{"id":9778,"date":"2020-05-11T13:57:53","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T20:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my.castlighthealth.com\/blog\/?p=9778"},"modified":"2020-05-11T13:57:53","modified_gmt":"2020-05-11T20:57:53","slug":"from-ridges-to-peeling-what-these-8-fingernail-signs-say-about-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/my.castlighthealth.com\/blog\/from-ridges-to-peeling-what-these-8-fingernail-signs-say-about-your-health\/","title":{"rendered":"From Ridges to Peeling: What These 8 Fingernail Signs Say About Your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ever looked at a chipped, brittle, or black-lined nail and wondered why it looks that way? Well, it turns out that nail health is closely associated with how well your body is functioning in other areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the general population, nail health is most often an indicator of poor nutritional intake or poor digestion,\u201d explains Dr. Sara Norris, a naturopathic doctor based in Los Angeles. \u201cBrittle, weak, and peeling nails are the most common concerns I see in my practice and these symptoms are more often the result of a poor diet than of systemic disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

Norris points out that true nail abnormalities generally only involve one or two nails and aren\u2019t related to any major health concerns.<\/p>\n

Dr. Mark Benor, clinical assistant professor of family medicine at Keck School of Medicine, agrees: \u201cMy job is reassuring people that their nail issues usually don't bespeak a serious underlying illness,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe family medicine clinic is full of patients with nail findings of no significance outside of the anxiety they create.\u201d<\/p>\n

Healthy nails are considered to be smooth with no discoloration, but if there\u2019s something amiss with the texture and color of yours, we created this guide to keep your nail-related anxieties away.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What\u2019s causing your nails to change texture?<\/h2>\n
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Brittle<\/h3>\n

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Rough, splitting nails that may also crack easily are one of the most commonly reported nail problems. They\u2019re also more often seen in women. Officially called onychoschizia, brittle nails are usually caused by repeated wetting and drying of your fingernails, so you should use gloves when getting your hands wet, such as when doing dishes.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/strong> You can try applying lotions that contain alpha-hydroxy acids or lanolin. If this doesn\u2019t work, see a doctor. Norris notes that hypothyroidism can also cause weak, brittle nails, as can iron deficiency.<\/p>\n

Soft or weak<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

These nails break easily or bend before snapping. Soft nails might be caused by overexposure to moisture or chemicals \u2014 think detergent, cleaning fluids, nail treatments, and nail polish remover.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/strong> Avoid having chemicals around your nails. Go natural to give your nails a chance to recover. Weak nails are most likely associated with a deficiency in B vitamins, calcium, iron, or fatty acids. Norris explains that it\u2019s best not to take iron as a supplement unless you know you\u2019re deficient. Instead, start taking a multivitamin that includes calcium and B vitamins.<\/p>\n

Peeling<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

This is likely caused by external trauma to the nail itself \u2014 by using your nail as a tool, pressing into the nail too firmly or removing acrylic nail polish. Nails can also peel if you soak your hands too long in sudsy water.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a trick to figuring out whether it\u2019s an internal or external cause: Are your toenails also peeling? If so, it might be an internal cause, such as iron deficiency; if not, it\u2019s probably external.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/strong> If you think it\u2019s internal, add iron to your diet with lentils, red meat, fortified cereal, or baked potato skins. You can also take biotin. If the cause is external, keep your nails moisturized by applying lotion after any activity that might dry them out. You can also wear protective gloves while doing the dishes.<\/p>\n

Ridges<\/h3>\n

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Have you ever noticed ridges that look like little horizontal or vertical waves on your fingernails? Vertical ridges generally appear later in life and run from the tip of your fingernail to the cuticle. As long as they aren\u2019t accompanied by other symptoms such as changes in color, they\u2019re considered benign. On the other hand, horizontal ridges, also called Beau\u2019s lines, are a sign of a more serious symptom.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/strong> See a doctor to find the underlying cause. Vertical ridges could be indicative of iron deficiency anemia while horizontal lines could point to an underlying condition such as kidney disease, which can actually stop nail growth until the problem has been treated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why are your nails changing color?<\/h2>\n
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Yellow<\/h3>\n

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Yellow nails are, believe it or not, relatively common, and usually caused by one of two factors: an infection or a reaction from a product you\u2019ve been using, such as nail polish.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/strong> Your new nails should grow in clear again, but there are many natural treatments such as tea tree oil or vitamin E to help tackle infections. A multivitamin might also help with this.<\/p>\n

You can try these before consulting a doctor, but if the color remains, it might be a sign of a larger issue.<\/p>\n

Black lines<\/h3>\n

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Also called a splinter hemorrhage, black lines (which can appear brown or dark red) look like splinters. They can appear multiple times. The most likely cause is a trauma to your nail, such as accidentally slamming a door on your finger.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/strong> The line is the result of blood vessel inflammation under your nail and should disappear over time as your nail grows.<\/p>\n

White spots<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cScattered white spots on the nails, which usually start appearing around middle school age, can signify a zinc deficiency,\u201d explains Norris. \u201cUsually 30 milligrams per day of zinc for three months will alleviate it.\u201d Other possible causes include:<\/p>\n