- Determining the level of health from the nails
If the nails are brittle, grooved, soft, have white lines, etc., any of these factors can be a sign of disease or lack of substances in the human body. They talk about the health or illness of the body, so that cardiovascular diseases, thyroid, cancer, diabetes or lack of certain vitamins and minerals, inconsistencies inside the body, etc. can all be identified in the nails.
Because fingernails grow fast and continuously, they are one of the good indicators to check health conditions.
The color and quality of the nails reflect various issues and therefore should be paid attention to.
When the body starts to weaken, changes are made in the nail tissues.
When salts and minerals enter the body, hair, nails, and skin are the last parts of the body that receive those substances, therefore, a change in the structure of the nail indicates a disease or improper functioning of the body.
In addition to the color of the nail itself, the white crescent of the nails (lunula) also shows the function of the body.
If you look closely at the nails, you will see that their roots are a little whiter, which is called a lunula on the nails. The color, shape, and size of the white nail on the nails indicate problems and diseases in our body.
The whiteness of the nail root, which is known as the lunula or crescent at the bottom of the nail, is responsible for protecting the blood vessels located in the fifth skin layer.
It is very important not to damage the nail crescent and disturbance in this place will cause nail deformities and uncoordinated growth.
According to new findings, this part of the body has special characteristics and indicates a person’s health.
In Chinese medicine, the crescent of the nail represents the current health of a person, and if redness occurs in this part, the said person is suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
Also, the lack of a crescent of the nail indicates anemia and diabetes, and the wrinkled condition in this part of the nail indicates the level of toxins in the body and a decrease in metabolism.
Traditional Chinese Medicine says: The crescent of the nail determines the amount of energy levels you receive. If this part is large and prominent, you are getting enough energy, but if this part is completely gone, you are getting little energy and you are malnourished.
Every healthy person has eight to ten lunula which are mostly white in his hands, their clear presence is a sign of health in the person’s body, the absence of these signs in any of the fingers is mostly due to the lack of minerals, vitamins, proteins, It indicates fats and hydrocarbons or the presence of some diseases in the body. For example, if a person has lost all the lunulae in his hands and only has a lunula in his thumb, it shows a little physical energy and most of the time the person is sick.
White crescent on the small nail:
The absence of a white crescent on this nail is related to the malfunction of the kidneys, small intestine, and heart, and its excessive growth may be the result of high blood pressure.
White crescent on ring finger nail:
It is related to the function of the lymphatic system and the reproductive system, and if this white crescent is barely visible, it indicates digestive problems and sexual problems.
White crescent on the nail of the middle finger:
It is related to the functioning of the brain and the cardiovascular system, and its absence indicates high blood pressure and vascular problems.
White crescent on index fingernail:
It may become smaller and disappear due to malfunctioning of the intestines and pancreas.
A white crescent on the thumb nail:
It indicates the function of the lungs and spleen and is usually the clearest crescent on the nails. The white crescent on the thumb nail is smaller for smokers and larger for those with arterial blood pressure problems.
The white crescent is considered large if it is the size of a third of the nail. Large crescents indicate problems in the cardiovascular system, heart rhythm disorder, and low blood pressure. Big crescents are usually seen on the nails of athletes and those who have high physical activity. If large crescents are seen on the nails of those who are not athletes, it indicates their high stress.
Small crescents on the thumb, which are hard to see, are a sign of low blood pressure and blood circulation disorders. In addition, it indicates a weak immune system, weak metabolism, and lack of iron and vitamins
also If this crescent is completely separated from the nail with a cross line, it indicates problems with the blood sugar level and most likely the development of diabetes.
If you don’t see white crescents on your nails or your children’s nails, don’t panic, because the white crescents on children’s nails are not visible from the beginning and become apparent over time, and in some cases due to the physiological characteristics of the structure of their nails, they are not visible Of course, but the sudden disappearance of the crescent on the nails may indicate blood circulation disorders, thyroid gland disorders, and vitamin B12 and iron deficiency.
