The appearance and strength of your fingernails can provide a helpful indication of your overall health. Problems with your nails may indicate a variety of health problems, from minor to serious.
Peeling nails may indicate that your body has a deficiency in mineral absorption. This can be caused by something as simple as not chewing your food well enough, or from not having enough acid in your stomach, which can prevent your food from being properly digested.
Dry cuticles can be a sign of dehydration. If you wash your hands or do the dishes a lot, that can dry out your cuticles. You can provide extra moisture by applying cuticle oil or hand cream to your cuticles.
White spots can be caused by nail fungus or trauma to the nail, which may be caused by bumping your finger on something. If you feel pain in your nail, it is likely fungus, and you should see your doctor. If you do not have pain and think it may be a result of trauma, the white spot will need to grow out, which can take up to eight months.
Your nails can break for a variety of reasons. It could be because they are exposed to water, soap, or detergent too much. Breaking nails could also be a sign of an endocrine disorder or malnutrition. If you see a change in your nails’ thickness and color over time that does not improve when you stop exposing them to water, soap, or detergent, you should see your doctor.
Nails can become yellow for several reasons, such as smoking or fungus. Fungus can be treated with medication prescribed by your doctor. Your nails could also turn yellow because you paint them too often and don’t use a base coat. You should go without polish for about three days every few weeks, and always use a clear base coat to avoid staining your nails.
Dark marks under your nails could be benign moles underneath the nail bed. However, single bands of color could be a sign of melanoma. If you see this, make an appointment with your dermatologist right away.
If your nails are separating from the bed, that could be a sign of injury, infection, a reaction to a drug, thyroid disease, or psoriasis. If there is a space between the nail and the bed, that can lead to an infection. Nails will usually reattach themselves to the bed in a few months, but see your doctor if you suspect it may be something serious.
If your nails are strong, hard as rocks, and don’t break easily, that is a sign of overall good health. Keep up with your healthy diet, exercise, and nail care.