Nails and Health Issues – 5 Health Issues Identified Through Nails

How to find nails and health issues by watching changes on your nails?

Nails, the visible part of  the body can show many health secrets, from simple anemia to serious heart issues. Expert medical practitioners can diagnose a disease by watching nails of a patient before going into serious investigations. Attend to nail problems immediately and meet the  dermatologist immediately to findout skin related health issues.

Some useful information about nails:

  • There is a difference in the growth of fingernails to toe nails. Finger nails grow 3.5 millimeters (mm) per month, toenails grow just 1.6 mm per month.
  • This growth of both finger and toe nails depends on age and heredity among other factors like health status
  • During pregnancy women’s nails grow faster otherwise they grow slow to men’s.
  • Summer is the right season for faster nail growth than winter
  • Nail growth depends on human health conditions. Scars, color of nails, texture change indicate health related issues.Nails will not grow in a normal way in a diseased and  affected body.

Common Cause for Nail de colorization: 

Nail de colorization is mainly due to

  • Fungal infections in the air, dust, and soil. The most common species of fungi that affect nails is  Trichophyton rubrum. Infection due to Pseudomonas results in greenish color nail and red or black  nails may result from a hematoma.
  • Chronic medical conditions like diabetes or of liver, kidney, heart, or lung conditions. This is why doctors pay specific attention to nails during a routine physical examination.

Nails and Health Issues:

nails and health issues

Nail Pitting indicates psoriasis: It is very common among people has an illness, ‘psoriasis’ to have depressions on nails and nails look like ice pics. It also indicates tissue disorders, and hair loss.

pale nails

Pale Nail is an indication of  serious illness, indicates anemia / heart failure / Liver disease / Malnutrition

yello nails

Yellow Nails: yellow nails can show thyroid disease, lung disease, diabetes or psoriasis.

darklines nails

Dark lines beneath the nail: Take care of this indications. Show to a doctor immediately. It is more dangerous situation leading to skin cancer also called  melanoma.

nail clubbingNail clubbing occurs when the tips of the fingers enlarge and the nails curve around the fingertips, usually over the course of years. Nail clubbing is sometimes the result of low oxygen in the blood and could be a sign of various types of lung disease. Nail clubbing is also associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and AIDS.

It is not true that de colorization is always a health issue. de colorization some times is due to fungal infection and not a skin disease.

Follow simple but proven tips to keep nails healthy and prevent ill-health

  • Keep nails clean and dry
  • Cut your fingernails and toenails without getting the skin hurt.
  • When the nails are difficult to cut due to thickness, especially toe nails, soak feet in warm salt water  for sometime, then apply some soothing cream.
  • Never wear tight shoes that prevents normal nail growth.
  • Nail nite is injurious to health. By doing so, you are inviting infections to go straight into your stomach causing extra health problems. Nail bait also cause skin damage.
  • Keep nails trim and wet by applying nail cream after cutting the nails on a regular basis,
  • Applying nail polish can not be avoided in the modern age. At least take care while applying polish to the nails. Avoid extra base coat.

References: 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/multimedia/nails/sls-2007613

1http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-nails-and-health

http://www.medicinenet.com/nail_discoloration/symptoms.htmhttp://reference.medscape.com/features/slideshow/fingernail-abnormalities