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Examination of the nails: Main signs
Charlotte Arnal1, Bertrand Richert1
1Dermatology Department, Université Libre de Bruxelles, University Hospital Brugmann - Saint-Pierre - Children Hospital Queen Fabiola, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract:
Understanding the anatomy of the nail apparatus is a prerequisite for diagnosing and managing various nail disorders. The latter may be associated with systemic pathologies, or accompany infectious, inflammatory, tumoral, toxic or traumatic dermatoses. Before attempting to identify the cause, a rigorous clinical examination should be conducted to screen for elementary lesions that may affect general nail shape, nail surface, subungual attachments, periungual soft tissue or nail color. All of these guide differential diagnosis.
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