In addition to the crescent itself, the change in the color of the crescent can also be a sign of illness and health. A white nail crescent is a sign of being healthy and normal, and it should be a little whiter than the nails, but if the nail crescent is gray, it means permanent fatigue, which indicates that the body is very acidic. It indicates and is also a sign of digestive disorders and problems in the absorption of nutrients.
Purple nail crescent indicates poor blood circulation, and lack of oxygen in the organs and tissues of the body. These people often have dizziness and headaches.
Pink nail crescent indicates low physical activities and lung problems.
Black nail crescent is very rare and dangerous and in some cases indicates metal poisoning.
Now let’s talk about the nails themselves:
Grooved nails (nails with uneven and wavy surfaces)
If the nails are grooved, the person may have thyroid problems. The main causes of this disease can be due to decreased thyroid function or anemia. Also, this factor can be due to the beginning of the menopause process in women and the occurrence of hormonal changes, and the lack of collagen in the body that occurs at this time. Due to insufficient moisture reaching the nails, these symptoms become severe, and in most cases, the aging process may also appear in the nails in this way.
Nails that have an uneven or pitted surface can be a sign of psoriasis or the early stages of autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and connective tissue disorders, such as Reiter’s syndrome.
Pale nails
In most cases, pale nails indicate problems with the blood circulation system, in fact, if the blood cannot receive the necessary oxygen from the lungs, the nails become pale, but you need to know that normally, the nails should be pink in color. In the meantime, if this pallor is very severe, to the extent that your nails turn white, it can indicate the occurrence of anemia in the body and excess phlegm.
Pale nails can be signs of anemia (low levels of iron and copper in the blood or vitamins of group B), lack of nutrients (all sources of vitamins), congestive heart failure, and liver disease.
White color with darker edges can be a sign of hepatitis. A white color with a narrow pink area at the bottom (known as a nail) can indicate liver disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, or diabetes.
Brittle nails
Brittle nails can indicate a lack of organic substances or some vitamins in the body. One of the reasons for this problem can be the lack of vitamin B1, zinc, or iron in the body.
Broken or cracked nails are often linked to symptoms of thyroid disorders, especially hypothyroidism. This condition can be a sign of lack of vitamins, especially vitamins of group B (especially biotin), A, and C. Also, fungal infections can cause broken or brittle fingernails.
Another cause of brittle nails is lack of iodine in the body. If the brittleness of the nails is accompanied by puffiness under the eyes and obesity, the cause is iron deficiency.
Brittle nails along with dry and itchy skin, if any, is a definite reason for vitamin A deficiency in the body.
Brittle nails are sometimes caused by wet and dry hands with alkaline substances such as detergents, or small hits to the nails due to contact with kitchen utensils, which occur a lot. Also, hereditary factors, dry skin disease, anemia, iron, and zinc deficiency in the body can be other causes of breaking nails.
These days, doing beauty work on the nails such as manicure or using artificial nails or implants, causes the nails to become brittle. Also, excessive use of varnishes or acetone, along with reducing blood circulation in the nails, will cause them to break.
If the nails are not thin, but break easily, they are probably dry. The loss of collagen and fat necessary to protect nails may occur due to aging or other reasons. Providing them with water (hydrated) can solve the problem easily. An overactive thyroid can also cause brittle nails. If the hair is dry and thin in addition to the brittleness of the nails, it is very likely that the thyroid has a problem.
If the brittleness of nails is accompanied by their vertical flaking, excessive use of detergents causes this problem.
Lines of white spots on the nails:
Lack of calcium and zinc causes white spots on the nails. The lack of calcium in the body sometimes manifests itself in the form of white spots or lines on the nails. Of course, many times nails with white spots and lines indicate the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. Malnutrition and the lack of nutrients in the body can be one of the most basic physical problems. May it show itself in the form of white and pale nails.
Another reason and the most important possibility that should be taken seriously is liver diseases. White nails, especially if they have a dark border, may indicate serious liver diseases.
