Nails are different ... Why does the color change? Strong and healthy nails at home

04.09.2019

The stratification of nails always has reasons, each of them can be the main one, eliminating which, you will get shiny, strong and healthy nails. In principle, exfoliating nails are a reason to see a doctor.

shellac coating

There is no doubt that shellac coating today dominates in the manicure business. In terms of strength and durability of the coating, it surpassed methods such as applying gel polishes and acrylic products.

Ingrown nail

The condition of an ingrown toenail can bring a lot of suffering. Once manifested, it can haunt a person for many years, depriving him of the opportunity to exist normally. Ingrown toenails can be caused by unprofessional pedicures, wearing tight shoes, and...

gradient manicure

Gradient manicure - a smooth color transition using varnishes of different tones. You can do this rainbow coloring, matched to your mood, at home on your own.

Nail growth

Nails grow at a rate of 2-6 mm per month, depending on the age and health of the person. On the feet, nails grow more slowly than on the hands; faster at a young age, in warm weather, during pregnancy and recovery from any injury.

Hand care at home

Have you noticed how untidy hands age a woman? Or in another way: hands give out a woman's age even earlier than her face. Home care for hands and, at the same time, knowledge of some of the intricacies of the problem, will help every woman to have young hands and not be ashamed of them at any age.

Perfect nails should be of equal length and consistent with the shape of the fingers: slightly curved, smooth, even, thin at the cuticle, the edge and sides are free, looks natural. When sharpening the nail, consider it from seven angles: on the left and right sides, tip down, tip up, at an angle, straight, from the side of the palm.

Characteristic changes in the nails can help in the diagnosis of many diseases of the internal organs.

Ribbed or wavy edges are caused by uneven nail growth, usually due to injury or disease.
Grooves (recesses) may extend along the length of the nail. This is usually the result of disease or injury to the nail cells within or in the vicinity of the matrix. if the dents and indentations give the nail the appearance of a thimble, this is a signal warning of psoriasis.
Transverse grooves on the nail plate appear due to a temporary stop in the growth of nails. The cause is a serious illness, such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, shock, high fever. With the resumption of nail growth, the line gradually moves forward. Knowing that the nail on the hand grows from the posterior nail fold to the free edge for 3-4 months (the rate depends on age), the distance between the posterior nail fold and the line can be used to determine the duration of the disease.
Paired transverse stripes, parallel to the well, most often appear in chronic kidney diseases that provoke excessive excretion of proteins from the body, as a result of which their deficiency is obtained.
Nails in the shape of watch glasses (convex spherically) very often indicate lung disease, bronchitis or cancer.
spoon nails(koilonychia). The nails take on a concave shape when the nail plate softens and thins. Most often, they indicate an iron deficiency, which should be treated without fail under the supervision of a physician. Can be observed with Plummer-Vinson syndrome, Raynaud's syndrome, hemochromatosis, mechanical and chemical injuries of the nails. In addition, the concave shape of the nails can be familial.
Abnormal thickening of the nail (hypertrophy). Usually caused by an internal disorder, such as a local infection.
Thinning of the nail plate (atrophy)- the nail loses its luster, becomes thin and sometimes disappears completely. Causes: endocrine system disorders, dermatoses, vitamin deficiency, trauma, inflammation.
Splitting nails. Among the reasons that caused this may be a finger injury, a careless point, or excessive use of nail thinners. fragility and splitting of nails, a change in their color indicate excessive smoking, unbalanced nutrition and direct contact with synthetic detergents. Delamination of nails also occurs due to a lack of vitamin D, silicon or calcium in the body.
Separation of the nail plate without separation from the nail bed(onycholysis). The exfoliated area looks white and opaque, sharply different from the pink healthy part of the nail. Occurs in thyrotoxicosis, with the ring finger being the first to be affected; the skin of the fingers is moist, hot, velvety; palms are hyperemic. Often the cause can be infections or the use of certain drugs, trauma, systemic diseases, exposure to chemical compounds.
Shell nail- the nail is noticeably thin, white and bends significantly more than normal nails. The nail plateau is separated from the nail bed and is bent at the free end. This deviation can be caused by chronic diseases.
Inflammation around the nail can be caused by bacteria, yeast fungus, non-compliance with the rules of sanitation, ingrowth of the nail into the fold of the skin.

Changing the shape of the nail:

index finger - diseases of the head.
middle finger - gastrointestinal diseases.
ring finger - diseases of the kidneys and lungs.
little finger - diseases of the genital organs.

Nail color change

Healthy nails are pink or peach in color.. Nail color change allows us to draw a preliminary conclusion about the development of pathology of internal organs.

