We tend to think about the appearance of our nails only from an aesthetic point of view, and may spend considerable money on manicure, nail polish and nail art. However, our nails are about much more. The natural shape, surface, and color of nails are virtually a window into the body’s health. It is therefore worth paying attention to perceptible changes that can indicate nutritional deficiencies, but may also show symptoms of a serious illness such as cancer.
Yellow nails
The nails can easily become discolored by frequent use of nail polish or smoking. However, if you are certain that your nails have not become yellow because of one of these reasons, you should see your doctor, as this may be a symptom of thyroid problems, diabetes, psoriasis or respiratory disease, especially chronic bronchitis.
Dry, brittle, cracked nails
This problem can be caused by your lifestyle. If you clean and wash dishes often and soak your hands in water regularly or use a nail polish, you can say it’s a natural reaction. Otherwise, the cause may be a fungal infection, thyroid problems, mainly thyroid hyperactivity or lack of vitamins. If you suspect this to be the case, take vitamins A and C and biotin.
White dots
Tiny white dots can usually be observed on nails if they have been traumatized. You don’t have to worry about them, as they will grow out over time!
Horizontal stripes
Horizontal stripes may be caused by external influences, but they may also appear if you have gone through severe fever, for example during pneumonia. In this case, the body indicates that it has other things to do, and stops growing the nails. Horizontal white stripes can be observed on several nails at a time.
Vertical stripes
Vertical stripes in the nail’s texture are usually the signs of aging. The older you are, the more you can observe this phenomenon. In some cases the cause is lack of nutrition, in which case you need to pay attention to the replacement of vitamin B12 and magnesium.
Spoon-like nails
Nails becomes flat or turn upward in case of iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia. But you can notice the same thing if your body can’t utilize iron properly, or it may be a symptom of heart disease and thyroid hyperactivity.
Pink stripes
If you see a pink stripe on the nail under the white crescent-shaped stripe you may have a serious health problem. A pink stripe may be a sign of liver and kidney failure or diabetes.