When something goes wrong with your health, it often shows in your fingernails. Hippocrates figured this out in the fifth century and doctors still look at nail abnormalities as clues to larger systemic problems in the human body. Here’s what your nails can tell you about your health.
Deformed toenails could be nail fungus
Disfigured toenails, while gross, are often a sign of nothing more than nail fungus. These deformations can include crumbling, thickness and discoloration. Check out this tool from the Canadian Nail Fungus Resource to assess your toenails and visit a dermatologist if you’re concerned about the issue.
White nails could be trouble for your liver
White nail beds, also known as Terry’s nails, appear when there is an overgrowth of connective tissue in the nail bed. Characterized by the appearance of pale “ground glass” on most of the nail bed, Terry’s nails can occur as a part of the aging process, but they can also be a sign of liver problems, including cirrhosis.
Yellow fingernails could be a sign of fungal infection
Fungal infections on fingernails rarely get as bad as fungus on toenails, but they still happen. If your nails have taken on a sickly yellow colour, it could be a sign of a fungal infection, which you may have picked up by insufficiently cleaned instruments at a nail salon or from sharing clippers with others.
Blue-tinted nails suggest lung problems
If your nails have taken on a bluish hue, it sometimes means your body isn’t delivering enough oxygen to its extremities. This could be the result of lung problems, such as asthma, emphysema or pneumonia. Check with your doctor if your skin has taken on a purplish-blue tint under the nail bed.
Pitted nails may be a sign of psoriasis
Nail “pitting,” in which nails develop a bumpy, rippled texture, is a common symptom of psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease which affects many people. Nail abnormalities caused by psoriasis can lead to impairment of day-to-day activities if allowed to persist. Check with a dermatologist if your nails appear to be pitted.
Cracked nails could be caused by thyroid disease
When your thyroid slows down, so does your body. This means that your nails will grow more slowly, and it could lead to brittleness in your nails. An underactive thyroid will also decrease the amount of sweat the body produces, exacerbating the problem of dry nails for people with thyroid disease.
Puffiness around nails is a symptom of lupus
Lupus is a disease in which your immune system attacks your body. Most people with systemic lupus erythematosus have skin symptoms, which often manifest as a distinct “butterfly”-shaped rash on the face, but also commonly appear in the red, inflamed skin around the nails.
ark lines under nail are a sign of melanoma
Melanoma is a dangerous form of skin cancer that often reveals itself in mole-like spots on the skin, but there is another sign that people sometimes miss. Melanoma can appear in the form of black stripes or lines under the nail. If you notice this in your nail, get it checked by a doctor as soon as possible.
Nail chewing may be a sign of anxiety disorders
If your fingernails have been chewed to a stub, you probably know how it happened, but you may be overlooking an underlying anxiety disorder. Nail biting (or onychophagia) is a common habit for people with anxiety and stress, and especially for people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Nail clubbing is a sign of lung cancer
Nail clubbing, in which the nail grows around the fingertip, occurs when there is a lack of oxygen, and it is often a symptom of lung cancer. Clubbing can also occur as a symptom of other systemic heart and lung problems, such as congenital cyanotic heart disease or cystic fibrosis.
Spoon-shaped nails are a sign of anemia
Inverted, spoon-shaped nails, also known as koilonychia, are usually caused by an iron deficiency in the blood. This condition often appears along with fatigue and other symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia, but spoon-shaped nails can also be a symptom of hemochromatosis, in which the body absorbs too much iron.
Detached nails suggest hyperthyroidism
Nails that detach from the skin (officially known as onycholysis) are often a sign of a hyperactive thyroid. That said, detached nails have a number of potential causes, including too much exposure to moisture, a condition known as “Plummer’s nail.”
Beau’s lines suggest Raynaud’s disease
Beau’s lines are brittle, horizontal ridges that run from one side of the nail to the other. They occur when growth from the nail matrix is disrupted and are often associated with Raynaud’s disease (or phenomenon), especially in cold temperatures, which decreases blood supply to different parts of the body.
Muehrcke’s lines are a sign of low albumin levels
Muehrcke’s lines are white lines that run horizontally across the nail, and they are caused by a deficiency of albumin in the body. Known as hypoalbuminemia, this deficiency can be caused by liver or kidney disease, and also occurs in people who are malnourished.
Splinter hemorrhages can be a sign of endocarditis
Splinter hemorrhages are thin red-brown hemorrhages underneath the nail that can resemble wood splinters. While relatively harmless splinter hemorrhages can be caused by physical trauma, they can also be a symptom of infective endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart.
Visible red lines (telangiectasia) around the nail fold suggest a connective tissue disorder
Telangiectasia occurs when small red lines appear on the skin. It can appear anywhere on the body, but often manifests around the nail fold. While it may occur in healthy people, telangiectasia can also be a symptom of autoimmune disorders and connective tissue diseases such as lupus.
Yellow nails could be the result of nicotine or tobacco staining
If the tips of your fingers, including your nails, have a yellow tint to them, that could be the result of long-term smoking. Of course, smoking is hazardous to your health, but the stains themselves are nothing to be concerned about. However, scientists have linked tobacco stains to addictive behaviour and concomitant alcoholic consumption.
Leukonychia could be caused by arsenic poisoning
Leukonychia, also known as Mees’ lines, refers to white spots and lines that occur on the fingernails, usually as a result of physical trauma. Children often get “true” leukonychia (to differentiate it from Muehrcke’s lines, sometimes called “apparent” leukonychia) from chewing or biting their nails, but it can also, notably, be caused by arsenic poisoning.
Half-and-half nails are symptoms of chronic renal failure
Half-and-half nails, also known as Lindsay’s nails, occur when 60% to 70% of the nail closest to the nail fold is pale white, while the rest of the nail remains pink. It can occur in healthy people, but it is often a sign of chronic renal failure, and often affects people with kidney disease.
Nail dyschromia linked to HIV
Nail dyschromia, or the discoloration of the nail, has been linked to patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and those that develop acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It often occurs in patients who have taken azidothymidine (also known as zidovudine), a medication used for HIV, but can also occur in patients who have not.
Alan Jones, Espresso
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