Blue nails. Blue and blue gray color nails acquired under the influence of antimalarial drugs, minocycline, silver nitrate, as well as with hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease (copper accumulation in the body) and due to poor circulation.
bruised nail- the presence of dark, purple (almost brown or black) spots. It is usually caused by injury and bleeding into the nail bed. Dried blood attaches to the nail and grows with it. Handle it very gently. Avoid pressure. The nail may be separated from the nail bed.
Brown or red thin stripes- longitudinal subungual hemorrhages. Most often occur after injury and are localized in the distal nail bed. Another cause is infective endocarditis, in which case the center of the nail bed is usually affected.
White spots.

Dots or dots indicate a lack of calcium and zinc in the body. They can have different shapes, directions and sizes.
Small white spots that subsequently grow over the entire nail are a manifestation of a fungal disease. The nail becomes cloudy, dull, thickened and exfoliating. In this case, only serious antifungal therapy prescribed by a qualified dermatologist can help.
Half-and-half color change - the bottom half of the nail becomes white, while the top remains smooth and pink. This is an occasion to consult a kidney specialist.
White spots are not a consequence of the disease. They can be caused by injury to the base of the nail - a blow to the nails, excessive pressure in the process of performing a manicure, etc. As the nail grows, these spots disappear.

Yellow nails (yellow-green). More often they are accompanied by nail dystrophy (dull, opaque, thickened, rounded, slowly growing), pathology of the lymphatic system (swelling of the fingers, ankles, face) and any disease of the internal organs (most often these are respiratory diseases or a malignant neoplasm). May indicate a diseased liver. Tuberculous yellowish nails occur with diabetes mellitus, as well as fungal infection.
tan color the edges of the nail (oil spots) may be due to psoriasis.
brown nails occurs in primary adrenal insufficiency, hemochromatosis, treatment with gold preparations, arsenic poisoning. With melanoma, not only the nail plate is stained brown, but also the nail bed with the nail fold. The moon is not visible. The nail is gradually destroyed.
White-pink or white-brown (two-tone) nail. The moon is not visible. It occurs quite rarely, mainly with heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver, accompanied by hypoalbuminemia, with renal failure (uremia).
Expansion and tortuosity of capillaries of the posterior nail fold are found in dermatomyositis, less often in systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic scleroderma.

The consequences of manicure

Manicure, pedicure and nail extension are very delicate procedures that require high competence of the master, compliance with basic sanitary and hygienic standards, attentiveness and accuracy. Healthy nails of the client are the main evidence of the professionalism and skill of each nail service specialist.

The top layers of the nail become thinner as it is processed, but new nail growth is not affected. But as nails continue to be covered and treated with various cosmetic formulations, they can become thinner and weaker. However, this is not a constantly evolving process, and nails can grow back as healthy as they were before.

Yellowing of the nail plate from varnish.

The cause of yellowing of the nail plate is the penetration of coloring varnish pigments into the upper layers of the nail plate due to the lack of a base coat of natural nails. Characteristic for intense, saturated varnishes.

You can eliminate this yellowing with a fine abrasive (nail file for natural nails, glass file, etc.).

Yellowed areas are eliminated (no deeper than 3-5 layers of a natural nail).
A base coat layer is applied containing strengthening and regenerating components (calcium, protein, etc.) or products with an optical bleaching effect are applied.
The prepared nail is covered with nail polish.
To obtain a more stable structure, it is recommended to complete the procedure with a layer of protective fixing coating.

Irregularities of the nail plate, as a result of improper washing down.

The reason for the unevenness of the nail plate is often the use of inappropriate abrasives (too hard file), washed down too deep (“heavy hand”).

You can eliminate such unevenness using leveling coatings such as Ridge Filler or special coatings with natural fiber fillers. In the event of deep grooves or a particularly deep gash, the use of natural nail wrapping systems (Nail Wraps System) is recommended. It should be remembered that deeply filed nails become more sensitive, and the application of chemicals will be difficult or even impossible.

Nail plate after removal of artificial nails.

The “step” appears due to the removal of the upper layers of the natural nail plate to enhance its adhesive properties during extension. The presence of synthetics exerts some pressure on the nail plate, which helps to flatten the layered structure of the natural nail. The size of the ledge on the nail plate after the removal of artificial nails directly depends on the skill of the master, and not on the "sucking" properties of synthetics.

If for some reason the client decides to part with artificial nails, then the visible “step” that remains after extension is visually eliminated by the use of leveling coatings.

Drying of the periungual skin roller.

The reason for the drying of the periungual skin fold is: trimmed manicure, contact with the periungual fold of chemicals used for building up or for manicure.

