Question
My daughter was born missing without 3 toenails on her left foot.  She has a normal nail on her big toe and her pinky but the other 3 toes have no toenails.  No one in our family has ever been born with missing toenails.  Can you tell me why this happened?  And if there is name for this.  Thank you.

Answer
Hi Jerry,

I'm assuming that she has no other medical problems.  The condition is known as Anonychia or congenital absence of the toenail.  This condition is rare and there may be no known cause.  However, in some cases, the absence of toenails may If be associated with other medical problems.  If you have concerns about any other medical conditions I would see a Pediatrician.

You may want see a Podiatrist that treats kids for an x-ray and evaluation.  There are times that this condition can be associated with missing bones in the toes.

This is the genetic description of the condition.  A bit technical but basically it comes from a small rare defect in the genes:
Anonychia is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the congenital absence of finger- and toenails.

Good Luck,

Marc Katz, DPM
Tampa, FL
Advanced Podiatry
www.thetampapodiatrist.com
www.tampacryosurgery.com
www.fix-my-foot.com