“Your nails are a very good reflection of your health. Many things can occur in the nails that can signify systemic or skin problems,” says dermatologist Dr. Christine Poblete-Lopez.
And “anything that doesn’t look normal ought to be addressed. Your best course of action is to see a doctor as soon as possible.”
White spots on your fingernails are usually not that harmful and you shouldn’t worry much.
But sometimes, they may move to either all nails or several nails, and medically, the condition is known as leukonychia.
Valerie Maine from Live True London says:
They can be caused by various conditions such as allergic reactions, fungal infection, nail injury and mineral deficiency. Most common causes are trauma such as knocking your nails against surfaces in your daily life.
Although most causes are not serious, certain serious medical conditions may cause white spots such as chronic renal disease or a reaction to certain medication. If you are at all concerned or if the condition is progressing, make sure to seek the opinion of a doctor.
According to Registered Dietitian Roxane Bakker, white spots on the nails could also be a sign of a fungal infection called ‘white superficial onychomycosis’.
She explained:
It’s an easily treatable infection which can be treated through over-the-counter antifungal medication.”
Advising on white spots signalling a nail injury, she added:
They may be a sign that you’ve had an injury at the base of your fingernail.
Due to the time it takes for your nails to grow, some injuries may not show on your exposed fingernail for up to four weeks, so it’s worth thinking back to anything that may have happened, such as shutting your fingers in a door by mistake.
According to therapist Becky Laroc, there is a general misconception white spots on your nails are a sign of a calcium deficiency.
She said:
Generally, a calcium deficiency is shown by very weak and/or soft nails.
But in some cases, white spots could be a sign of a zinc deficiency.
Roxane advised:
It’s worth taking a vitamin DNA test to find out exactly what areas you’re lacking in.
Parallel white lines that run all the way across the nail could be a sign of low levels of protein in the blood.
Roxane warned:
If you notice these, contact your GP as soon as possible and monitor your protein intake.
Deep indentations that run across the nail horizontally are called ‘Beau’s lines’, and are often symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes, as well as illnesses associated with high fever such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps and pneumonia.
If you notice this, please contact your GP as soon as you can.
Roxane added:
Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail.
These vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age and are nothing to worry about.
However, it’s important to pay attention to your fingernails to see if they do change overtime and always contact your GP should you be concerned.
Ridges on the finger nails can merely be a sign of ageing, a vitamin deficiency or dehydration, or as a result of a skin condition such as dry skin or eczema.
According to Dr. Ross Perry, slight ridges are normal and can develop during the ageing process as when cell growth slows and lessens, so as you age it may not be unusual to see this happen.
He continued:
Nutritional factors such as deficiencies in vitamins such as Vitamin A, or if your body is low in protein or calcium then you may notice ridges.
Severe iron deficiencies could also create ridges and other changes to the nails.
But he warned if ridges are accompanied with discoloring it may be caused by a medical condition and you may need to seek medical advice.
According to a new study, following a COVID-19 infection:
New horizontal indentations at the base of fingernails and toenails, known as Beau’s lines.
Onychomycosis – nail fungus causing thickened, brittle, crumbly, or ragged nails.
And horizontal white lines on nails are some signs of ‘COVID NAILS’ or you had covid.
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