Which term refers to a nail condition caused by matrix injury or inheritance resulting in a folded nail?

• A. Onychorrhexis
• B. Plicatured nail
• C. Eggshell
• D. Onychophagy

Answer: (B)

This question tests your understanding of a nail condition where the nail plate grows folded or bent due to injury to the nail matrix or a hereditary tendency. The folded appearance arises because the matrix, which forms the nail plate, produces a nail that develops with a crease or bend, so the nail appears pleated or pleated-like along its edge. This is distinct from other conditions: onychorrhexis involves brittle nails with vertical ridges; eggshell nails are unusually thin, white, and curved; and onychophagy results from nail-biting habits that damage the nail but don’t inherently cause a folded plate.