Take a good look on your nails. Pay attention to the curves, color, shape, the ridges and the grooves, and check out how thin or thick they are. Are they chipped or are they broken? Are they weak or unusually strong?
The nails are directly linked to the body condition, and if something is happening inside your body and you have no idea what it is (or maybe the condition didn’t give away signs) the nails won’t lie.
We prepared 8 types of signs that the fingernails give in their structure and appearance that you might want to check out what’s the source behind it:
1. Discolored Nails
A fingernail that is healthy should have pale pink colors with milk white moons, however, they do change their color. This can be a sign of a health problem, for example:
- Green nails – can be a sign for bacterial infection
- Red streaks in your nails – can be a sign for heart valve infection
- Dull nail color – can be a sign for vitamin deficiency
- White nails – can be a sign for liver disease (hepatitis)
- Dark stripes – can be a sign for aging and congestive heart failure
2. Thick Nails
We discuss thick nails, not strong. While strong nails are perfectly fine, thick nails are also a sign of a health problem. For example, this can be a sign for:
- Lung disease (thick to normal)
- Fungal infection (thick and rough textured)
- Thyroid disease (thick and separated)
- Circulation problem (unusual type of thickness)
3. Split Nails
These nails seem to flake away in layers, don’t blame the handwashing and the polish because:
- They result from Vitamin C, folic acid and protein deficiencies
- Split nails that are combined with a pitted nail base can be a signal for psoriasis
- They may be a result of chronic malnutrition
4. Concave Nails
Concave nails, or we know them am spoon nails, can signalize many internal malfunctions and diseases. The concave part of the nail can even hold a drop of water. If you have spoon nails, be aware that this may mean:
- Iron deficiency
- Hemachromatosis
- Heart disease
- Hypothyroidism
5. Pitted Nails
This happens almost to every one of us. Take a closer look on your health, because maybe that can be a sign for:
- Psoriasis
- Connective tissue disorder
- Alopecia areata
- Zinc deficiency
6. Ridges
Nails should have smooth surface with almost to none visible lines. However, nails can form ridges and ridges are signaling that something is happening in your body. These signs can be:
- Iron deficiency
- Inflammatory arthritis
- Lupus
7. Dry, Brittle Nails
Don’t use lotion or oil for the brittle nails and the cuticles. Check your hormone status and pay attention to these signs:
- Bacterial issue
- Thyroid disease
- Fungus
8. Clubbed Nails
If you have swollen or plump skin around the nail and the skin is often red, or the nails seem like they have puffed around your fingers on the edges, this can be a sign for:
- Lung disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Liver disease
- AIDS