Most of us ignore totally that nails
are more than an aesthetic feature. Many factors can reflect the state
of your health by just taking a look at your nails. Your nails’ shape,
colour and texture are as a window into one’s body. It becomes a must to
take care of them and pay attention to what they try to say. While some
symptoms may not alert you, others can be equivalent to chronic
illnesses, such as cancer.
1- Black coloration
Take a look at your nails, if you notice black streaks or feel harmful line that grow on your nail, you should immediately do a check up and not ignore this symptom as they’ll result to malignant melanoma, the deadliest type of carcinoma.
2- Yellow nails
Generally discoloration has to be taken seriously. If you utilize much of acrylic nails or nail polish or if you are a big smoker that could stain your nails yellowish hue.
In many cases yellow nails could be associated with thyroid illness, diabetes, psoriasis or respiratory disorder (such as chronic bronchitis).
3- Dry, Cracked or Brittle Nails
The way you use your hands determine the state of their looking like. So, if you wash a lot dishes, you swim a lot as well, you utilize nail polish remover more often, or you live in low humidity, be sure that your nails are exposed to a drastic damage.
According to Dr. Mercola site splitting could be as well due to a fungal infection or thyroid illness, especially hypothyroidism. You have to not ignore this symptom, since it can be related to a lack in vitamins A and C or the B vitamin biotin
4- White spots
As it was already mentioned every discoloration should be taken with big seriousness. When it comes to white spots on your nails, you should think of nail trauma. In most of the cases they are not a big deal and will fade away within days. But if it does not, that is a symptom of a fungal infection
5- Spoon nails
The shape of your nails can tell what is going on within your body. Therefore, doctors have noticed in some cases that nails are taking on a spoon-like aspect and have associated this to anaemia or excess iron absorption, heart disease and many other illnesses.
6- Pitting
Do your nails go on several layers? If so, doctors attributed it to psoriasis and to connective tissue disorders (including Reiter’s syndrome).
7- Ridged nails
This is the less important symptom as it becomes more notable as you get older. Yet in some cases it can be due to nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin B12 and magnesium.
8- Bluish nails
According to WebMD nails can become bluish, and that could be due to a lack of oxygen, lung problems and heart illness.
If you notice these symptom on your nails a visit to your doctor is highly recommended.
