The state of your nails can say a lot about your health. Of course, if your nail breaks in the middle of your day, it only says you need a manicure. But if your nails are brittle, discolored, or misshapen, it may indicate that there is something more significant amiss.

Healthy nails are pinkish in color with whitish tips. They grow on average 0.1 mm/day, which is 1 cm/100 days. If you’re not in good health, your nails may grow more slowly or take on a different appearance.

Here are some nail irregularities that may suggest health problems:

Mee’s Lines

Mee’s lines are white, horizontal lines that can appear as the result of a heart attack, sickle-cell disease, kidney failure, or Hodgkin’s disease. If red streaks appear across the nail, it could indicate high blood pressure or heart valve disease.

Beau’s Lines

Beaus’s lines are horizontal grooves that appear because of trauma to the nail, malnutrition, some toxic substances, and major illness.

Koilonychia

Koilonychia is characterized by spoon-shaped nails that curve upwards and are thin. This condition is caused by anemia, which is an iron deficiency.

Pitting

Your nails are pitted when the nail surface is marked by depressions. Your nails may also crumble or become loose and possibly fall off. This is a sign of psoriasis or eczema.

Clubbing

Clubbing is marked by curled nails. Clubbing may indicate lung, colon, heart, or liver disesase.

Leukonychia

Leukonychia is characterized by white striations across the nail or white spots on the nail. It is associated with arsenic poisoning, pneumonia, heart disease, or renal failure. It is also a side effect of chemo therapy.

Discoloration

If your nails are thick and yellow, this may be a symptom of thyroid, lymph system, or respiratory disease. This condition is also a side effect of long-term use of the antibiotic tetracycline.

White nails may indicate cirrhosis of the liver.

Blue nails suggest a circulatory issue.  This may be the result of heart disease or Raynaud’s disease, which affects circulation in your hands.

These nail conditions may sound scary, but think of them as a signal from your body to visit a doctor. Just because something might be wrong doesn’t mean it’s serious. And learning about what your nails tell you can help you get started on the road to wellness right away.

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