When was the last time you carefully looked at your hands? It’s probably been a while, right? You need to pay more attention to your hands because they can show you signs that something is wrong with your health.
Raynaud’s syndrome
Here are the 7 things your hands tell you about your health:
1. Peeling and flaky skin
Flaky skin especially on your fingertips is a sign of vitamin B deficiency and vitamin B is really important for healthy skin.
“Taking a biotin supplement helps to promote healthy skin and nail growth; niacin helps protect and repair skin by preventing the formation of melanin, boosting collagen growth, and improving your skin’s natural moisture barrier,”says David E. Bank, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia in New York City.
It’s important to start taking supplements and eat more vitamin B-rich foods such as mushrooms, fish, peanuts, avocados and tuna.
2. Shaking
Don’t panic if you notice your hands are shaking. Hand tremors can be sometimes caused by too much caffeine. Even some medication can cause your hands to shake. On the other hand, if you notice tremors that occur very often, contact your doctor because it can be a sign of Parkinson’s disease.
3. Cracked and weak nails
If your nails get easily cracked and if they’re very week, it might be a sing of zinc deficiency. Zinc is important because it helps the growth and renewal of skin cells. Add more zinc-rich foods into your diet such as nuts, oats, meat and wheat germ.
4. White or pale nail beds
This discoloration can be a sign of anemia which means that you’re not producing enough healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to the tissues. Do a routine test to check if you have anemia.
5. Blue fingertips
If you notice that your fingertips changing the color from white to blue and red, it might be a sign of Raynaud’s syndrome.
“This condition causes coldness of the fingers and toes and can be accompanied by pain, numbness and tingling,” says Bank.
This condition occurs due to decreased circulation and spasm of blood vessels. The best way to treat this condition is to take meds, wear gloves, avoid smoking and emotional stress.
6. Dryness, rash and itchiness
If you feel like no lotion can smooth your rough hands, then you probably have eczema. Eczema is a condition that causes your skin to become extra dry, itchy and rash. Consult your doctor for a treatment. If you don’t have eczema and your hands are really dry, use creams that contain vitamin A.
“Repeated hand washing, which can dry your hands, and then touching paper and other harsh materials all day long, will doubly dry them out. Because we don’t wash our hands while we sleep, these products will have a good amount of time to penetrate into your skin,” says Bank.
7. Brown spots
These spots are caused by direct sun exposure. Our hands are really prone to sun damage and that’s why it’s important to always apply SPF cream before leaving the house.