Nail unit matrix transplantation: a plastic surgeon's approach.

The growth of the nail is primarily from the nail bed and mostly from the germinal matrix component, and to some extent from the sterile matrix as well. The purpose of this article is to describe the approach and technique of a composite nail, nail bed, hyponychium, and perionychium transplant when the total nail and nail bed need reconstruction. A case is presented when a nail bed junctional nevus is excised and reconstruction with nail unit matrix transplantation and the result is shown.