Terry's nails is a physical condition in which a person's fingernails or toenails
[Freedberg, et al. (2003). ''Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine''. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. .] appear white with a characteristic "ground glass" appearance without any
lunula.
The condition is thought to be due to a decrease in vascularity and an increase in connective tissue within the nail bed;
the darker shade of the distal portion of the nail fades upon pressure, which differentiates Terry's nails from
Lindsay's nails. It frequently occurs in the setting of
liver failure,
cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue repai ...
,
diabetes mellitus
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
,
congestive heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
,
hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the condition that occurs due to excessive production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Thyrotoxicosis is the condition that occurs due to excessive thyroid hormone of any cause and therefore includes hyperthyroidism ...
, or
malnutrition
Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...
. Eighty percent of patients with severe liver disease have Terry's nails, but they are also found in people with kidney failure, in patients with congestive heart failure
and are described as a brown arc near the ends of the nails. The recognition of characteristic nail patterns, such as Terry's nails, may be a helpful herald for early diagnosis of systemic diseases.
This finding was named for Richard Terry.
See also
*
List of cutaneous conditions
Many skin conditions affect the human integumentary system—the organ system covering the entire surface of the body and composed of skin, hair, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this system is as a barrier against t ...
References
Conditions of the skin appendages
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