50 WHAT DO THOSE LINES AND MARKS IN MY NAILS MEAN?

Can a bout of illness really show up in the appearance of our nails?

QI was very ill a few months ago and recently I noticed that there is a sort of dent in my nails running horizontally across them. It seems to be growing out, but what is it and is it because I was ill?

The eyes are often said to be the windows of the soul, and actually looking at the back of the eyes and your eye health can often be a window to your physical health. The same can be said of your nails – perhaps not windows to the soul, but they do give clues about your health.

It sounds like you are describing what are known as Beau’s lines, which are horizontal lines or dents

Aacross the nails. They often occur after major illness as you describe, which can be associated with periods of malnutrition, and occur as the nail bed is interrupted for a period of time.

The small white horizontal lines which we sometimes see on nails are related to trauma and it is normal for your nails to not be completely smooth. However if your nails are ver y ridged or look like they have pits or dimples, this can be a sign of psoriasis or psoriatic ar thritis.

If your nails become rounded over the tops of your fingers this may be clubbing which can be associated with cardiovascular or liver disease. If they do the opposite and cur ve upwards at the edges like spoons this may be iron deficiency anaemia.

Bruises on the nails often show as dark bluish black, and a fungal nail infection may show as a whitish discolouration with thickening of the nail which lifts away from the nail bed.

So yes, your nails can tell us a lot about your health!