In this case, the first step should be the rejection of trimmed manicure.
It is also necessary to regularly apply cuticle oils and moisturizing lotions for the skin of the hands, which soften the periungual fold. Professional cuticle preparations use the most liquid natural oils (for example, jojoba), so they are able to penetrate deep into the pores of the skin, retaining moisture at the cellular level. In addition, liquid oil, getting into the area between the skin and the nail plate (in the cuticle area), moisturizes it and serves as a lubricant, which contributes to faster nail growth.

For some people, hands are a calling card, since you have to be in sight, communicate with people, and if the skin of the hands, nails are not well-groomed, then such a person will make a negative impression. The color of the nails can change, and it depends on the state of the body, what environment the person is in, with what substances he comes into contact.

What is a nail?

If we define the concept in anatomy, then this is a horn-like process that covers the fingertips. A healthy nail is a pink plate, and the color of the nail bed may be lighter. For an experienced doctor, nails are an indicator of a person's state of health, if the body is dehydrated or stressed, this can be determined. It cannot be said that the way they look indicates a serious illness, by external signs it is impossible to unequivocally diagnose. But as an alarming bell that indicates a malfunction in the body, you can pay attention. Other symptoms also indicate violations, and the nails become only a part in the chain of factors that signal the state of human health. An exception is fungal infections: if signs of illness have already appeared, then only urgent measures can save the beauty of the nail.

Nails are different: black, white, red. To paraphrase a famous song, it is worth noting that this is not the whole range of colors that nails can be painted in.

If healthy up to a certain time plates begin to change color, then the most common reason for this is infection with a fungus. The nail may crack, peeling will appear, all kinds of blotches are observed. Such changes in the nail plate may be associated with disruption of the endocrine system.

Nails cannot stop growing, so you should not only cut them correctly, but also use tools treated with an antiseptic. In nail salons, there is a high traffic of people, it is difficult to visually determine the fact that there is an infection on the nail plate. Each person's disease manifests itself in different ways, so precautions should be taken.

Infection, trauma and other causes of nail discoloration

So what colors can nails be painted? These are the following shades:

blue nails;
black;
yellow;
green;
brown;
red;
white.

Let's take a closer look at the different states:

Black nails.

Everyone has experienced trauma when the nail first turns red and then turns black. As a rule, after healing occurs, the nail grows back, problems no longer arise. Worse, if the layer of skin under the nail is damaged, it is called the matrix. Then he can separate and get off the nail bed. This will take several weeks or even months. Melanoma can also give a black tint to the nail.

Blue color.

Such a change may indicate that a person has been taking medicines for a long time, that is, this is the result of a side effect. Diseases such as:, asthma, can significantly reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood, which leads to a blue tint. Cold, stressful situations, arterial peripheral disease have the same effect.

Brown stripes.

They can be found in people with dark and swarthy skin, and they can cause concern only if they appeared not so long ago and continue to multiply.

A green tint or gray is often caused by a fungal infection.
White nails.

Constant diets, unbalanced nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and many other factors affect the color. If the situation does not change and the problem cannot be solved, you should definitely consult a doctor. Only a competent approach and diagnosis of the disease can correct the situation, no baths and creams can help.

Yellow tint.

When a situation arises in which the nail plate separates from the bed, the nail becomes yellow. The cause may be injury or infection.

Yellow color appears if there are chronic diseases, oncology of some organs, when smoking low-quality tobacco. Even the use of nail polish of a certain color can affect the appearance of a particular shade.

What changes can be on the surface of the nail? In addition to discoloration, there are other manifestations of disturbances in the appearance of the nail plate. These are deformations, dents, ribbing, inclusions, layering. Although all these changes are similar, but for an experienced and prepared person, they are sure to say something. You can gain valuable knowledge about the general condition of the body by examining the condition of the nail.

So, with a cyanotic color of the nail, it is recommended to check the lungs, a yellowish color is obvious - it means there is an infection, for example,. If a person has anemia, then the color becomes pale, and this is due to the low level of red blood cells in the blood. With this disease, the shape of the nail can also change, become depressed and with ribs. They will be very flaky, become thin, brittle. In patients with lupus, intricate patterns appear in the folds of the nails, with psoriasis they split at the base of the bed, and with heart disease, a red color can be observed.

A person can bite their nails, which indicates obsessive-compulsive disorder, disorders in the thyroid gland also cause abnormalities in the appearance of the nail.

In swarthy people, the appearance of a vertical stripe of a dark color should cause concern. Melanoma is a deadly disease, and it often starts in the nail. If the skin is dark, then the risk that the disease will begin precisely from the nail plate is only 1%, while for representatives of the African continent and African Americans it already increases to 20%. If the spread of melanoma continues and captures the cuticle, the skin on the finger, then this is already serious.

