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Terry's nails
System: Skin & Nail Signs · All skin & nail signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Most of the nail is white or pale, with only a narrow pink-brown band left at the tip.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with cirrhosis of the liver, and also with heart failure, diabetes and malnutrition.
◈ Behind the name
Richard Terry, British physician, who described the association with cirrhosis in 1954.
Related signs — Skin & Nail Signs
Browse the T section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.