its own, and it has to wait for the new nail to grow out before it has a chance to return to normal. However, nails grow very slowly and it takes at least 4-6 months, and even longer for toenails.

6. How to avoid deterioration

Trim the affected portion of the nail as short as possible. Avoid further injury from external forces and keep dry. Also, avoid contact with nails or surrounding areas with substances that may cause irritation or allergies (such as nail polish, nail polish remover, or detergents). If you need to work with water frequently, remember to wear cotton gloves first, then plastic gloves, to avoid frequent immersion in water.