Taking hormones and some other drugs provokes a change in color. Without unnecessary panic and suspiciousness, it is necessary to control the condition of the nails, and if unusual changes appear, then consult a doctor.

Fragility is one of the main problems that people face. Some do not even have to cut their nails, as they either peel off or break as soon as they grow a millimeter. Provoking factors can be diet, contact with chemicals, starvation, lack of vitamins and minerals. The body does not receive enough nutrients and therefore there is no way to give the nails a healthy color. What are they made of? The main building material is protein, in particular keratin, and the fact that calcium can play a role in the formation of the nail is a myth. It can only strengthen the bones, and if the nail is exfoliating or too brittle, it will not work to correct the situation by leaning on calcium-containing drugs and products.

Even if everything is in order with the vitamins, the body is strong and healthy, the influence of chemicals can destroy them, and there is no need to talk about the beauty of the nail. Women use detergents of various types and purposes, this facilitates their work, but affects the nails. Therefore, protective equipment must be used whenever contact with harmful substances occurs. So both the skin of the hands and the beauty of the nails will be preserved.

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Our body has many peculiar indicators that indicate the state of our health, but far from all of the signals we can understand. One such indicator is our nails, and this post will tell you what signals they give us and what they mean.

Fading and fading
According to New York Medical Center dermatologist Julia Tzu, discoloration or paleness of the nails that has not been observed before may indicate problems with the nail plate.
“If such spots appear, this can serve as the primary signs of the development of melanoma of the nail plate,” the doctor explains.

yellowish tint
“If the nails have acquired a yellowish tint, this may indicate the presence of psoriasis,” the doctor notes. Also, according to a number of experts, the yellow color of the nails indicates emerging problems with the liver.

bluish tint
No less disturbing is this signal - the appearance of a bluish tint (cyanosis). According to Dr. Andrea Weil of Harvard Medical School, this could indicate low hemoglobin levels, circulatory and respiratory problems.

White spots
They may appear or disappear. Many prefer not to attach importance to this. But in vain. Small white spots of various shapes indicate a lack of zinc or calcium in the body.
Moreover, if horizontal white stripes began to appear on the nails, this indicates kidney disease, warns Julia Tzu. This condition has a separate name - leukonychia.

Transverse "grooves"
According to the doctor, the presence of small depressions on the surface of the nail may indicate that a person is constantly experiencing severe stress. The second reason is a metabolic disorder. And, finally, the third is a nail injury.

Longitudinal lines
Most often, thin longitudinal lines on the nails are found in older people, this phenomenon is due to age-related changes in the body. However, sometimes stripes can occur in young people. In this case, the appearance of longitudinal lines may indicate that the person is not drinking enough fluid.

Brittle and flaky
There are several reasons for this. Among the most common doctors note a lack of vitamins A, E, D, as well as iron and zinc. In addition, brittle and exfoliating nails can indicate problems in the endocrine and cardiovascular systems and, in particular, be the first harbinger of diabetes.

Do you know, dear readers, why our fingernails and toenails change over time. Often we notice that white dots, stripes appear on the nails. It happens that the color of the nail plate completely changes, it becomes white or yellow.

Our body is a complex biological system in which everything is interconnected. And if something goes wrong inside, the body gives us signals in the form of various rashes and changes on the nails, redness and peeling on the skin.

Changes that appear on the nails, as if an indicator indicates that action must be taken. Researches of scientists of medicine in recent years have made it possible to systematize this knowledge and reduce it to a certain system. Now nail diagnostics allows you to quickly establish the diagnosis of the patient, alarming signals that can save lives are especially important.

Diagnosis of diseases in the nails

Oriental medicine experts believe that the color of the nails depends on what we eat.

What are our nails made of?

If you look, then the nail plate in its composition has nothing more than a protein (keratin), which is present in both the skin and hair.

And the density of nails and hair is explained by the presence of sulfur in their composition, or to be more precise, cysteine. Cysteine is an amino acid that contains sulfur. The amount of cysteine is determined by hereditary factors, in people with a high concentration of cysteine, the nails are harder.

The composition of the nails also contains water with layers of fat, which give the nail plate shine and elasticity. The nail has the ability to absorb water and becomes thicker from this. It is said that people whose hands often come into contact with water have thick but soft nails.

In addition to these substances, the nail plate contains trace elements in its composition: selenium and phosphorus, zinc, chromium and calcium. If the composition of the food changes, then the nails also change, only the presence of all of the listed elements in their entirety makes the nails healthy and beautiful.

All the necessary elements of the nail plates are obtained with blood, due to nutrition, cell division and their vital activity occur, during which keratin is produced. All this happens under the nail roller. On the nail plate, we see already dead nail cells, which gradually move towards the edge of the nail and are cut off or sawed off.

