Onychomatricoma with Onychomycosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
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Updated: Oct 11, 2026

Clarifying and Imaging Candida albicans Biofilms
Published on: March 6, 2020
Thomas Novoa Gomes Jaeger1, Clarissa Canella2,3, Andreia Pizarro Leverone4
1Department of Dermatology, Instituto de Dermatologia Professor Rubem David Azulay, Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Abstract:
Onychomatricoma is a primary benign neoplasm of the nail matrix. Currently, a limited number of cases have been reported, so it is still considered a rare neoplasia. However, it is debatable if this condition is underdiagnosed and underreported. Onychomycosis is an important differential diagnosis of onychomatricoma, and sometimes, both these conditions may even coexist in the same nail. As the tumor grows, tissue microenvironment is more vulnerable to dermatophytes. Probably, the altered keratin appears to be susceptible to fungal invasion. Careful clinical assessment and dermoscopic evaluation help nailing the diagnosis. Usually, total nail avulsion is the preferred therapeutic approach when they coexist. Herein, we present a case of a middle-aged woman with onychomycosis and onychomatricoma affecting a single fingernail. The proposed therapy was oral terbinafine for 6 months followed by a conservative surgery. There were dramatic changes in dermoscopic features after fungal treatment, which, to our knowledge, have not been previously reported.
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