The white spots created will generally disappear with the growth of the nail, but if these white spots increase over time or spread to other nails, they indicate certain diseases such as kidney, liver, and heart problems that should be immediately treated by a doctor.
Whitening of nails during pregnancy can also be due to the lack of minerals such as zinc, calcium, and proteins.
Splitting and falling of nails:
Splitting or layering of nails is mainly due to the lack of substances such as iron, zinc, B group vitamins, and silicon. These mineral materials generally make the outer wall of the nails, and in fact, their lack causes the nails to become split or layered. But in some cases, this problem can also occur due to the severe hormonal changes that women face during menopause (early 50s).
Dry and brittle nails that often have cracks or split in half may be a sign of thyroid disease. Cracks in the nail in combination with yellow color also increase the possibility of a fungal infection.
Aging can lead to vertical cracking of nails. The drying of the place where the nail grows may be the reason for this problem. Maybe by greasing the top and bottom of the nail and using vegetable oils like olive oil, this situation can be solved to some extent.
also, if the cracks on the nail are wave-like, it is possible that the person has inflammatory arthritis. Of course, usually the sufferers of this disease have pitted nails and the color of the skin under their nails changes to reddish brown.
If horizontal cracks are seen on the nails of a person, but you do not see a hole or a color change, the person is probably facing a big emotional crisis. Stress, some diseases, or metabolic disorders can also cause this problem. Of course, manicure can also lead to transverse cracks on the nails.
Softening of nails
If the person’s nails have become soft and their hardness has decreased, then the person is suffering from sulfur deficiency and the body’s sulfur reserves have decreased significantly. Because sulfur is naturally present in nails and is the cause of the hardness of nails due to the sulfur present in them.
Soft nails, if they are curved upwards, the reason is lack of iron; If the ridges are vertical
the reason is aging (vertical lines on the nails can be considered wrinkles on the nails)
Bumps or lines can form due to injury or repeated hitting with the front edge of the nail on a surface. Bumps can be the result of surgical injury, high fever, nutrient deficiencies, or psoriasis that has affected the growth of the nail.
Yellow nails
Yellow nails may indicate a type of diabetes, i.e. hypoglycemia, usually these people suffer from a sudden and severe drop in blood sugar. It should be noted that the use of certain drugs or chemotherapy also affects the yellowing of nails.
Another cause of yellowing of nails is the continuous and uninterrupted use of nail polish, so if someone does not use nail polish continuously or is not under the influence of chemotherapy and special drugs, but the nails of a person have turned yellow, it must be taken seriously, because nails Jaundice may be a sign of fungal infections. Sometimes, as the infection worsens, the nail bed sinks and sometimes the nails become thicker. And sometimes yellow nails indicate a serious disease such as severe thyroid disease, lung diseases, diabetes, or psoriasis.
Yellow nails are often linked to fungal infections as well as liver malfunctions. If the nails are yellow and brittle or weak, these conditions can indicate diseases such as psoriasis, diabetes, or lung diseases (for example, chronic bronchitis) and thyroid. Smoking can also cause the yellowing of nails.
The following factors are the most important causes of yellowing nails:
- Liver disease (jaundice)
- Lung diseases (lack of oxygen causes nails to turn yellow)
- Kidney diseases (kidney diseases are one of the reasons for increased bilirubin in the body and yellowing of nails)
- Deficiency of various vitamins
- Iron and zinc deficiency
- Airway damage
- Lung infections
- Thyroid diseases
- Diabetes
- Psoriasis
Fungal and bacterial infections are one of the most important causes of yellowing nails. In most cases, toenails are exposed to moisture, heat, and various types of bacteria, and they are the main cause of fungal and bacterial infections, and these infections and fungi are the cause of the yellowing of toenails in most cases.
puffy nails
If the skin around the nail is red and puffy, the person may have nail inflammation, which can be caused by lupus or another connective tissue disease. Of course, according to the information obtained, the infection will sometimes cause redness and inflammation of the nail.
A puffy red nail is caused by inflammation around the edges of the nail, especially at the base. This condition can be caused by injury, infection, or connective tissue diseases, such as lupus.
