Differential Diagnosis for Yellow Discoloration on Nails
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Fungal infection (onychomycosis): This is the most common cause of yellow discoloration on nails, often resulting from a fungal infection that penetrates the nail plate, leading to thickening, brittleness, and the characteristic yellow color.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Psoriasis: Nail psoriasis can cause yellowish discoloration due to the accumulation of keratin debris under the nail plate.
- Yellow nail syndrome: A rare condition characterized by slow-growing yellow nails, often associated with lymphedema, chronic bronchitis, and sinusitis.
- Aging: As people age, their nails can become thicker and more prone to yellowing due to the natural aging process and reduced nail growth.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Lung cancer: In rare cases, yellow nail syndrome can be associated with underlying malignancies, such as lung cancer.
- Lymphoma: Certain types of lymphoma can cause yellowing of the nails as a paraneoplastic syndrome.
- Rare diagnoses
- Arsenic poisoning: Chronic exposure to arsenic can cause a range of symptoms, including yellow discoloration of the nails.
- Jaundice: In severe cases of jaundice, the nails can become yellow due to the high levels of bilirubin in the blood.
- Sarcoidosis: This autoimmune disease can cause a range of skin and nail symptoms, including yellow discoloration of the nails.