What causes Mees nails?

What causes Mees nails?

Mees lines are associated with arsenic poisoning, Hodgkin lymphoma, carcinoid tumours and chemotherapy (i.e., cyclophosphamide, vincristine and doxorubicin). Muehrcke lines result from liver disease, nephrotic syndrome, malnutrition and severe hypoalbuminemia (less than 20 g/L).

What does Mees lines look like?

Mees’ Lines are a change that occurs in the color of the nail with no palpable ridges, typically described as white bands traversing the nail bed, running parallel to the lunula across the entire nail bed of the individual. This finding is indicative of arsenic [5], thallium [6], or other heavy metal poisoning.

What do Mees lines indicate?

Mees’ lines appear after an episode of poisoning with arsenic, thallium or other heavy metals or selenium, opioid MT-45, and can also appear if the subject is suffering from kidney failure. They have been observed in chemotherapy patients.

Is Muehrcke’s nails serious?

Muehrcke’s lines are most commonly associated with metabolic stress and chronic hypoalbuminaemia (usually < 2 g/dL), such as nephrotic syndrome, chronic liver disease, or severe malnutrition. In addition, Muehrcke’s lines have also been associated with infections, chemotherapy drugs, and high altitude.

Can stress affect your nails?

Stress can mess with your nails. Healthy nails need a lot to stay strong, including protein, silica, magnesium, zinc and iron. Stress makes it harder for your body to absorb those minerals, so your nails might suffer. If you’re under pressure, you might notice nail pitting, shredding or ridging.

Why is the nail bed normal in Mees?

In patients with Mees’ lines, the nail bed is normal, but the nail itself is microscopically fragmented, probably because of the disruption of normal growth at the nail matrix during the insult. The width of the lines varies and, because the defect is in the nail itself, the line moves distally with time.

What are the Mees lines on your fingernails?

Mees lines are transverse lines that appear in the fingernails and toenails, although they are not specific for arsenic poisoning.

When do Mees’s lines appear in a person?

Mees’ lines typically appear after a person experiences poisoning from arsenic, thallium and other heavy metals. They can also appear in patients who have had chemotherapy or are suffering from renal failure. Mees’ lines will eventually grow out on their own, so there’s no need for treatment of the lines themselves.

How are Mees lines different from Beau’s lines?

They eventually grow out and disappear as the nail lengthens. Mees’ lines are different from Beau’s lines, which are deep ridges in the nail, and Muehrcke nails, the latter of which affects the vascular nail bed and creates lines that do not grow out when the nail lengthens.