How do nails tell about health?

Did you know your nails can reveal clues to your overall health? A touch of white here, a rosy tinge there, or some rippling or bumps may be a sign of disease in the body. Problems in the liver, lungs, and heart can show up in your nails.

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What surprising things can your fingernails reveal about your health?

A white nail could signal cirrhosis, chronic renal failure or congestive heart failure. Lunula that have a blueish tint could suggest Wilson's disease, a rare inherited genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in the liver, brain and other organs. Red lunula may indicate heart failure, research shows.

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Are strong nails an indicator of good health?

Nails can offer an important glimpse into your overall health. Having strong, healthy nails isn't just good news for your manicure: Unpleasant nail symptoms could also indicate bigger health problems.

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What are 3 signs of healthy nails?

Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age.

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Why don't I have half moons on my nails?

Not being able to see a half-moon, or lunula, on the nails may be a sign of a vitamin deficiency, vitiligo, kidney failure, or another health condition, some of which can be serious. Nails grow from a pocket under the skin that doctors call the matrix. The matrix helps make new cells.

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Fingernails can tell about health

45 related questions found

Can your fingernails tell if you are sick?

Changes in Nail Shape

Ripples on nails or pitted nails may be caused by a skin disorder, psoriasis, eczema, or arthritis. Nail clubbing is when a nail curves under at the tip of the finger. It could indicate heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lung disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, or HIV/AIDS.

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What do fingernails look like with kidney disease?

Nail changes.

People who have advanced kidney disease can develop: A white color on the upper part of one or more nails and a normal to reddish brown color below, as shown here (half-and-half nails) Pale nails. White bands running across one or more nails (Muehrcke's nails)

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What does half moon on nails mean?

Fingernail half-moons are the rounded, white shadows at the base of your nails. Industry term for this is a lunula, which is Latin for little moon. The place where each nail begins growing is known as the matrix. This is where the new cells are made that will make up the nail. The lunula is part of the matrix.

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What does vitamin deficiency nails look like?

Nail plate discoloration can result from several nutritional deficiencies. Research has shown vitamin B12 deficiency to cause brown-gray nail discoloration. White nails can be the result of anemia and pink or red nails may suggest malnutrition with several nutrient and vitamin deficiencies.

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What do nails look like with calcium deficiency?

When your body lacks calcium, your nails become thinner, weaker, and brittle. You may notice that they break easily and just don't look as healthy as they used to. Although nails and bones are made up of different substances, they're similar enough that poor nail health may be an early marker of bone density problems.

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What are the 5 common nail problems?

This article therefore helps clinicians to find the right treatment of the 5 most common nail disorders (brittle nails, onycholysis, paronychia, psoriasis, and onychomycosis) and provides practical tips that might improve patients' compliance.

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Do nails show signs of liver?

Terry's nails is a type of nail discoloration. The nailbeds look “washed out,” except for a thin reddish-brown strip near the tip. Often, Terry's nails is a symptom of a chronic condition, such as liver failure or diabetes. Sometimes, it is a sign of aging.

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What do nails look like with heart problems?

Pale nails can mean anemia or congestive heart failure. It is also common among those suffering from malnutrition.

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What do iron deficiency nails look like?

Koilonychia is indented nails. Instead of growing straight, your nails look concave, like spoons. In many people, koilonychia is a sign of iron deficiency. Usually, you can get rid of spoon nails by treating the underlying cause.

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What do diabetic nails look like?

Nail Health & Diabetes

In some people with diabetes, the nails take on a yellowish hue and become brittle. This is often associated with the breakdown of sugar and its effect on the collagen in nails. In certain cases, this yellowing of nails can be a sign of a nail infection.

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What are the 3 early warning signs of kidney disease?

3 Warning Signs That You May Be Experiencing Kidney Failure
  • Dizziness and Fatigue. One of the first possible signs of weakening kidneys is the experience of overall weakness in yourself and your overall health. ...
  • Swelling (Edema) ...
  • Changes in urination.

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Can stress show on fingernails?

Just as your hair might fall out after an illness or a prolonged period of stress, your nails can also exhibit symptoms. Most frequently, stress will cause side-to-side lines to appear on your nails.

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Does liver damage affect nails?

Various nail changes have been described in patients of liver cirrhosis including Terry's nails, leukonychia, dystrophic nails, onychorrhexis, as well as onycholysis and clubbing.

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How do you know if you have a vitamin D deficiency in your nails?

If your nails are peeling, brittle, or have vertical ridges, you may be vitamin D deficient. Dubbed “the sunshine vitamin,” one of the best sources is sunlight. It can also be found in fatty fish, beef, liver, egg yolk, and fortified dairy, orange juice, and cereals.

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Should I push my cuticles back?

Pushing your cuticles back is a great way to prevent them from splitting or getting infected and allows your products to sit much better on the surface of your nail. With the correct prep, tools and manicure routine, it's super easy to keep your cuticles at their best.

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What does nails with no moon indicate?

Small or no moons are thought to indicate low blood pressure or underactive thyroid gland. Scientists have found that lack of moons on fingernail may suggest deficiency of vitamin B12 or iodine which normally feeds the thyroid gland.

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