The nail and ageing

Abstract

For podiatric science is very important to know nail changes in old people because of their high frequency. Nail changes associated with ageing include slower growth rate, thickness modifications, surface alterations, configuration abnormalities and color changes. They are most commonly due to impaired blood supply, but also to chronic microtrauma and difficulty for elderly people to take care of their nails. Ageing predisposes to the development or to the worsening of different diseases, such as onychomycosis, brittle nails, onychogryphosis, pachionychia, pincer nails. These may occur at any age, but in old age there is a higher frequency of incidence.