A common nail abnormality is where the fingernails curve inwards like spoons. The nails can appear flat or concave and the outer edges of the nail can flare out, spoon nails are also known as koilonychia. This conditions can be harmless and perfectly normal in children but may be a sign of an underlying medical condition in adults. e.g.:
– iron-deficiency anaemia
– haemochromatosis
– Raynaud’s disease
– lupus erythematosus
There are mild to severe cases of spoon nails and in the worst case the nails at the sides may flare out with the skin under the nail being very dry, cracked or split.
Spoon nails are mostly hereditary but sometimes caused by biting or rubbing the nails. If the matrix (root) of the nail has been damaged from picking of the nail and the nail is unable to grow back naturally or continues to split as it grows out, the person should consult a doctor.
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