Journal of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery
August 4, 2023 · via Europe PMC
Nail unit incision lines: A tool to minimize nail unit scarring.
Grover C, Bansal S, Gupta S.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
This article describes 'nail unit incision lines' (NUIL), a set of anatomically specific incision orientation principles for different parts of the nail unit, intended to help nail surgeons minimize scarring and support normal nail regrowth.
What was studied
A descriptive/educational article outlining nail unit incision lines (NUIL), analogous to Langer's lines used elsewhere on the body, specifying optimal incision orientations for different anatomic regions of the nail unit (nail bed, nail matrix, lateral/proximal/distal nail folds) to minimize tension and scarring during nail surgery; this is not a clinical outcomes study.
Key findings
- Nail bed incisions should be oriented longitudinally, while nail matrix incisions should be oriented horizontally, with the matrix requiring particular caution due to its germinative function and the need to avoid the lunular margin.
- Lateral nail fold incisions should be longitudinal, while proximal nail fold incisions should be radial.
- Distal nail fold (hyponychial) incisions should preferably be oriented parallel to the distal nail ridge; the authors state knowledge and compliance with these principles can help minimize scarring outcomes in nail surgery.
Clinical relevance
This educational article may be directly relevant to dermatologic and hand surgeons performing nail surgery, providing specific anatomic guidance on incision orientation that could help minimize scarring and support normal nail regrowth, addressing a gap the authors note is 'not widely understood or respected' in current practice.
Who should care
Limitations
This is a descriptive/educational article presenting anatomic principles rather than a controlled outcomes study, so it does not provide comparative data demonstrating that following these specific incision lines actually produces measurably better scarring outcomes than alternative approaches.
This article introduces 'nail unit incision lines' as anatomically specific guidance for incision orientation during nail surgery, intended to minimize scarring, though it presents conceptual principles rather than comparative outcome data.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Langer's lines, lines of cleavage, and biodynamic excisional skin tension (BEST) lines have been defined for cutaneous surgery to ensure excisional wound closure with the least tension on any part of the body and minimize scarring. This article describes nail unit incision lines (NUIL) with a similar perspective. NUIL are followed by nail surgeons to help regrowth of a normal nail; however, they are not widely understood or respected during nail surgery. Within the anatomically small nail unit, the orientation of these lines varies depending on the area being operated upon. Nail bed incisions should be oriented longitudinally, while nail matrix incisions should be oriented horizontally. Being the germinative portion, the nail matrix should be dealt with more cautiously, avoiding the lunular margin. Lateral nail fold incisions should be longitudinal, while proximal nail fold incisions should be radial. Distal nail fold (hyponychial) incisions should preferably be oriented parallel to the distal nail ridge. Knowledge and compliance with NUIL can help minimize scarring outcomes in nail surgery.
DOI
10.4103/jcas.jcas_67_23
PMID
39649767
PMCID
PMC11619175
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
Want more like this?
Browse more from the feed. A free account unlocks the full feed, saving and communities.
Back to the research feed