Nails with extended hyponychium

[EllaX]

just looked at my sister nails and the hyponychium his still attached to the nail underneath and they have grown quite long. any ideas on what do do??
i can think of is use solar oil and cuticle remover everyday but i may be wrong?? any ideas?? xx

 

[Marilyn]

just looked at my sister nails and the hyponychium his still attached to the nail underneath and they have grown quite long. any ideas on what do do??
i can think of is use solar oil and cuticle remover everyday but i may be wrong?? any ideas?? xx

Have I got this right the hyponichium is growing out UNDER the nail?? If this is right then I have the same problem....this I have been told by Amanda Fontanarossa is actually cuticle too!! I put cuticle remover UNDERNEATH the nails let it soak for a bit and then using a small tool remove what has disolved...this also get rid of yellowing and stains that some natural nails develop when you wear enhancements. You must be careful not to put too much pressure around the smile line or you will lift the part where the free edge joins the nailbed and cause problems. My natural nails look really white now....the stuff that disolved came out orange!! YUK!!!

 

[EllaX]

yeah - normally your nail sheds it as it grows its free edge (am i right) well heres is still attached!

thanks for your advice marilyn - i'll have a go!! my mum tried cutting her nails for her (shes 20 and won't do em herself lol) and she was complaining they REALLY hurt - so i looked underneath and thats when i realsised what was wrong with them. xx

 

[Cathie!]

Some people have a naturally high high hyponichium, I have a couple of clients like this who have no problems at all...I believe Georgie and Gloria also have a naturally high hyponichium....these nails can make great competition models. If it's naturally there, it's not a problem.

 

[geeg]

This isn't anything wrong with the nails.

Some people do have an extended hyponychium and if it builds up a bit of a pad at the end, then this is known as the Solehorn. It is really not a good thing to pick or try to remove it. You can try the cuticle remover trick, but don't try to help it other than giving the underneath a good scrub with a nail brush after soaking .. NO picking.

The hyponychium is a seal to prevent 'foreign invasion' and should not be detached or loosened.

 

[Bev Rose]

A also have a client that has an extended hyponychium. It's really quite strange to look at, but it's seems just the way she is (not that she's strange!!! Although she is Italian!).

I have to be extremely careful when using nail clippers to cut back her nails when i'm soaking off.

She will insist in wearing her nails very long (her nail beds are very long) and they usually end up being longer than the bed she does not think she should have 'short' nails, and then she's a cleaner & then she has lifting - need i go on! Or is it that it's her extended nail bed?

Sorry if this is a type of hyjack of this thread, not really intended. X

 

[Marilyn]

This isn't anything wrong with the nails.

Some people do have an extended hyponychium and if it builds up a bit of a pad at the end, then this is known as the Solehorn. It is really not a good thing to pick or try to remove it. You can try the cuticle remover trick, but don't try to help it other than giving the underneath a good scrub with a nail brush after soaking .. NO picking.

The hyponychium is a seal to prevent 'foreign invasion' and should not be detached or loosened.

What you have describes does NOT appear to be what I have. I do not have a pad at the end, what I have grows down attached to the free edge of my nail, almost all the way down. I know what solehorn looks like and this is not the same as mine. Amanda had a look and said it was cuticle and it removes very easily and with no problem at all using cuticle remover. From how pinkchicnails described her sisters nails, it sounded the same as I have, but without actually seeing it nobody can be sure what it definitely is.

 

[Cathie!]

I'm just trying to build a picture of this in my mind Marilyn, so are you saying that no matter how long your free edge grows, the skin is still attached to the tip of the free edge?

 

[Buggy]

wouldn't it be better to use AHA Cuticle Eraser rather than cuticle remover? get her to put it on everyday and then the dead stuff will just vanish over time and the stuff that's meant to be there will stay? you won't need to pick and risk causing injury.

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

I use AHA Cuticle eraser and Solar oil and a nail brush.............
Use it as a moisture pack overnight and then a gentle brush with the nail brush in the morning as I have my shower lol... two jobs done in one... do this every day and it will keep the hyponychium in check..... no poking or prodding as the Onychodermal band may get damaged and then you can end up with Onycholisis....

 

[geeg]

What you have describes does NOT appear to be what I have. I do not have a pad at the end, what I have grows down attached to the free edge of my nail, almost all the way down. I know what sole horn looks like and this is not the same as mine. Amanda had a look and said it was cuticle and it removes very easily and with no problem at all using cuticle remover. From how pinkchicnails described her sisters nails, it sounded the same as I have, but without actually seeing it nobody can be sure what it definitely is.

My post is not discussing the state or condition of your nails Marilyn ... rather the nails of the sister of the person who posted this thread.

Just to clarify. Because some of the advice given is confusing and incorrect.
The Hyponychium is the area of the nail unit where the nail plate is sealed to the nail bed, usually near the end of the finger. On a nail biter this area is way before the end of the finger and on others, with very long nail plates, this area can extend a little way beyond the end of the finger.
An extended Hyponychium is not a problem ... it just is the way it is for that person.
The Hyponychium does not shed. Nor does it carry on growing with the length of the nail.
If what you are seeing is dry skin on the underside of the nail plate ... this is dead epidermis (similar to the cuticle we see on top of the nail plate (because it is dead, but it is not the same and is not known as cuticle).
On most people, this dry dead epidermis naturally sheds or wears away with the use of our hands. On others it does not. Sometimes it builds up and forms a little pad of dead dry skin just in front of the hyponychium -- this is known as the sole horn- Sometimes it just wears away cleanly and there is no build up.
You should not pick or prod or try to remove either the sole horn or the epidermis with a TOOL. For the reason that you might actually break the seal (the hyponychium) to the nail bed and allow bacteria or other organism to infect the area. It is also quite painful to break the seal.
A more gentle way to remove any unsightly epidermis is with Cuticle Remover or Cuticle Eraser and a nail brush as described above.
I hope this clears this up for everyone.


