Recently, a black line suddenly grew on the #nail#topic rushed to the hot search:
Some netizens posted pictures of their nails and sent out help:
"Am I sick? In the past half a month, a black line suddenly appeared on the nail, and at first I didn't care too much, thinking that I had dyed it with a watercolor pen, but after half a month, I found that it was not a watercolor pen, but a nail shell. ”
Many netizens said that they also have it on their nails!
What exactly is this black line? Need to worry?
Leaving aside the unexpected factors of losing clothes and playing with markers, there are actually some people whose nails suddenly grow black lines, and the reasons behind them are long to say.
1. The way nails grow
I wonder if you have ever noticed the small white crescent on your nails? The root of the nail has a white half-moon-shaped structure, the scientific name is "nail half moon", the active cells that produce nails, also called "nail matrix", just below this half moon and the skin at the base of the nail.
If you can't see the crescent, don't worry, as long as the nails are growing normally, the crescent is objectively existing, but all hidden under the skin.
Nail matrix continuously produces fresh nails at the base of the nails and pushes the old nails forward, which makes our nails grow and update towards the fingertips, which is why we need to trim our nails frequently.
Based on the growth principle of nails, we can easily understand that if there is bleeding under the nail, the blood scab formed will be slowly pushed to the front by the new nail - I believe many people have this experience.
And as long as the nail matrix that produces the nail is not damaged, even if the nail is pulled out, it can be restored to its original condition - this point has the right to be said by anyone who has had experience of nail extraction.
Conversely, if the nail matrix has suffered physical trauma, abnormal blood supply, malnutrition, or other damage, the nails that grow during this time will also be abnormal.
2. Black lines of nails
Blood scabs or abnormal nails, if these abnormal parts are slowly pushed to the front, it means that the nail matrix has returned to normal after a short abnormality, and the abnormality is just an episode in the normal nail growth process.
The black longitudinal lines of the nails are consistent from beginning to end, indicating that there is a problem with the origin of nail growth, and the problem persists, and there can be many reasons for this result.
Case 1: Simple activation of thyroid melanocytes.
Normal nails have a white translucent texture, which is the color of nails themselves without pigment. There are silent melanocytes in the nail matrix that produces nails, and if these melanocytes are activated for various reasons, they will produce melanin to stain the nails, and the nails will grow black lines like printer ink.
Image source: Weibo screenshot
Inflammation (eg, chronic paronychia), fungal infections (eg, onychomycosus), trauma (eg, nail biting, shoe crushing), tumors (eg, Bowen's disease), drugs (eg, lamivudine, chloroquine, arsenic, thallium, mercury, psoralen, etc.), pregnancy, systemic diseases (eg, Addison's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus), and other factors can cause simple activation of thyroid matrix melanocytes, allowing nails to grow black lines.
Condition 2: Melanocyte proliferation
This situation leads to the same principle as the previous one, which continuously colors the nail through melanocytes to produce black lines. However, there are some variables in the increase in cells.
If normal new cells replace old cells, it is metabolism; If too many new cells are produced, but the growth is relatively slow, the position is relatively fixed, and there is no destruction everywhere, it is a benign lesion; If the proliferation of cells is out of control, rapid replication, and colonization everywhere, it is malignant or cancerous.
Melanocyte hyperplasia that causes black lines of the nail is also a benign and malignant distinction. Common benign lesions include freckled nevi, nail nevi, etc.; Malignant lesions are mainly alpha melanoma.
Early alpha melanoma is very similar in appearance to benign lesions, so distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions can be a challenge for clinicians. In addition to fully understanding the medical history and related symptoms, doctors sometimes have to further judge the specific conditions of the lesion through dermoscopy, tissue biopsy and other means, and give corresponding treatment measures.
By reading the article, you should have discovered that the principle of black lines on nails is easy to understand, but the possible reasons behind it are too complicated. Therefore, in case we or our family members are unfortunate enough to be recruited, we judge that there is actually a certain risk, or it is safest to go to the dermatology department for professional help.
Source: Xinhuanet
Editor: Li Bingqian
Responsible editor: Yan Wenbin