Do you have ridges on your fingernails? White spots? Have the little half-moons suddenly turned slightly blue? Or did you have a serious infection, like pneumonia, and notice that not long afterwards you found a horizontal groove growing through all of your nails? Don’t be surprised: the condition of your fingernails can tell you a lot about the health of your body as a whole.
Your nails are made up of layers of a hardened protein called keratin, and the condition of your nails depends a lot on the quality of your health and diet. If you’re in good health and have a well-balanced diet, your nails will be smooth, with a pinkish nailbed and a white half-moon at the base. If you’re getting sick or are seriously deficient in certain nutrients, your nails will start to gradually change.
Read on to find out more about what changes in your fingernails’ texture and color could be telling you.
Important note: we’re not medical professionals. We are providing this article strictly as information and not as medical advice or a prescription. If you’re concerned about something, check with your doctor and don’t take this article as gospel.
Texture Changes in Finger and Toe Nails
As we said, normal healthy nails are quite smooth. But what does it mean if you have…
Pitted Fingernails?
Usually people with skin conditions like psoriasis or dermatitis of the hands wind up with nails covered in tiny pits or dents. Some people with alopecia, a condition in which all the body hair falls out, may develop pits as well.
Ridged Fingernails?
Vertical ridges are pretty normal. They seem to become more pronounced as we get older, and you can usually buff them down. Horizontal ridges are more of a concern. They often show up after someone has been seriously sick for a long time, such as with pneumonia or measles, or in association with certain heart diseases or diabetes.
Horizontal ridges that only appear in one fingernail could be the result of an injury to that finger.
Brittle Fingernails?
Usually, brittle fingernails occur when the hands are exposed to water, chemicals, or after acrylic tips have been applied. Sometimes brittle nails can indicate a health problem, though, such as psoriasis, or deficiency in some minerals. Some people will try to tell you that brittle nails are the result of a protein deficiency, but protein deficiency in North America is extremely rare, even among people who don’t eat meat or animal products.
You can prevent brittle nails by protecting your hands from chemicals while cleaning and by eating some raw vegetables every day. You can also treat brittle nails externally.
Spoon-shaped Fingernails?
If you’ve developed spoon-shaped nails you’ve probably already run to the doctor! Spoon shaped fingernails curve inside out, and the edges are soft. Nails like this are most likely a sign that you have iron-deficiency anemia.
Thick nails?
Thick nails are also often yellowish and can be a sign of a fungal infection. You can treat fungal infections with over-the-counter or prescription medication.
Thick nails that pull away from the nail bed can be a sign of medical conditions including thyroid disease, allergic reactions to some drugs, or psoriasis.
Color Changes in Finger and Toe Nails
Normal nails have a pinkish hue without spots or stripes, and the half-moon at the bottom is whitish. But what if you develop…
Yellow Nails?
Yellow nails, if not the cause of smoking stains or stains from dark nail polish (always use a base coat!), can also be the result of fungal infections. Usually an infection will only affect one or two nails.
If all the nails are yellow, it can often be a sign of a recurring respiratory problem, such as chronic bronchitis or extremely severe asthma.
Greenish Nails?
Greenish thick nails are almost certainly a sign of a fungal infection. Usually this happens to toenails. Get a doctor’s advice about how to treat the infection and use an anti-fungal spray in shoes, especially athletic shoes.
Bluish Nail Beds?
If the beds of your nails turn purpleish or bluish instead of their normal pink, it could be a sign that you aren’t getting enough oxygen in your blood. This could be because of asthma or because of anemia—lack of certain vitamins and minerals that prevents your blood molecules from carrying enough oxygen molecules.
Another factor that could turn your nail beds blue is the use of colloidal silver as a dietary supplement. Using too much colloidal silver can turn your entire body blue, much the same way that eating way too many carrots can turn you a rich, fake-tan orange. Put down the silver and step away slowly!
White Nail Beds, with Dark Bands at the Tips?
Sometimes as people get older the nailbeds naturally become white and opaque and a darker pink stripe develops towards the end. This change is usually extremely gradual. If you notice this change over a shorter period, it could be a sign of congestive heart disease or liver disease. People who are extremely malnourished also sometimes develop nails that look like this.
White Spots or Streaks on the Nails?
White spots or streaks on the nail have been blamed on everything from zinc deficiency to thyroid malfunction. But there’s little evidence for a link between the spots and an underlying health problem. Usually they’re just a result of the fingers having been knocked or banged a little, and sometimes a tendency towards them runs in the family.
People who do anything with their hands—gardening, playing musical instruments, playing sports, cooking—can end up with these spots or streaks. They’re harmless, and they’ll grow out after a bit.
Better Fingernails Through Nutrition
Increasing your intake of healthy fresh foods can help minimize most of the nail conditions above (in addition to addressing the root illness or deficiency). Eating real food as opposed to overdosing on supplements is your best bet, though a biotin supplement isn't a bad idea for skin, hair, and nail health.
Also be choosy about the products you use. Many drug store brands of nail treatment contain harsh, toxic chemicals including formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalates-- all of which have been associated with cancer, birth defects, and hormonal disruptions. Head to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website at www.safecosmetics.org. They'll help you find companies, like Florida's |