PINKCHICNAILS -- your very first post proves that your instincts are right. If you do as you suggested yourself in this post, it will take care of the problem in a short time. Just remember that it is not the hyponychium that is not shedding, but the Epidermis which is not shedding.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Thanks for clarifying Geeg! I was taught by Debbie Timberlake many moons ago NEVER to poke, prod, clean or use a tool under the free edge as there is too much of a risk of breaking the seal of the hyponichium. Only after years of experience do I now sometimes clean out under the free edge with a tool, and even then it is with EXTREME caution.

So unless you really are confident in what you are doing then I would steer clear of using any tools near this area and use the tried and tested way of moisturising the area to lose the dry skin. I always compare it to facials. If we have dry skin on the face we don;t automatically think we should scrape it off with a tool. We know we should exfoliate and moisturise so why any different with our hands? My clients suddenly realise the need to regularly use their cuticle oil then.

 

[Kim Lawless]

I've found this really informative as it's something that I've come across several times lately. I've also found that some nationalities and races are more prone to this.

 

[geeg]

I've found this really informative as it's something that I've come across several times lately. I've also found that some nationalities and races are more prone to this.

Your right!! It's a gene thing!!

 

[EllaX]

My post is not discussing the state or condition of your nails Marilyn ... rather the nails of the sister of the person who posted this thread.

Just to clarify. Because some of the advice given is confusing and incorrect.
The Hyponychium is the area of the nail unit where the nail plate is sealed to the nail bed, usually near the end of the finger. On a nail biter this area is way before the end of the finger and on others, with very long nail plates, this area can extend a little way beyond the end of the finger.
An extended Hyponychium is not a problem ... it just is the way it is for that person.
The Hyponychium does not shed. Nor does it carry on growing with the length of the nail.
If what you are seeing is dry skin on the underside of the nail plate ... this is dead epidermis (similar to the cuticle we see on top of the nail plate (because it is dead, but it is not the same and is not known as cuticle).
On most people, this dry dead epidermis naturally sheds or wears away with the use of our hands. On others it does not. Sometimes it builds up and forms a little pad of dead dry skin just in front of the hyponychium -- this is known as the sole horn- Sometimes it just wears away cleanly and there is no build up.
You should not pick or prod or try to remove either the sole horn or the epidermis with a TOOL. For the reason that you might actually break the seal (the hyponychium) to the nail bed and allow bacteria or other organism to infect the area. It is also quite painful to break the seal.
A more gentle way to remove any unsightly epidermis is with Cuticle Remover or Cuticle Eraser and a nail brush as described above.
I hope this clears this up for everyone.


PINKCHICNAILS -- your very first post proves that your instincts are right. If you do as you suggested yourself in this post, it will take care of the problem in a short time. Just remember that it is not the hyponychium that is not shedding, but the Epidermis which is not shedding.

thanx geeg! xx

 

[Evil_Mia]

just looked at my sister nails and the hyponychium his still attached to the nail underneath and they have grown quite long. any ideas on what do do??
i can think of is use solar oil and cuticle remover everyday but i may be wrong?? any ideas?? xx

If I'm not mistaken this condition is called "pterygium". Look it up on the web and I'm sure you will obtain a lot of useful information.

 

[min11]

If I'm not mistaken this condition is called "pterygium". Look it up on the web and I'm sure you will obtain a lot of useful information.

I thought thats when the eponychium grows forward and affects the top of the nail, not the underside.

My hyponychium also grows forward under my nails and has been the bane of my life with nail techs over the years cutting it when they trim my nails for tips and forms for sculpting digging in and often cutting it. Its one of the best things about doing my nails myself

 

[izzidoll]

I thought thats when the eponychium grows forward and affects the top of the nail, not the underside.

My hyponychium also grows forward under my nails and has been the bane of my life with nail techs over the years cutting it when they trim my nails for tips and forms for sculpting digging in and often cutting it. Its one of the best things about doing my nails myself

There are 2 types of pterygium which is an abnormal growth of skin. Inverse Pterygium is on the underside of the nail at the hyponichium....Dorsal Pterygium is on the top of the nail at the eponychium....HTH

 

[min11]

It does, as soon as I read your reply I remembered. I need to read my notes again, I shouldn't have forgotten that :irked:

 

[geeg]

If I'm not mistaken this condition is called "pterygium". Look it up on the web and I'm sure you will obtain a lot of useful information.

This is not ptergium which is "an over production of skin cells" such as psoriasis.

In the case of an extended hyponychium it is not producing an overgrowth of skin cells, often it is nature's way of adding extra support to extra long nails. You do not see this on short nails.

Many people use the word pterygium incorrectly ... many refer to cuticle as pterygium which is also incorrect. Cuticle is cuticle (not true cuticle, not pterygium, not secondary cuticle).