What is the diagnostic

Diagnosis by nails helps to establish not only the disease of internal organs, but also the lack of vitamins and trace elements. According to the treatises of Eastern medicine, it is known that:

the thumb is connected to the brain,
index - with lungs,
medium - associated with the intestines,
nameless indicates the condition of the kidneys,
and the little finger is the heart.

And all the changes that appear on these fingers, and not only on the nail plates, but also on the fingers, from the side of the palm, can indirectly indicate interruptions in the work of the organs.

Often changes in the nails are associated precisely with a lack of vitamins and trace elements in the body:

Burrs, according to experts, appear from a lack of protein in the body.
If the nails exfoliate and break, this indicates a lack of vitamin B, vitamin D, iron, calcium, and selenium in the body.
If they exfoliate, this can also indicate the depletion of the digestive and nervous systems, malfunctions in the functioning of the sex glands, and problems with blood circulation.

What does the color of the nail plate say

The color of the nail plate is one of the important signs indicating a change in the state of human health. In a healthy person who has physical and mental balance in the body, the nail plate has a pale pink color, with a light crescent in the nail bed.

It is better to consider your nails on a white background, then all changes will be seen more clearly. Sometimes the nail plates take on a different color, they can be: yellow, bluish, white, dark red or burgundy. And all these manifestations are a deviation from the norm. When the color of the nail changes completely, this indicates a violation in the body during the last month, so:

A nail indicates heart disease or circulatory disorders in the hands and maybe even throughout the body. Blueness can also appear as a result of poor blood supply with oxygen, congenital heart disease. In oriental medicine, such a manifestation is associated with a syndrome of cold in the blood. When such symptoms appear, urgent medical consultation is necessary.

yellow nails indicate a disease of the kidneys, liver or jaundice, in oriental medicine they talk about the heat of the gallbladder, in other sources there is a mention of the lungs. nails more often indicates diseases of the organs associated with the cleansing of the body and the release of toxins and toxins. Greenish-yellow nails speak of purulent processes in the human body.

White nails. White plates of nails signal a serious illness, this indicates that a person is sick with cirrhosis of the liver. They can turn white completely, or occupy some local area of \u200b\u200bthe nail.

Dark red nails they talk about a high content of fatty acids in the blood, about cholesterol plaques, blood stasis associated with the abuse of salty, fatty, spicy foods. The color of the nails indicates the work of the organs for wear and tear, their excessive overload and a decrease in activity. Red-purple nails indicate a general fatigue of the body and weakness.

Pale nail plate tells about a violation of the blood composition, hemoglobin may be lowered, anemia may begin to develop, or, as Chinese medicine assures, this is the result of stagnation of the spleen energy.

What does the shape of the nail plate say?

The shape of the nail can tell about the changes taking place inside the body. The shape of the nails can be convex, concave, with a curved end on the fingertip. What does the shape of the nails indicate?

☻ When the nail is very short, it may indicate organic heart disease and even heart disease. A shortened nail is considered when the nail plate is longer in width than in length. Sometimes it speaks of a bad habit - biting your nails. There are still such people.

☻ When the nail plate is enlarged. How to distinguish an enlarged nail plate, because in life there are many people with large nail plates? Each of us knows the size of our nails. If suddenly you notice that the nail plate on any finger has increased and become much larger. Maybe all at once ... and in relation to the size of the palm they look prohibitively large ... This sign should cause concern.

☻ When the nail plate is flat, it indicates problems in the respiratory system. If it is additionally deformed, this may indicate a disease of bronchial asthma, and if the edge of the nail plate splits, then helminthic invasion is quite possible.

☻ When the nail becomes convex with a curving edge at the fingertips, this can be a harbinger of oncological diseases. Do not forget that all the signs mentioned in the article are secondary, everything needs to be carefully checked and researched. A curved spoon-shaped nail plate may indicate a lung disease, a lack of iron in the body, sometimes tuberculate nails are caused by a fungus or diabetes.

☻ When the nail plate is concave. When the shape, structure, relief of the nail plate changes, a concavity appears on the nail, this indicates a serious disease that has been brewing in the body for more than a year. Sometimes the plate bends so that you can keep a drop of water on it. On the Internet, I met such an explanation that this type of nails is sometimes found in people who have inherited patients with chronic alcoholism.

Local changes on the nails

Often, superficial changes on the nails are local in nature, capturing only part of the nail plate, for example:

☻ Transverse grooves more often indicate a disease with polyarthritis and internal organs of the gastrointestinal tract or liver, brown stripes indicate kidney disease. And it also indicates a lack of zinc in the body. This symptom is more common in vegans, as they do not eat meat, and there is more zinc in meat than in plant foods.

