What your nails say about your health

Do you know that your nails, especially finger nails, may sometimes hold the secret to your overall health status? A change in colour, feel, shape or smoothness may be a pointer to underlying systemic diseases.

 

The list below is not exhaustive but is an attempt at discussing the common nail changes associated with physical problems. The conditions discussed below usually have some other manifestations in other parts of the body, so you should see a doctor as soon as you notice any changes in your nails.

 

• 1.       Pale Nails: Very pail nails are sometimes associated with aging but may also be associated with serious conditions such as anaemia, congestive heart failure, diabetes, liver disease, malnutrition and so on.

• 2.       White Nails (Leuconikia): Nails that are mostly white with darker rims are usually associated with liver problems such as hepatitis. This may also be associated with the yellowing of the eyes (jaundice), another sign of liver disease.

• 3.       Yellow nails: The most common cause of yellow nails is fungal infection. As the infection worsens, the nails may retract, thickens and crumble. However, yellow nails may also be associated with serious conditions such as severe thyroid disease and psoriasis.

• 4.       Blue nails (Cyanosis): Nails with bluish tinge can mean that the body is not getting enough oxygen. This could indicate an infection in the lungs, such as pneumonia or a disease of the heart.

• 5.       Blood-streaked nails (Splinter haemorrhages): This is usually associated with trauma to the nails but may also be associated with more serious conditions such as sub-acute bacterial endocarditis.

• 6.       Cracked or split nails: Dry, brittle nails that frequently crack or split have been linked to thyroid disease. Cracking or splitting combined with yellowish hue is more likely to be a fungal infection. Cracked nails are also often associated with trauma to the fingers, affecting the nails.

• 7.       Puff nail folds: if the skin around the nails appears red and puffy, this is known as the inflammation of the nail fold. It is usually associated with lupus and other connective tissue disorder.

• 8.       Dark lines beneath the nails: This is usually associated with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. You should have this investigated as early as possible as it may be pretty deadly.

• 9.       Spoon shaped nails (Koilonychia): This is typically seen in iron deficiency anaemia but also in haemochromatosis (a hereditary problem in which there is excessive absorption and storage of iron in the liver and pancreas leading to the damage of these organs).

• 10.   Brown nails: The brownish discoloration of the nails is usually seen following the use of some anti-malarial drugs or cytotoxic drugs (drugs used in the treatment of cancer).

Nail changes are usually only part of the puzzle as they often accompany many conditions. You should also note that many nail changes are harmless; the fact that they look or feel like what was described above does not mean that you have the condition associated with it.

 

Many of these changes are usually reversed on proper treatment of the underlying condition or the stoppage of the drugs associated with it.

 

If you are concerned about the appearance of your nails, see a skin doctor (dermatologist) or your physician for proper evaluation.