The FP recognized the nail condition as Beau's lines. Given that fingernails grow approximately 2 to 3 mm per month, the physiologic stressor causing the Beau’s lines was likely the cholecystitis and cholecystectomy 2 months earlier. The physician reassured the patient that the lines would grow out and likely be gone by 4 months, at the latest.
The FP also used the visit as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of a good diet, exercise, and weight loss for the patient's general health.
Text for Photo Rounds Friday courtesy of Richard P. Usatine, MD. Photo courtesy of Suraj Reddy, MD. This case was adapted from: Mayeaux EJ. Normal nail variants. In: Usatine R, Smith M, Mayeaux EJ, et al, eds. The Color Atlas of Family Medicine. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2009:819-821.
To learn more about The Color Atlas of Family Medicine, see:
• http://www.amazon.com/Color-Atlas-Family-Medicine/dp/0071474641
You can now get The Color Atlas of Family Medicine as an app for mobile devices including the iPhone and iPad by clicking this link: