Tips to diagnose uncommon nail disorders

Abstract

This article reviews 6 nail disorders that, although easy to diagnose, are misdiagnosed frequently by dermatologists and general practitioners. Diagnostic clues are emphasized to familiarize readers with features that indicate the correct diagnosis. We focus on two common tumors (onychomatricoma and onychopapilloma), two rare genetic conditions that can be diagnosed owing to nail changes (Darier disease and nail patella syndrome), and two uncommon acquired disorders (the yellow nail syndrome and lichen striatus).