Scaling of the tips of the nails:
Peeling of the skin around the nail can be the result of consuming too little or too much of a series of nutrients. Any lack of vitamins can lead to dry skin and eventually make the skin around the nails cracked and scaly. Lack of vitamin B3 or vitamin B7 and vitamin A poisoning can all be the cause of skin peeling around the nails.
In addition to the lack of salts and vitamins, peeling around the nail can also occur due to the lack of water for the proper functioning of the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of the skin. This part is mostly composed of dead cells. The collagen protective fat in this part of the skin is reduced and therefore the skin becomes dry. Depending on the underlying cause, this can lead to bleeding, peeling, or cracking of the skin around the fingernails. Other signs of dry skin include itching, redness, or graying of the skin or a feeling of tightness. Exposure to chemicals, from nail polish to hot showers or even washing your hands with too much soap can lead to this problem.
Dark lines on the nails
Dark lines are often caused by melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, and it can cause serious problems.
Black nails or dark lines under the nails can be a sign of a dangerous skin cancer, such as melanoma.
The first reason that can lead to the blackening of your nails is the change in pigmentation that happens due to genetic reasons. Just as the change in the color of the grains may lead to the birth of a mole in the body, the nails can also turn black with such a change.
If only one dark line runs from the bottom of the nail to the tip (or if the size and shape of this line changes rapidly). A skin tumor may present itself in the form of this black appearance.
Of course, sometimes if you see such a line on a person’s nails, it is possible that only a fungal infection that shows itself with a dark gray or green color lives under the person’s nails.
Bitten nails
Nail biting is not just a habit. Rather, it is mostly a sign of constant anxiety and nervous problems. Nail biting and nail picking are directly related to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
blue nails
Nails with a bluish color are sometimes a sign that the body does not receive enough oxygen. It can also indicate the presence of a kidney infection such as pneumonia. Blue nails are also a sign of many heart problems.
Blue nails, like blue lips, can indicate excessive cold or lack of oxygen. If the person does not feel cold, the blue color of the nails can indicate respiratory problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema.
Blue nails can indicate a blood supply disorder in a person’s body. A person who sees this color on his hands is likely to have a problem that does not allow enough blood oxygen to reach his fingertips. Maybe a simple blood circulation disorder is the reason for this disfigurement.
Another reason may be that the person’s problem is much more serious than a simple disorder. Having serious heart diseases or lung problems can cause problems in the blood circulation system and make the nails look blue by not getting oxygen.
Stick nails
Clubbing of the nail is a condition in which fingernails and toenails grow and bend. Clubbing of nails can be a sign of diseases such as chronic pulmonary obstruction, bronchitis, shortness of breath, asthma, and even lung cancer. This change in the shape of the nail first begins with its softening and then the nail bends. The general medical belief is that the cause of this is the accumulation of liquid in the soft tissue of the nail, which increases blood flow to it. As a result, the nails become softer and puffy than they are normally. The Cancer Research Society in Britain has announced that three out of ten patients with lung cancer have had the problem of clubbing of the nails. Changing the shape of nails can even be a sign of heart and stomach diseases.
In short, we can say:
Yellow and thick nails are usually a sign of lung diseases and chronic bronchitis;
Blue nails can be a sign of respiratory and blood circulation problems;
Red nails are usually a sign of heart and vascular diseases;
White nails are often a sign of liver diseases;
Nails bending upwards are usually a sign of thyroid disease;
Brittle nails are usually a sign of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism;
Spooning of nails happens due to the lack of vitamin B12 and iron;
The appearance of white lines on the nails is due to the lack of calcium and zinc;
Flaking around the nail occurs due to iron and biotin deficiency;
Brittleness of nails happens due to the lack of calcium and magnesium;
Multiple branching of the skin around the nail occurs due to the lack of protein.
