Mees' lines or Aldrich–Mees lines, also called leukonychia striata, are white lines of discoloration across the
nails of the
fingers and
toes (
leukonychia).
Presentation
They are typically white bands traversing the width of the nail. As the nail grows they move towards the end, and finally disappear when trimmed.
Causes
Mees' lines appear after an episode of
poison
Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...
ing with
arsenic,
or other heavy metals or
selenium, opioid
MT-45, and can also appear if the subject is suffering from
kidney failure.
They have been observed in
chemotherapy patients.
Eponym and history
Although the phenomenon is named after Dutch physician R. A. Mees, who described the abnormality in 1919, earlier descriptions of the same abnormality were made by Englishman E. S. Reynolds in 1901 and by American C. J. Aldrich in 1904.
See also
*
Leukonychia
*
List of cutaneous conditions
Many skin conditions affect the human integumentary system—the organ system covering the entire surface of the body and composed of skin, hair, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this system is as a barrier against t ...
*
Muehrcke's nails
Muehrcke's nails or Muehrcke's lines ( apparent leukonychia striata) are changes in the fingernail that may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. The term refers to a set of one or more pale transverse bands extending all the way across the ...
– a similar condition, except the lines are underneath the nails and so do not move as the nail grows
References
External links
{{Eponymous medical signs for integumentary system
Conditions of the skin appendages