[Nail dyschromia as the leading symptom in chronic mercury poisoning caused by a cosmetic bleaching preparation].

Prolonged use of a cosmetic cream containing mercury induced a greenish black nail discoloration in a 56-years-old female patient. Electron microscopy as well as energy-dispersive X-ray analysis identified mercury in the cells of the nail plate. The patient showed mild symptoms of a chronic mercury intoxication with high levels of mercury in serum and urine. Treatment with 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate was effective and well tolerated.