If the sides of the fingernails become scaly, it is due to the lack of vitamin A and group B vitamins and many times the use of chemical detergents;
If the nails are broken, it is a sign of anemia;
A slight redness at the bottom of the nails can be a sign of diabetes;
Two color nails (half white and half pink) can be symptoms of kidney disease.
Very pale nails are often attributed to aging, but they can also be a sign of the following diseases: anemia, congestive heart failure, diabetes, liver problems, and malnutrition;
If the nails are white and there is a thick border around the white area, it can indicate the presence of liver problems such as hepatitis;
Yellow nails are one of the most common causes of fungal infection. If the fungal infection progresses, it causes the nail to lift from the bed and thicken and corrode the edges of the nail. In some rare cases, yellow nails can indicate more serious conditions such as advanced thyroid disease or psoriasis.
Nails that have a blue tint indicate that the body is not getting enough oxygen. In fact, this condition can indicate an infection in the lungs such as pneumonia;
If the surface of the nail becomes uneven, dotted, and wavy, it can be one of the early signs of psoriasis or joint inflammation. Psoriasis usually starts from nails in 10% of cases;
Dry and brittle nails that often crack can indicate thyroid diseases. Brittle and cracked nails with a yellow tint indicate a fungal infection of the nails;
If the skin around the nail is red and swollen, it indicates that the groove around the nail is inflamed. This condition can indicate lupus or other connective tissue diseases;
Nails with black streaks should be treated promptly. These black lines are usually a sign of melanoma (the most dangerous type of skin cancer).
Side effects of implanting artificial nails
Many women implant nails to make their nails more beautiful, but they are unaware that they face problems in using these artificial nails. When peeling, it damages the nail plate, and the chemical effect of the adhesive material leads to a change in the shape of the nail, and this process progresses to such an extent that the permanent shape of the nails changes. In some cases, the root of the nail is lost.
Instead of planting nails, massage your nails with olive oil every night before going to bed;
Use natural henna on your nails so that in addition to beauty and removing nail fungus, you can also benefit from the sexual enhancement properties of henna.
Use natural detergents and collagen
Be sure to use natural collagen food supplements, especially after the age of 35, so that your nails are always beautiful;
At night before going to sleep, use a few freshly cracked raw almonds with one to three dates
Pay attention to your healthy nutrition, because many nail problems are directly related to the improper functioning of the body system, and many diseases and deficiencies of the body show themselves in and around the nails.
Nail planting causes disease!
It is true, nail transplant is an unscientific method and it brings severe and irreparable side effects for people.
Unfortunately, today, women’s hair salons encourage people to do nail implants.
The implanted nails have plastic compounds, so it 100% leads to the destruction of the healthy nails of the person.
Most of the contaminations are collected under the nails and lead to various infectious diseases.
Effective minerals and vitamins in nails
Group B vitamins:
The lack of group B vitamins causes the nails to thin and break, and the lack of folic acid, which is one of the group B vitamins, can threaten the health of nails.
- Biotin: Biotin is one of the group B vitamins and a water-soluble vitamin. This vitamin produces keratin, which is necessary for the growth of nails.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A is essential for the health of the eyes, teeth, mucous membrane, and skin. Deficiency of this vitamin, which slows down the growth of nails due to problems in protein absorption, may cause dry and brittle nails or pterygium.
Calcium:
Calcium is also necessary for the health and growth of nails. When choosing a calcium supplement, be sure to use one that contains calcium citrate, magnesium, vitamin D3, and the mineral boron. If the nails are loose, brittle and dry, consuming more natural calcium can be effective in nail growth.
Vitamin C:
Everyone knows this vitamin as a vitamin for raising the body’s immunity level and fighting colds and flu, but vitamin C is also effective for increasing general health and strengthening weak and deformed nails. Vitamin C deficiency may cause thinning and brittle nails and lead to pterygium.
Zinc:
Zinc is one of the minerals that is effective in treating hair loss and weak nails. Zinc helps in tissue repair, wound healing, and hormone production.
Vitamin E:
This vitamin not only has high antioxidant properties, but it is also very effective in strengthening and growing nails because it helps to improve blood circulation.
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