What does lupus do to your toenails?

Lupus can cause the nails to crack or fall off. They may be discolored with blue or reddish spots at the base. These spots are actually in the nail bed, the result of inflamed small blood vessels. Swelling may also make the skin around the base of the nail look red and puffy.

Does lupus affect your toenails?

Fingernail and toenail problems are a common occurrence in people with lupus with many possible abnormalities and potential causes. During medical consultations, these problems may be overlooked as there are often other priorities to discuss.

Can lupus cause thick toenails?

People with lupus often have excessively thick or rough nail folds and cuticles with spots or hyperpigmentation. Since lupus affects different parts of your life, it is important to work closely with your primary physician and dermatologist to help direct your personalized treatments and care.

Does lupus cause dark toenails?

Nail changes

These are most common in people who have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Some people develop a nail infection, which can cause splitting or crumbling nails and discoloration (A), or swollen skin and discoloration around the nails (B). Sometimes, visible blood vessels appear around the nails.

How does lupus affect your feet?

Foot problems in lupus can involve any of the tissue structures in the foot/ankle. These may include, but are not limited to, joint pain and swelling, skin lesions causing additional pain, tenderness and vascular and/or neurological manifestations in the lower limbs.

Lupus - Signs & Symptoms

What are the signs that lupus is getting worse?

How does lupus change your appearance?

Lupus can also drastically change one's appearance. Patients can have hair loss, rashes and scarring, as well as medication side effects like weight gain, hair loss and stretch marks,” says Dr. Jolly, who has led a number of studies on body image in people with lupus.

What autoimmune diseases affect the nails?

Nail psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes discoloration, pitting and changes in the structure of your nails. It can make you feel self-conscious, though you can buff your nails and apply nail polish to improve their appearance. Nail psoriasis isn't contagious, and treatments can help your symptoms improve.

What blood tests confirm lupus?

Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test.

While most people with lupus have a positive ANA test, most people with a positive ANA do not have lupus. If you test positive for ANA , your doctor may advise more-specific antibody testing.

What does early lupus look like?

Cutaneous lupus

Symptoms include: a butterfly-shaped rash on face. scaly, circular raised patches that resemble psoriasis lesions. a red-purple rash on the head, face, and ears.

Why are my toenails suddenly thick?

Toenails that grow thicker over time likely indicate a fungal infection, also known as onychomycosis. Left untreated, thick toenails can become painful. Prompt treatment can be key to curing the nail fungus. Fungal infections might be difficult to cure and may require months of treatment.

Does lupus thin your hair?

Unfortunately, yes. Lupus causes widespread inflammation that usually involves your skin — particularly on your face and scalp. Lupus can cause the hair on your scalp to gradually thin out, although a few people lose clumps of hair. Loss of eyebrow, eyelash, beard and body hair also is possible.

What diseases affect your toenails?

Brittle nail syndrome, onychomycosis, paronychia, nail psoriasis, longitudinal melanonychia, Beau's lines, onychomadesis and retronychia are common nail disorders seen in clinical practice.

Does lupus make your nails hurt?

Raynaud's phenomenon is commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and can affect the digits, especially in colder climates. Raynaud's phenomenon can contribute to periungual discoloration and pain. Vasculopathy is another common feature of systemic lupus erythematosus that can affect the nail and nail unit.

What illness shows in your nails?

Ripples on nails or pitted nails may be caused by a skin disorder, psoriasis, eczema, or arthritis. Nail clubbing is when a nail curves under at the tip of the finger. It could indicate heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lung disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, or HIV/AIDS.

Is toe pain a symptom of lupus?

Patients with lupus can experience swelling and pain in their feet and ankles as a side effect of the disease. “Lupus foot” in particular is a deformity of toes and joints which can lead to pain when walking.

How does a doctor confirm lupus?

Your doctor will look for rashes and other signs that something is wrong. Blood and urine tests. The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can show if your immune system is more likely to make the autoantibodies of lupus. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA.

What should you not do if you have lupus?

What level of ANA indicates lupus?

The initial requirement of the criteria for lupus diagnosis is a positive ANA test with a titer of at least 80. The numerical value of the titer refers to the ratio of blood serum being evaluated to a dilution agent.

What are some uncommon symptoms of lupus?

What do rheumatoid nails look like?

RA may even lead to changes in your nails, such as the development of vertical ridges or a yellowing and thickening. Changes to your nails can be signs of RA or other systemic conditions and should be diagnosed by a doctor.

What are the 5 common nail problems?

This article therefore helps clinicians to find the right treatment of the 5 most common nail disorders (brittle nails, onycholysis, paronychia, psoriasis, and onychomycosis) and provides practical tips that might improve patients' compliance.

Does lupus make your stomach swell?

Lupus can also cause other problems in the abdomen, including peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining) and ascites (a build-up of fluids in the abdomen). Symptoms of peritonitis and ascites include: Abdominal pain and swelling. Nausea and vomiting.

What does severe lupus look like?

Symptoms of skin lupus include: Red, scaly areas of skin. They can be round, like a coin or a disk. Darker red rings or borders may outline the scaly patches.

What causes lupus to activate?

While the environmental elements that can trigger lupus and cause flares aren't fully known, the most commonly cited are ultraviolet light (UVA and UVB); infections (including the effects of the Epstein-Barr virus), and exposure to silica dust in agricultural or industrial settings.