Abnormal fingernail

[Anonymous870]

I recently noticed on my left thumb an indentation (significant) and didn't think much of it, later (3 weeks) I started to notice that my right thumb nail is starting to indent.  I looked on the internet and I found an identical picture and they labelled it "spooning"....what do you think is causing this?  I have been having a lot of GI nausea/stomach pain and heartburn (been taking prilosec otc for the past 7 days with improvement), also I have mildly elevated LFT's and there maybe a possibility of having autoimmune hepatitis (other test are being done).  Also I had a iron studies done and they found (slightly low TIBC and transferin, but normal iron and ferritin).  Any info would be appreciated.....thanks

[gotasweetie]

A related discussion, fingernail issue was started.

[gytiup]

http://www.medhelp.ws/forums/Dermatology/wwwboard.html

They don't seem to be popping up in the proper website

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Spooning caused by iron problems or other systemic issues produces the effect on all the nails, not just one.  The most common cause of indentation is a thumbnail is the habit of picking at the base of the nail, which irritates the growth area (the white, semicircular part near the base).  This causes the nail to have a groove.  The treatment is not to pick at the base of the nail.  I don't know whether this applies to you, so a visit to a dermatologist would be the way to go.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff