Korean J Dermatol.  2012 Dec;50(12):1054-1056.

Treatment of Washboard Nail with Topical Tacrolimus Ointment

• Lee HE
• Cho HK
• Lee SY
• Lee JS
• Park YL
• Whang KU

Abstract

Washboard nail is a dystrophy that presents as a series of ridges that extends across the nail. It is often accompanied by a central depression that extends from the cuticle to the free edge. Washboard nail is often a result of frequently repeated trauma, but sometimes predisposing factors cannot be found. When habitual tic is the cause of the lesions, restraining the habit is the most important treatment. Here, we report a case of a 6-year-old male with washboard nails on both thumbnails and was treated with topical 0.1% tacrolimus ointment. Significant improvement was observed after 4 months of application. This case suggests that topical tacrolimus can be considered as a primary therapy in the treatment of washboard nails in the absence of trauma.

Keyword

Tacrolimus; Washboard nail

MeSH Terms

Depression
Humans
Male
Nails
Tacrolimus
Tics
Tacrolimus