What do the white parts on your nails mean?

White spots on your nails, or leukonychia, are usually harmless and not a cause for concern. Nail trauma is the most common cause of white spots on the nails. Some medical conditions, like iron deficiency anemia, can also cause white spots on the nails.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on goodrx.com

What does the white stuff on your nail mean?

They can result from an injury or exposure to toxins. They may also indicate an underlying health condition, such as liver disease or anemia. White spots can sometimes appear on the nail. When this happens, it is known as punctate leukonychia. There are several types of leukonychia.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

Why do I have no half moons on my fingernails?

Share on Pinterest People with no half-moon on their nails could be suffering from malnourishment or vitiligo. Malnourishment due to extreme diets, medical conditions that affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients, and eating disorders can cause changes in the nails.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

What do the moons on your nails mean?

These half-moon shapes are called lunula in medical terms. This is common in every individual, those who cannot see lunula on their nails, means they have a vitamin deficiency or are suffering from a medical condition.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

What does a healthy lunula look like?

Most nails have a white half-moon shape at the base, just above the cuticle, called a lunula. It's biggest on the thumb nail and decreases in size as you make your way to the pinkie. And a change in color or size of this feature may indicate an underlying disease, Linder explains.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aarp.org

Here’s What The Little Half Moon Under Our Fingernails Means

28 related questions found

Why are my nail moons so big?

According to palmistry, overly large moons can mean an overactive thyroid and high blood pressure. Small or no moons are thought to predict, the opposite; an under-active thyroid and low blood pressure.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on zmonline.com

Do healthy nails have half moons?

In a healthy individual, one can always find the half-moon shape at the bottom of the nail. It is a part of the matrix and reveals a lot about your health.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on m.timesofindia.com

Should you have half moons on all your nails?

These half-moon shapes are called lunula in medical terms. This is common in every individual, those who cannot see lunula on their nails, means they have a vitamin deficiency or are suffering from a medical condition.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on m.timesofindia.com

Why are my nails half white and half pink?

Terry's nails is a type of nail discoloration. The nails look white or washed-out with a thin, reddish-brown strip near the tip. Usually, Terry's nails affects all your fingernails. But you can have Terry's nails in your toenails or just one fingernail or toenail.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on my.clevelandclinic.org

Why you shouldn't bite your nails?

And repeatedly biting your nails can cause some short-term issues to develop, including: Dental problems such as misalignment and chipped teeth. Fungal infections in the nail bed. Illness, as fingers pass bacteria to your mouth.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on uclahealth.org

What do anemic nails look like?

What do fingernails look like with anemia? If a person has anemia, their nails may be pale or spoon-shaped.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

Do lunula disappear with age?

As the age increases, lunular visibility decreases. In 31 cases, the lunula was visible. Among those who had visible lunula, 23 were from the age-group of 60–70 years.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Why are the half moons on my nails so white?

And further, these keratinized cells die giving them transparent appearance (reddish tone is due to nail bed underneath it). However, unlike the nail, lunulae have got translucent white colour, thanks to the nuclei still present in their cells. This is because half-moon cells have not yet undergone keratin action.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thecorporatereview.com

Should I push my cuticles back?

Nail roots can easily become infected if they're exposed. Pushing back the cuticles rather than trimming them keeps them sealed to the nail root and prevents the onset of bacteria and germs. Trimming your cuticles can be painful, particularly if you cut too far into your skin or the area becomes infected.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on nailpolishdirect.co.uk

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)

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aad.org

Why do doctors look at your fingernails?

The examination of the hand and nails can lead to a number of diagnoses. Some of these include liver disease (Terry's nails), kidney disease (Lindsay's nails), lung disease (nail clubbing), endocarditis and many others.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on stanfordmedicine25.stanford.edu

Why do I only have half moons on my thumb nails?

If you only have lunula on your thumbs, this typically isn't a cause for concern. Half moons on thumbs tend to be the most prominent and may simply mean your lunula on other fingers are hidden by skin or your cuticles.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthyway.com

Does lunula indicate intelligence?

It is widely regarded by many that having a large Lunula is a sign of being a genius. While this may seem a bit more far-fetched and true than psychological healthy living. Lunula is highly regarded by experts and traditional Chinese medicine as an indicator of good health energy and immunity.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on linkedin.com

Which vitamin deficiency causes white spots on nails?

Leukonychia can be a sign of vitamin deficiencies. Calcium, selenium, and zinc deficiencies can make nails look white. These deficiencies cause white nail bands, not just white spots.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on goodrx.com

What does a large thumb moon mean?

Lunulae are considered large when they occupy a third (or more) of the fingernail. They indicate problems with the cardiovascular system, heartbeat disruption, and low blood pressure. Large lunulae can be often found in athletes and people whose occupation is connected with physical activity.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on engineeringinsider.org

What do purple moons on your nails mean?

Blue or purple nail beds or nails are a common sign of cyanosis, which is caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. This type of discoloration can also occur on other parts of the body including the hands, fingertips, toes, nose, lips, and tongue. Cyanosis is often caused by exposure to cold temperatures.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on verywellhealth.com

What does red lunula mean?

Red lunulae are associated with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, alopecia areata, cardiac failure, hepatic cirrhosis, lymphogranuloma venereum, psoriasis, carbon monoxide poisoning, twenty-nail dystrophy, and reticulosarcoma. We examined four patients with red lunulae.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What do your fingernails tell you about your liver?

If the nails are mostly white with darker rims, this can indicate liver problems, such as hepatitis. In this image, you can see the fingers are also jaundiced, another sign of liver trouble.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com