10 Things Your Nails Can Reveal About Your Health

If you notice any significant changes in your nails, including swelling, discolorations, or changes in shape or thickness, see a dermatologist right away. It could be nothing, or it could be due to an underlying health problem.

10 Nail Symptoms and What They Mean for Your Health:

1. Yellow Nails - Your nails may yellow with age or due to the use of acrylic nails or nail polish. Smoking can also stain nails a yellowish color. If your nails are thick, crumbly and yellow, a fungal infection could be to blame. Less often, yellow nails may be related to thyroid disease, diabetes, psoriasis, or respiratory disease.

2. Dry, Cracked or Brittle Nails - Lifestyle factors may play a role here, such as if you have your hands in water a lot, use nail polish remover frequently, are exposed to chemicals often, or live in a region with low humidity. Cracking and splitting can also be caused by a fungal infection or thyroid disease, particularly hypothyroidism. Brittle nails may also be due to a deficiency in vitamins A, C or the B vitamin biotin.

3. Clubbing - Clubbing describes when your fingertips become enlarged and the nail becomes curved downward. It can be a sign of low oxygen in your blood and is associated with lung disease. Clubbing can also be related to liver or kidney disease, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease or AIDS.

4. White Spots - Small white spots on your nails are usually the result of nail trauma. They’re not cause for concern and will fade or grow out on their own. Less commonly, white spots that do not go away could be due to a fungal infection.

5. Horizontal Ridges - Horizontal ridges may also be due to trauma or a serious illness with a high fever. Horizontal ridges are known as Beau’s lines and may also be due to psoriasis, uncontrolled diabetes, circulatory disease, or a severe zinc deficiency. Another type of horizontal line is known as Mees’ lines, which are horizontal discolorations that may be due to arsenic poisoning, Hodgkin’s disease, malaria, leprosy, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

6. Vertical Ridges - Vertical ridges are typically a normal sign of aging and are not a cause for concern. They may become more prominent as you get older. In some cases, nail ridges may be due to nutrient deficiencies, including vitamin B12 and magnesium.

7. Spoon Nails - Nails that curve upward at the edges, taking on a spoon-like appearance, may be a sign of iron-deficiency anemia, hemochromatosis (excess iron absorption), heart disease, or hypothyroidism.

8. Pitting - If your nails have multiple pits or dents, it’s often a sign of psoriasis. Nail pitting may also be due to connective tissue disorders (including Reiter’s syndrome) or alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

9. Dark Discolorations - Black streaks or painful growths on your nail warrant an immediate trip to your physician, as they may be due to melanoma, which is a serious form of skin cancer.

10. White Nails with a Strip of Pink - If your nails are mostly white with a narrow pink strip at the top, known as Terry’s nails, it could be a sign of liver disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, or diabetes. Sometimes Terry’s nails may also be due to aging.

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