These 8 fingernail diseases you must be aware of
Have you ever looked at a broken, brittle or black-lined nail and wondered why it looks so? Well, it turns out that nail health is closely related to how well your body functions in other areas. In this article, you'll learn what your nail color, shape and texture say about your health.
Nail health depends on your general health
For the general population, nail health is usually an indicator of poor nutrient absorption or poor digestion. Brittle, weak and flaking nails are the most common problems people experience.
These symptoms are more often the result of poor nutrition than systemic disease. True nail abnormalities generally affect only one or two nails. Do not include any major health concerns. Healthy nails are considered smooth. Consider without discoloration. However, if the texture and color of your skin is not right, we have created this article to correctly interpret your nail changes and recognize diseases.
What diseases change nail texture?
1. Brittle nails
Split and brittle nails
Rough, splitting nails that can also crack easily are one of the most commonly reported nail problems. They are also more common in women. Nails usually due to repeated wetting. Drying of the fingernails causes. If you get your hands wet, z. B. when washing dishes, you should wear gloves.
You can use hand creams that contain alpha hydroxy acids or lanolin. If this doesn't work, see a doctor. Hypothyroidism can also lead to weak, brittle nails, as can iron deficiency.
2. Soft or weak nails
These nails break easily or bend a lot. Soft nails can be caused by excessive exposure to moisture or chemicals. Main causes are cleaning products, nail treatments and nail polish removers.
Avoid chemicals on your fingernails. You should always give your nails a chance to recover. Weak nails are usually associated with a deficiency of B vitamins, calcium, iron or fatty acids. It is not recommended to take iron as a dietary supplement. Instead, you should take a multivitamin with vitamin B and potassium.
3. Peeling nails
Nail peeling
Main cause is likely external trauma to the nail by using your nail as a tool, pressing too hard into the nail, or using acrylic nail polish. Nails can also peel if you soak your hands in sudsy water for too long.
What to do: Add iron to your diet.
You can find iron in the following foods:
– Meat – Cereals – Potatoes – Lentils, Beans
Taking biotin can also help, as it makes your nails stronger and healthier. Apply hand cream to your hands every day to provide the moisture they need.
4. Grooves on your fingernails
Dents on the fingernail
Have you ever noticed grooves on your fingernails that look like small horizontal or vertical lines? Vertical lines generally appear at a later age. Runs from the tip of the fingernail to the cuticle.
As long as they are not accompanied by other symptoms such as color changes, they are considered benign. On the other hand, horizontal lines, also called Beau lines, are a sign of a more serious symptom.
See a doctor to find the cause. Vertical grooves could indicate iron deficiency anemia, while horizontal lines could indicate an underlying condition like kidney disease, which can actually stop nail growth until the problem is treated.
What changes your nail shape and color?
1. Yellow nails
Black lines on the fingernail
Also called splinter hemorrhage, black lines (which can appear brown or dark red) look like splinters. They may appear several times on the fingernail. The most likely cause is trauma to the nail, z. B. Accidentally banging on a door.
The black line is the result of inflammation of the blood vessels under your nail and should disappear over time as your nail grows.
3. white spots on the nail
White spots on your fingernail
Scattered white spots on the nails, which usually appear in middle school age, may indicate a zinc deficiency.
Other possible causes are:
– an allergic reaction – a fungal infection – injury to your nail
4. No crescents
No crescent on the fingernails
Do you see those little round white curves at the base of your fingernail? These are called fingernail moons, based on the Latin word
Lunula. But not everyone has them. What does it mean if you don't have it? Most of the time this means nothing. They might just be hiding under your skin.
If the crescent moons have nevertheless disappeared, this could be an indication of the following:
– Malnutrition – Depression – Anemia
However, you should see a doctor if they turn red and you have the following symptoms:
– Dizziness – anxiety – lightheadedness – weight loss or weight gain – unusual cravings
Additional symptoms to watch out for
The most common systemic conditions, are
Psoriasis, which usually cause peeling of the nails and hypothyroidism which can lead to weak brittle nails.
Growth around the base of the nail or other changes should always be reported to your doctor.
The following table lists nail changes and their possible cause:
Bottom line: how to keep fingernails healthy?
Our body is intelligent. So if we are low on vitamins and minerals, it will show us, our nails and hair.
Eating a variety of whole foods will usually give you all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your nails need. A simple solution is to start taking a high quality multivitamin. Most of the time all nail changes will recede with time. If you are still worried, then you should contact a doctor.
“>