Onychotillomania
Encyclopedia
Onychotillomania is a compulsive neurosis in which a person picks constantly at the nails or tries to tear them off. It is not the same as onychophagia, where the nails are bitten or chewed or dermatillomania
, where skin is bitten or scratched.
It is commonly associated with psychiatric disorders such as depressive neurosis, delusions of infestation and hypochondriasis.
It was named by Professor Jan Alkiewicz, a Polish dermatologist.
The constant destruction of the nail bed leads to onychodystrophy, paronychia
and darkening of the nail.
Some cases have been treated successfully with antipsychotics.
Dermatillomania
Dermatillomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pick at one's own skin, often to the extent that damage is caused...
, where skin is bitten or scratched.
It is commonly associated with psychiatric disorders such as depressive neurosis, delusions of infestation and hypochondriasis.
It was named by Professor Jan Alkiewicz, a Polish dermatologist.
The constant destruction of the nail bed leads to onychodystrophy, paronychia
Paronychia
The nail disease paronychia , commonly misidentified as a synonym for whitlow or felon, is an often-tender bacterial or fungal hand infection or foot infection where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of a finger or toenail...
and darkening of the nail.
Some cases have been treated successfully with antipsychotics.
See also
- Nail anatomyNail (anatomy)A nail is a horn-like envelope covering the dorsal aspect of the terminal phalanges of fingers and toes in humans, most non-human primates, and a few other mammals. Nails are similar to claws, which are found on numerous other animals....
- Onychophagia
- DermatillomaniaDermatillomaniaDermatillomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pick at one's own skin, often to the extent that damage is caused...
- List of cutaneous conditions