We are taught that our fingerprints are unique; even twins don’t share the same pattern.
But fingerprints are not just an important part of our hands. Our fingernails are also essential. At the very least, in checking our health.
Medical experts confirmed that fingernails quietly manifest what’s happening inside the body, from nutrient deficiencies to organ complications.
Here’s what we need to know more about our fingernails, based on the perspective of the medical experts and studies.
The Body’s Tiny Reporters
Our fingernails are great record-keepers of our bodies.
When the body is affected by something, such as illness, deficiencies, or stress, nails show the symptoms.
That’s why doctors often observe the condition of a person by checking their hands. Not because of manicure color curiosity, but to know more medical information.
Healthy nails are often characterized as light pink, flexible, firm, smooth, and free from discoloration or deep lines.
If the fingernail colors don’t have one or all of these characteristics, your body might be in trouble.
Unusual Nail Colors
Your fingernails may usually appear as light pink. But it also appears in other colors when the body feels something unusual.
Here are some of the nail colors and what they could mean to your body:
- White or Pale Nails – Unusual white or pale nails are linked to conditions such as liver issues, anemia, poor blood flow, and low levels of iron.
- Yellow Nails – Persistent yellowish nails may indicate that your body is suffering from conditions like diabetes, thyroid complications, lung disease, fungal infections, or other underlying conditions.
- Blue or Purple Nails – This color range means that your blood carries a low supply of oxygen. It is also linked to heart complications, circulation problems, lung problems, or chest discomfort.
Beware of Lines on Your Nails
Some nails have a different way to tell you that your body is in trouble. You can tell it through the appearance of horizontal and vertical lines.
Both send different messages about your internal struggles.
Vertical lines commonly exist when your body undergoes changes related to a lack of nutrients, thyroid imbalance, or physical dehydration. It is best to observe the deepening ridges.
On the other hand, the horizontal dents, also known as the Beau’s lines, appear when the nails have stopped growing.
Horizontal dents are related or linked to high fever, recovery from an infection, severe illness, or undergoing a major stress.
Thin vertical lines running from cuticle to tip are very common, especially with age. Most of the time, they’re harmless.
Other Complications Related to Nails
Aside from nail color and lines, other nail-related complications may signal you to check out your body.
Here are some of the complications:
- Spoon-Shaped Nails – Tied to nutritional problems. Resulting in possible complications like anemia, iron deficiency, and heart problems.
- Dark Spots and Lines – A warning sign that skin cancer is affecting the nail bed. These dark spots or stripes under a nail don’t always come from a bruise.
- Clubbing – It is associated with oxygen-lack complications, digestive conditions, heart problems, and lung disease, which makes the nail curve downward.
- Splitting or Brittle Nails – Vulnerable nails that are direct results of overexposure to chemicals or water, thyroid-related problems, and biotin or low iron.
What Nail Can and Can’t Exactly Tell You?
Nails do not always diagnose certain body or internal complications through its own.
However, they can assist you in observing or taking care of your overall health effectively.
By that, nail appearance can help you identify anomalous physical patterns, improve your lifestyle, or be encouraged to have an early medical diagnosis.
Nails act as an alarm that can be triggered easily, a way to tell you to be physically responsible.
Great Habits Related to Healthy Nails
Healthy nails are a flex. Do the following to protect them as much as you can:
- Stay hydrated, but not excessively full.
- Avoid harsh nail treatments.
- Wear gloves when cleaning something.
- Eat meals that are rich in iron, protein, and vitamins.
- Be attentive to physical changes.
The Messenger of Warning
Nails are there for a reason. Usually, they send early signals that may warn us about our health condition.
These changes are either harmless or malignant. But one should be mindful to notice the patterns without panicking.
When it does happen, nails taught us to take the early warning seriously as quickly as possible.
It’s usually the minor clues that identify major problems.