☻ Longitudinal grooves on the nail plate indicate the presence of chronic diseases in the body, nose or throat, as well as developing rheumatism. And I read somewhere else that longitudinal stripes in the form of grooves along the nail indicate a disease of the pancreas.

☻ Nails, as if poked with a needle, are called "thimble syndrome" and this syndrome does not indicate a malfunction in the spleen, according to other sources, this indicates a skin disease of psoriasis.

☻ Hemorrhage under the nail, in the form of small black hematomas, is considered a particularly serious sign, life-threatening. Doctors say that such a sign can be a harbinger of a stroke.

☻ The appearance of small white dots under the nails, stripes and spots means that there is a problem in the operation of the central system. Sometimes this is a manifestation of a lack of vitamins in the body. If such spots and stripes appear only on the nails of the index finger, then this may indicate the deposition of calcium salts in the body.

Sometimes, experts interpret the same changes on the nails in different ways, so light stripes on the plates or air bubbles can indicate a lack of zinc in the body or an injury.

Diagnosis by nail holes

They say that when holes and crescents are present on all fingers and they are well expressed, with a clear edge, this is a good sign of a person’s internal health. Holes are light stripes in the bed of the nail plate, similar to a half moon.

Since ancient times, healers in China and Japan have been diagnosing diseases by the shape and brightness of the crescents on the nails, because they show the earliest signs of internal disharmony and can be used to recognize the earliest development of the disease.

In the process of life, the crescents can appear and disappear, and this indicates a slowdown in metabolism or its restoration. But if the holes are very narrow, barely noticeable or completely absent on the nail plates, this indicates internal disorders in the body.

☻ Half moons on the nail plates of the thumb can inform about the condition of a person's lungs and disorders associated with the brain. Often at a young age, the nail stripes gradually turn pale and disappear in those who abuse smoking.

☻ If the crescents of the index finger are visible in the form of a narrow strip or have disappeared altogether, then it is time to turn your attention to the health of the liver, large intestine or pancreas. Changes in the shape and size of the hole of the index finger may also indicate violations of the reproductive function.

☻ Middle finger crescents can tell about the health of the heart, blood vessels and circulatory system. A decrease in the size of the hole and its disappearance indicates the onset of the disease of these organs and possible problems with pressure.

☻ If you notice the absence of a crescent on the ring finger, it is necessary to conduct an examination of the lymphatic and endocrine systems, which affects the body's metabolism.

☻ The half moon of the little finger is associated with the work of the heart and small intestine. If there are no holes on the little fingers, it is necessary to examine these organs, timely assistance to your body will only improve your health and physical condition.

Sometimes changes in the nails can indicate the health of the nail itself, because there are many known fungal diseases that affect the nail plate.

A human nail grows slowly, on the hands - 1-2 mm per week, and even more slowly on the legs. Therefore, by the growth of nails, you can determine the age of the problem that has appeared in your body, given that the nail with such growth is completely renewed in a month.

If you notice white dots near the crescent itself, this means that the problem has appeared quite recently, it is early. And if these dots are already at the edge of the nail plate, then this means that failures in some organ began already a month ago.

All nail diagnostics related to the shape of the nail plates, the shape of the nails, their color and the presence of holes is typical mainly for young people. Experts note that with age, all these signs become less pronounced, and the holes on the nails completely disappear. Only a few people in adulthood have holes on their thumbs. Therefore, the diagnosis of nails for people of mature age may be unreliable.

But not pronounced crescents or their absence in young people is an occasion to take a step towards your health.

Read next: What to do if the nails break and exfoliate?

Be healthy and live long!

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Experienced doctors can even use early diagnosis of fingernails to determine the state of the body, because concave, convex or too flat nail plates cannot be considered healthy. Such deviations indicate certain problems, and sometimes require serious treatment. Medicine confirms that the condition of the nail plates directly depends on human health. They are used to diagnose fungus, lung problems, anemia and other pathologies. There are several criteria for determining the disease by the nails on the hands.

Fingernail diagnosis

Even ancient people associated the appearance of the nail plates with the state of a certain internal organ. Today it has been proven by medicine, so it is often used to diagnose the body. Several characteristics are studied: color, structure, shape, hole and spots on the nail plate. Deviations for each of these criteria indicate a number of specific pathologies.

What does a healthy person's nail plate look like?

The nail plate is considered normal without any cracks, tubercles, grooves, spots. It has an even pink color, a smooth surface, and a slight sheen. The plate itself is slightly transparent, and the tips are white or ivory. The nail of a healthy person is moderately flexible, hard, dense. At its base is a crescent-shaped lunula. Its color ranges from white to pale pink. The shape of the nail plate can be different, as it depends on hereditary factors.

