Manicured Nails: A sign of proper grooming.
As they say that eyes are the doors to your soul, nails have long been considered a reflection of your personal hygiene. Manicure and pedicure treatments are one of the most sought after in salons worldwide. Pampering oneself once a while at the local salon is part of a bi-monthly health regimen for many women and men are soon catching up. Tending to your nails is part of every grooming program.
A gamut of attractive nail coloring options means our nails are covered in paint most of the time. The chemicals in polish thinners and removers leave their set of imprints in the form of discolored and brittle nails. Understanding that nails not only make us look trim and proper but can also mirror internal deficiencies, imbalances or infections in our body, should compel us to keep our nails clear of paint once a while to notice what lies beneath. Noticing subtle indications can help seek early medical advice and treatment.
Nail texture and what it could be pointing to:
Onycholysis
Also called Plummer’s nail in which a fingernail (often the ring finger or little finger or a toenail) separates itself from the nail bed.
Indicative of: Hyperthyroidism or Psoriasis.
Spoon nails:
Also called koilonychia, in which nails are concave and look scooped away from the finger.
Indicative of: Hypothyroidism, cardiovascular problems, liver condition (hemochromatosis- excess iron absorption) or anemia.
Splinter hemorrhages:
Thin red or reddish brown lines under the nails, that look like splinters but are actually lines of blood.
Indicative of: Heart valve infection or Vasculitis.
Puffy nail fold:
Swelling of the skin around the base of the nail.
Indicative of: Connective tissue disorders like Lupus.
Yellow nail syndrome:
Yellow discoloration, thickening and stalling of any new nail growth.
Indicative of: Respiratory disease, such as chronic bronchitis.
Nail pitting:
Small depressions seen on the nails.
Indicative of: Eczema, arthritis or psoriasis and connective tissue disorders, such as Reiter’s syndrome, and alopecia areata — an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
Nail clubbing:
Enlargement of finger tips and the nails curve around the fingertips.
Indicative of: Low oxygen levels in the blood, lung disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, or liver disease.
Muehrcke’s lines:
Horizontal parallel white lines extending across a nail.
Indicative of: liver disease, malnutrition, or low levels of protein in the blood.
Terry’s nails:
Dark band on the tip of each nail.
Indicative of: Serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure or diabetes.
Beau’s lines:
Horizontal indentations that run across the nails.
Indicative of: Uncontrolled diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, illnesses associated with a high fever such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps and pneumonia, or be a sign of zinc deficiency.
Dark lines under a single nail:
Vertical dark lines underneath just one nail.
Indicative of: Acral lentiginous melanoma-a deadly form of skin cancer (melanoma). This type of skin cancer is known to advance quickly.
Yellowing of nails:
Yellowing of both the skin, around the nails and nails themselves.
Indicative of: Diabetes (increased thirst and urination).
Blue nails
Blue color of nails and particularly when paired with “blueing” of lips.
Indicative of: Oxygen-related health problem, such as Low hemoglobin, Asthma, COPD, Emphysema, Chronic bronchitis, or Pneumonia.
Weak nails:
That tend to chip off easily.
Indicative of: Selenium deficiency observed in arthritis patients.
Apart from the above conditions, nails are prone to fungal (yeast), bacterial (Staphylococcus ) and viral (warts) infections which show up as painful, red and itchy skin around your nails. Though not indicative of any underlying illness but they do need to be treated by a doctor, especially if you have a medical condition that weakens your immune system.
To know about Dr. Janardana Hebbar- visit www.easyayurveda.com
