Onycholysis

Onycholysis is the medical term for when your nail plate separates from the nail bed, the pink skin underneath it. This separation usually starts at the free edge and progresses backward, creating a gap between the nail and the skin. It's typically painless, but the affected nail may appear discolored, often white, yellow, or even greenish if a secondary infection is present. It's crucial to understand that onycholysis itself isn't an infection, but a condition that can easily lead to one.