The structure of the nail plate

When diagnosing, the surface of a healthy plate does not have pits, dents or tuberosities, it is even, evenly colored. It consists of dozens of layers of translucent smooth keratinized cells, which are located close to each other. Due to its porous structure, it absorbs all substances that fall on its surface. This helps to treat fungal diseases through local preparations. When diagnosing on the plate, you can see several of its parts:

eponychium is living skin at the base;
hyponychium, or subungual plate - consists of spiny and basal cells;
free leading edge - protrudes beyond the edge of the finger;
lunula, or hole - a white area at the base in the shape of a crescent.

What organs are fingernails responsible for?

One of the most "speaking" parts of the body is the nail plate. Each of them reflects the state of a particular organ. On this principle, diagnostics by nails is based. Organs for which each finger is responsible:

lungs, bronchi, brain - thumb;
teeth, mouth - index finger;
heart, blood vessels - medium;
nerves, kidneys - ring finger;
intestines, female reproductive organs - little finger.

How to determine the disease on the nails of the hands

To determine health by fingernails, you need to carefully consider the plates. Knowing their normal state, you can notice some deviations. The presence of problems in the body during nail diagnostics is indicated by changes in the following characteristics:

plate colors;
shape or relief of the nail surface;
the state of the lunula;
structure of the nail plate.

Nail color and diseases

A healthy nail plate is pink. If she suddenly began to change her shade, then this is a clear sign of problems in the body. Diseases of the nails on the hands in this case are detected by the following diagnostic signs:

Two color plate. Its upper part is much darker than the lower one, which signals kidney disease and kidney failure.
Dark stripe dividing the nail in half. He talks about the development of a malignant tumor of the human skin - melanoma.
Brown tint. It is a signal of diabetes mellitus, diseases of the endocrine system, kidney failure, Addison's disease.
Leukonychia - the appearance of small white spots on the plate. It develops against the background of a lack of calcium, iron and zinc. Also, the body lacks vitamins C, E and A. When the spots grow and take the form of stripes, this indicates a protein deficiency, circulatory disorders, kidney failure, problems with the colon.
Blue. Indicates to a person the pathology of the respiratory system, including infectious diseases of the lungs. If a blue color appears at the base of the plate, then the diagnosis may be diabetes mellitus.
Completely white nail plate. Appears in patients with cirrhosis of the liver or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Yellow nail color. They acquire such a shade in case of liver disease and poor digestion, pathologies of the lymphatic system or lungs.
Redness of the nails. Occurs with an increase in the number of red blood cells - erythrocytes.
Hazy yellowish color. It speaks of a fungal infection, if, against the background of a change in shade, a thickening of the plate is observed and its separation from the bed.

The shape and relief of the nail plate

In addition to discoloration, in some diseases, deformations of the plate can be observed. Diagnosis of the nails of the hands allows you to determine the following related ailments described in the table:

Changes	What pathologies indicate
Bulging nail that looks like a watch glass	It is a sign of chronic liver disease or heart failure. It is also observed in blood diseases, thyroid diseases, congenital pulmonary tuberculosis, hepatitis, colitis, malabsorption in the intestines. In rare cases, it may indicate the onset of cancer.
Concave spoon-like nail	It is a sign of iron deficiency in the body.
Flat, split at the end of the nail plate	Indicates helminthic invasion.
triangular nail	It is a characteristic symptom of diseases of the spine.
perforated nail	Indicates pathologies of the spleen.
Short flat nail with elevation	Indicates organic heart disease.
Longitudinal grooves	They appear against the background of the development of rheumatism or inflammation of the teeth and sinuses.
Transverse brittle grooves	They signal pathologies of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, symptoms of diseases of the spleen. Often, transverse grooves appear when there is a lack of zinc in the body.
arcuate lines	They develop due to a lack of protein.
Small dimples all over the plate	They talk about the onset of inflammation in the joints, accompanied by psoriasis.

lunula of the nail

In the diagnosis of nails, the state of the lunula is also taken into account. Its absence on at least one finger and a pale nail bed are a sign of a decrease in hemoglobin and red blood cells. These are diseases such as anemia and anemia. If the hole has thinned or completely disappeared on a certain finger, then this also indicates problems in the body:

On the thumb. The hole here reflects the state of the skull and brain. If it disappeared, then the person has serious problems with his head.
On the index finger. On it, the hole disappears with diseases of the liver, lungs, large intestine and gynecological problems.
On average. The disappearance of the hole here speaks of diseases of the circulatory system, problems with blood vessels and pressure.
On the nameless The hole on this finger reflects the state of the lymphatic system and metabolism.
On the little finger. Here, the lunula reflects problems with the small intestine and irregular heart rhythms and other heart diseases.

