Hereditary Leukonychia Totalis

Abstract

The presence of white nails has been recognized for centuries and unrecorded observations may be presumed from the folklore names which these changes in the nails have received. Report of Case Figure 1 illustrates the pedigree of a family having leukonychia totalis. Fourteen members of this family are involved, of which twelve are male. Six of the members have been personally observed. These were the mother, four of her sons, and a grandson. All of the involved individuals have had this peculiarity since birth. The nails of both the fingers (Fig. 2) and toes (Fig. 3) are porcelain white and no lunula could be distinguished. The nails are not brittle and the edges are not frayed. The thickness of the nails appears to be average, and no grooves or other irregularities could be observed. The mother's nails have become more pink in color over the past few years. No other