Vitamins for the Management of Nail Disease: A Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Vitamins have gained popularity among physicians and patients for purported benefits to hair, skin, and nail health. Safe and efficacious therapies for nail disorders, many of which are chronic conditions, are needed.

SUMMARY: We conducted a literature review of studies assessing the efficacy of oral, topical, and intralesional vitamin/vitamin derivatives for the treatment of nail disorders, including yellow nail syndrome, brittle nail syndrome, onychomycosis, habit-tic nail deformity, periungual/subungual verruca, and nail psoriasis. Forty-nine articles were reviewed. There is good evidence to support the use of topical tazarotene and vitamin D analogs for nail psoriasis treatment. We found overall limited evidence for treatment of other nail disorders with vitamin/vitamin derivatives, and further research is needed to support their use.

KEY MESSAGES: Besides topical tazarotene and vitamin D analogs for nail psoriasis treatment, there is limited evidence for treatment of nail disorders with topical, oral, and intralesional vitamin/vitamin derivatives.