Grooves and stripes

Transverse grooves identified by diagnostics are often a sign of improper hand care. In addition, they may appear due to stress, infectious or other diseases. The lack of zinc in the body and malnutrition is also manifested by grooves on the nail plates. Longitudinal lines appear less often. Their cause may be:

acute malnutrition;
severe arterial disease;
arthritis;
lichen planus;
excessive consumption of carbohydrates;
bowel disease;
lack of iron.

Diagnosis of diseases on the nails of the hands when a pattern appears

Problems in the body are indicated not only by a change in color, but also by the appearance of various patterns in the form of spots, lines, bruises, etc. In a normal state, this should not be observed. A healthy nail plate has a uniform pink color. The appearance of any drawings on it indicates the following diseases:

White spots. They talk about low hemoglobin, reduced immunity, symptoms of neurosis, lack of vitamins.
Black spots. Appear on the background of endocarditis.
A pair of horizontal stripes. Observed with a lack of protein in the diet. It is excreted from the body in large quantities in kidney diseases.
Division across into 2 halves of different colors - milky and normal. Indicates the pathology of the kidneys in the advanced stage.
A line that did not appear due to mechanical impact. Appears in case of fever and high temperature. Indicates past illnesses.
Brown or beige stain. It is a warning about the development of cancer.
A brown or yellow spot at the edge of the nail plate indicates psoriasis.
Crumble grooves or white flaky spots. They are a sign of fungal diseases.
Bruising. Observed with mechanical impact of the nail plate. The reason is the rupture of blood vessels under it and hemorrhage into soft tissues.

Fingernail problems and nutrition

The main cause of nail problems is malnutrition. Based on specific changes in the plate, it is easy to diagnose a lack of certain trace elements or identify an unbalanced diet. As a result, the nail plates become brittle and often break. It is possible to restore their beautiful healthy appearance only after identifying the cause of the deterioration. This will help diagnostics on the nails of the hands with signs that indicate a lack of trace elements or an imbalance in nutrition.

Lack of vitamins and microelements

Healthy nails grow without burrs, the code around them does not have cracks. With a lack of vitamins of a certain group, some deviations from the norm appear:

cracking along and across the plate, the nail plates bend and exfoliate - with a lack of vitamin C;
deep hangnails - with a deficiency of vitamins A or E;
numbness of the fingers - with a lack of B vitamins;
white spots - with a low level of zinc;
slow growth - with a lack of calcium;
fragility of nails - with magnesium deficiency.

Diet imbalance

Excess or lack of certain foods in the human diet also affects the condition of the nails. In this case, the following changes may be observed:

white spots on the plate - an excess of sugar in the blood;
horizontal dents - a sharp change in diet;
concave plates - a sign of anemia (lack of iron);
vertical grooves - poor absorption of nutrients;
any changes in shape and color - an insufficient amount of protein.

Diagnosis of toenails

Like the diagnosis of the nails on the hands, a study of the state of health is also carried out on the legs. In this case, the following signs are taken into account:

lack of lunula - a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood, anemia;
two-color nail (light at the base, dark at the edge) - renal failure;
discoloration and a dark longitudinal strip - skin cancer (melanoma);
yellow color against the background of delamination and separation from the nail bed is an advanced stage of a fungal disease.

Deterioration in the appearance of nails

A sudden deterioration in the appearance of nails can manifest itself in different ways. More often there is a slowdown in their growth. In addition, they become too brittle and brittle. Often the phenomenon of delamination and splitting of the plate. All this speaks of problems in the body. If measures are taken in time, then it is possible to restore the condition of the nail plates, returning them to a healthy appearance with an even smooth structure, matte pink color, pale pink lunula.

Why is it happening

If the nail plates become brittle and brittle, grow slowly, then the main cause of this condition is a metabolic disorder. Such changes may result from:

lack of iron, vitamins of group B, A;
deterioration of the thyroid gland or kidneys;
poor blood supply.

When the nail exfoliates or splits, the cause is the energy depletion of the digestive system. This is also observed with poor blood circulation. Other causes of delamination:

malfunction of the nervous system;
problems with the genitals;
regular application of varnish, removal of the coating with a liquid containing acetone;
dry air, a gap between the temperature of the street and the house;
cutting with wire cutters or scissors;
using household cleaners without gloves.

What to look out for

The first thing that advises you to pay attention to the diagnosis of the nails of the hands is the diet. With a lack of vitamins, it is worth including more fresh fruits and vegetables in your menu. When cleaning the house or washing dishes, be sure to wear gloves, and after contact with aggressive products, wipe the nail with apple cider vinegar. Hands should be allowed to rest from varnish at least once every 2 weeks. For filing, it is better not to take a metal plate, because it severely damages the nail plate.