What Your Natural Nails Say About Your Health

Most people tend to keep their nails cleaned and trimmed. Others go further with a manicure, polish or fake nails. However, it is important to realize that nails, in their natural state, are a good indicator of what is going on inside your body.

Nails, made from tough keratin protein, are dead tissue, but the areas under the cuticle and beneath the nail are alive.

Healthy nails should appear smooth and pink. The nails should curve gently, both from side to side and from finger to nail front edge. This suggests your body is in good health.

Underlying Health Problems

If your nails do not look healthy, there may be an underlying health problem:

Yellow Nail Syndrome. Nails may look yellow or greenish. There may be a thickening of the nail and slowed growth. The nail may also detach partially from the nail bed. If this condition coincide with swelling of the lower extremities or recurrent pneumonia, a respiratory disease is likely.

Pitting. These are small depressions on the nails. Pits are often caused by psoriasis-a skin condition that produces scaly patches. Inflammatory arthritis may also be a cause.

Clubbing. Nails curve around the fingertips, which are usually enlarged. This condition may indicate lung disease, inflammatory bowel disease or liver disease.

Spoon Nails. Scooped out nails, looking like a spoon, could be a sign of iron-deficiency anemia.

Terry's Nails. Opaque looking nails with a dark band at the tip. Condition may be cause by aging or serious diseases such as cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes or liver disease.

Beau's Lines. Horizontal indentations that run across nails. These indentations could be a sign of malnutrition. May also appear after a serious injury or illness that interrupts the growth of the nail.

Nails Separating From Nail Bed. Condition could be related to an injury, thyroid disease, fungal disease, drug reactions, reactions to acrylic nails or nail hardeners or psoriasis.

Brown or Black Colored Streak. Dark lines beneath the nail. If the line appears without injury and the discoloration does not gradually disappear or the size increases over time, melanoma is the most common cause.

Vertical Nail Ridges. Common with aging, does not signify any serious disease.

White, Crumbly Nails. Condition often caused by a fungal infection.

Small White Spots. Very common. Condition caused by injury to the base of the nail. Spots grow out as nails grow.

In Conclusion

Nails do reflect the health of the body but be aware that these nail conditions are rarely the first clue of serious illness. Most people will experience other signs or symptoms of disease before nail changes become evident while some people may not experience nail changes at all.

Resources:
http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/101/106448.htm?pagenumber=1