Nail bed

Nail Bed

The nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate. Like the rest of the skin, it is made of two types of tissues: the deeper dermis, the living tissue which includes capillaries and glands, and the epidermis, the layer just beneath the nail plate, which moves toward the finger tip with the plate. The epidermis is attached to the dermis by tiny longitudinal "grooves" called matrix crests (cristae matricis unguis).

Anatomy

The nail bed is part of the nail unit, which also includes the nail plate, nail matrix, nail folds, cuticle, and lunula. The nail bed sits on top of the bone of the finger tip. The nail bed contains blood vessels, nerves, and melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for the color of the skin.

Function

The primary function of the nail bed is to produce the nail plate. The nail bed also plays a role in the growth of the nail, providing nourishment and guidance for the nail plate as it grows.

Health and Disease

The health of the nail bed is crucial for the overall health of the nail. Diseases and conditions that affect the nail bed include onycholysis, in which the nail plate separates from the nail bed, nail fungus, nail psoriasis, and nail bed injury. In some cases, changes in the nail bed can be signs of systemic diseases such as anemia, diabetes, or heart disease.

See Also

• Nail anatomy
• Nail disease
• Nail care

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