Fingernails can tell a lot about health
A glance at the fingernails can reveal a lot about one's health. Changes such as ridges, spots, or discolorations can be signs of illness, but often have harmless causes as well.
Some people take care of their fingernails daily and maintain them regularly, while others only trim them occasionally and don't pay much attention to their appearance. This way, they might miss changes that could indicate an illness or nutrient deficiency. However, ridges, spots, discolorations, etc., often have completely harmless causes. One just needs to know how to interpret the signs.
Longitudinal and Transverse Ridges
Many people develop longitudinal ridges in their fingernails. According to Health.de, they can occur occasionally due to rheumatism, liver and skin diseases. However, they are usually a normal sign of aging that can appear as early as 35 years old. They can also indicate a dry nail bed, which can be caused by frequent dishwashing without gloves or the use of nail polish removers.
Drinking plenty of water and using urea-containing hand creams, recommends Silke Hoffmann, director of the Wuppertal Center for Dermatology and spokesperson for the German Dermatological Society (DDG). This can smooth out dry fingernails.
Transverse ridges usually appear when the nail's growth is disrupted. The cause is often a feverish infection, a crush injury, or other injury. Sometimes, it can also be due to a metabolic disorder, thyroid disorder, heavy metal poisoning, chemotherapy, or extreme stress. Rarely, it can be due to a nutrient deficiency (zinc, calcium, iron).
If transverse ridges appear, there has been a health issue for some time, or it has already resolved. This is because fingernails grow only two to four millimeters per month.
Brittle, Cracked Nails
Brittle, cracked fingernails are often the result of frequent hand washing, dishwashing, or contact with nail polish removers, similar to longitudinal ridges. Another possible cause is nutrient deficiency (calcium, iron, vitamins, or biotin). Thyroid disorders, skin diseases, arthritis, and medications can also be triggers.
White Spots
"When white spots appear on the fingernails, a nutrient deficiency is often suspected as the cause," says Utta Petzold, dermatologist at Barmer. "It's said that the nails lack calcium, but also protein, iron, biotin, vitamin H, or vitamin B. However, this is a myth." The actual cause is usually an injury or inflammation of the nail root, from which the horn plates grow. It is partially visible as a white half-moon at the beginning of the fingernail.
Even light impacts or aggressive manicures can damage the nail root. "A fingernail consists of more than 100 layers of keratin scales. If the nail root is damaged, these horn scales do not grow together properly, allowing air pockets to form that cause the white spots," says Petzold. However, the white spots are harmless and will grow out over time.
Yellow Discolorations of the Fingernails Can Be Caused by Cleaning Agents, Often Due to Incorrect Use of Nail Polish
Yellow discolorations of the fingernails can be caused by cleaning agents, with incorrect use of nail polish being a common trigger. Therefore, it is recommended to use a base coat to prevent color pigments from penetrating the nail plate. Rarely, discoloration can be attributed to a liver condition or a specific type of psoriasis (nail psoriasis).
If the discoloration is light brown or yellow-gray, it is essential to consult a doctor as it may be an early sign of nail fungus. In advanced stages, the nail lifts from the nail bed, and a crumbly horn mass forms underneath.
It is also advisable to consult a doctor for dark brown to black spots that do not grow out, as they could be harmless blood spots. However, in this case, it could also be skin cancer.
Sometimes, fingernails may appear green. According to Gesundheit.de, a possible cause could be a bacterial infection, which often occurs with injuries and frequent contact with water or irritants (cleaning agents).
Bulging Fingernails
In the case of so-called "hourglass nails" or "spoon nails," the fingernails are significantly curved upwards and enlarged. They are often thinner and more brittle than healthy nails. These nails can be a sign of liver, heart, and lung diseases and/or insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues. They can also occur in people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
If the bulge is a depression, it is called "spoon nails." In this case, there is a suspicion of chronic anemia, which is often associated with iron deficiency. According to "The Conversation," this can be caused by poor diet, gluten intolerance, or cancer, for example, in the gastrointestinal tract. People who frequently work with solvents, such as hairdressers, are particularly at risk.
Dents or waves in the fingernail can have the same causes as spoon nails. However, they can also indicate psoriasis or another disease.
After learning about various signs on fingernails that reveal health issues, it's crucial to prioritize regular nail care and maintain proper health and safety measures. For instance, daily hand washing with gloves can prevent nail bed dryness, a common cause of longitudinal ridges. Additionally, ensuring adequate nutrition and hydration can prevent nutrient deficiencies that may lead to white spots or brittle nails.
