NAILING IT

The condition of your nails could be giving you clues about what’s going on in your body

YOUR nails are a pretty good reflection of the general state of your health. They’re like a map of what’s going on inside your body and believe it or not, problems in your lungs, heart and liver can show up in your nails.

Since it can point to disease elsewhere in your body, if you notice any changes in your nails it’s best to see your doctor.

Here’s what the condition of your nails reveals about your wellbeing.

BRITTLE NAILS

This is one of the most common nail problems and is generally caused by exposure to the elements, detergents or chemicals and frequent wetting and drying of the hands.

But it can also be a sign of something more serious. “Accompanied by thinning hair and fatigue, it may signal thyroid disease,” says Australian dermatologist Dr Stephen Shumack.

WHITE SPOTS

“It’s an old wives’ tale that white spots are linked to a calcium deficiency,” Shumack says. “They’re generally caused by bumps to the nails.” It can also be due to a fungal infection.

WHITE NAILS

If your nails are mostly white with just a darker rim at the top, this can be a sign of liver problems such as hepatitis. If your fingers also look jaundiced, that’s another sign of liver trouble.

YELLOW NAILS

This is most commonly caused by a fungal infection. As the infection worsens, the nail bed may pull back and your nails may thicken and become crumbly.

In rare cases, yellow nails can be a sign of a more serious condition such as severe thyroid disease, lung disease, diabetes or psoriasis (a condition characterised by scaly patches on the skin).

RIDGES

Raised ridges or dips running horizon

tally across the nails are known as Beau’s lines.

They’re often caused by childhood diseases such as measles and mumps, but can also be a sign of zinc deficiency.

PITTING

These small, pinpoint depressions – which can be shallow or deep and are more common on fingernails than toenails – can appear in nails when there’s a problem in the nail bed.

It’s often seen in people with psoriasis and has also been associated with eczema and alopecia areata (an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss). Pitting can also be an early sign of arthritis.

BLUISH NAILS

Nails that have a bluish tint can mean your body isn’t getting enough oxygen. This could indicate a lung problem, such as emphysema. Some heart problems have also been associated with bluish nails.

CRUMBLY NAIL BED

This may indicate a fungal infection, which affects up to 10% of the population in their lifetime.

“A once-a-week anti-fungal treatment can return your nails back to normal,” Shumack says. “Crumbly nails can also be a sign of psoriasis.”

CLUBBING

This is when the end of the finger is bulbous and the nails curve around the fingertips. It usually isn’t painful and isn’t harmful in itself. While it can simply be genetic, it can also be an indication of disease.

“Lung disease, cancer or heart disease is present in 80 percent of people with clubbing,” Shumack says.

It has also been associated with liver disease and digestive conditions such as Crohn’s and celiac disease.

SPOON NAILS

This is when nails are soft and look scooped out, like they can hold a drop of liquid.

This can indicate an iron deficiency, but also has other causes, including thyroid problems and heart disease.

SWOLLEN NAIL FOLD

Paronychia is a condition that causes inflammation, redness, tenderness and swelling of the skin and tissues surrounding the nails. It’s common in people who often have their hands in water and is usually the result of irritants or allergens, but it can also be caused by the fungus candida albicans, other infections or psoriasis. It can usually be treated with topical steroids.

DARK LINES

If you have brown-black lines under your nails, it could be a nail discolouration called melanonychia, which is caused by the pigment melanin.

It can look like a dark band or streak in the nail bed, or can involve the whole nail. It can occur naturally in people with dark skin, but may also indicate a health issue, so accurate diagnosis is vital. Possible causes include infection, injury and skin cancer.

CRACKED OR SPLIT NAILS

Dry nails that often crack or split have been linked to thyroid disease. Cracking or splitting combined with a yellowish colour is more likely to be due to a fungal infection.

BRUISED NAIL

A bruise under your nail is usually from an injury such as closing a door on your nail. But if you have what looks like a bruise and can’t remember injuring it and it does not go away (or gets worse) there’s a chance it could be cancer. Skin cancer under a nail is called subungual melanoma and looks like a bruise or dark-coloured spot that does not go away. If you have a bruise and the nail grows out, the bruise usually grows out along with it and your normal nail colour returns. If this is not what happens, see your doctor.