🩺 Doctor Explains: What Nail Changes Might Reveal About Your Health


 

  • Often mistaken for fungus (which is common), but persistent yellowing could indicate:
    • Fungal infection (most common cause)
    • Lung disease (like chronic bronchitis)
    • Thyroid disorders
    • Rarely, diabetes or psoriasis

🩺 See a doctor if thickened, slow-growing, and yellow without trauma.

2. Clubbing (Bulbous Tips & Curved Nails)

  • Fingertips enlarge; nails curve downward like drumsticks
    ✅ Associated with:
    • Low blood oxygen (lung disease, COPD)
    • Heart disease
    • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
    • Certain cancers

🟥 Not something to self-diagnose — requires clinical evaluation.

3. Spoon Nails (Koilonychia)

  • Nails become soft, thin, and concave — like spoons
    ✅ Strongly linked to:
    • Iron-deficiency anemia
    • Celiac disease
    • Hemochromatosis (iron overload)

💡 Blood tests confirm diagnosis — don’t assume based on nails alone.

4. Beau’s Lines (Deep Horizontal Grooves)

  • Indentations across the nail, not surface scratches
    ✅ Caused by:
    • Severe illness (fever, infection, surgery)
    • Chemotherapy
    • Diabetes flare-ups
    • Trauma to the nail matrix

📌 Each line marks a past stress event — grows out over months.

5. Terry’s Nails (White nails with dark tip band)

  • Nearly all-white nails with a narrow brown or red band at the end
    ✅ Seen in:
    • Liver disease (cirrhosis)
    • Congestive heart failure
    • Diabetes
    • Aging (common after 60)

⚠️ Not diagnostic alone — must be paired with other symptoms.

6. Red or Brown Streaks Under the Nail (Splinter Hemorrhages)

  • Tiny red-brown lines running vertically under the nail
  • Can be from minor injury (most common)
    ❗ But if unexplained, may suggest:
    • Infective endocarditis (heart valve infection)
    • Psoriasis
    • Melanoma (if pigmented and widening)

🩸 Never ignore a single dark streak that grows — see a dermatologist.

7. Pitting or Dimpling of the Nail Surface

  • Small dents or pits in the nail bed
    ✅ Common sign of:
    • Psoriasis
    • Psoriatic arthritis
    • Sometimes eczema or alopecia areata

Affects up to 70% of people with psoriasis.

❌ Common Myths About Nail Health

❌ “White spots mean you need calcium”
False — usually from minor trauma (knocking the nail)
❌ “Vertical ridges mean vitamin deficiency”
No — they’re normal with aging, like wrinkles on nails
❌ “Green nails are mold poisoning”
Usually bacterial infection (Pseudomonas) from moisture
❌ “Nails should be perfectly smooth”
Not true — slight texture is normal

✅ Healthy Nail Habits You Can Follow

Keep nails dry and clean
Prevents fungal infections
Trim gently, file smoothly
Avoids ingrown nails and splits
Wear gloves for wet work
Protects from chemicals and water exposure
Moisturize cuticles
Supports healthy nail growth
Avoid biting or picking
Prevents damage and infection

🩺 If you notice sudden, unexplained, or painful changes — see a dermatologist or primary care provider.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to inspect your nails like a detective hunting for clues.

Most variations are normal, age-related, or cosmetic.

But if something looks new, strange, or concerning…
don’t ignore it.

Because real wellness isn’t about fear. It’s about curiosity, care, and knowing when to ask for help.

And sometimes, the smallest part of your body — a fingernail — can remind you of how deeply connected everything really is.