Your health is reflected in your nails!
Numerous circumstances might alter the nail's structure and color.
Blood can collect under a nail after a finger is hurt by a heavy object being dropped on it, turning
the nail black and turning the nail plate black. In the worst scenarios, the nail may fall out if the
entire nail is compromised, causing the nail to detach from the base.
A visit to the doctor is
warranted if there is a dark, discolored area under the nail. After examining the nail, the doctor
decides.
White transverse horizontal lines may show up following a wound.
Mees' lines, or horizontal lines on the nail, might indicate exposure to toxins like arsenic,
thallium, or other heavy metals as well as more significant health issues including cancer or heart
failure. If exposure to these poisons is ceased, these lines may reappear. The nails may develop
black, gray, yellow, or brown coloring because of prolonged exposure to abrasive soaps,
chemicals, or some drugs.
The color of the nails can also change due to fungus diseases.
It may be noted that in addition to fungal infections or the dropping of heavy objects, disorders
affecting other organs can also cause changes in nail color, with nail color serving as one of the
primary signs.
Illnesses connected to nail discoloration
Cirrhosis of the Liver
Although the tops of the nails may still be pink, liver cirrhosis can cause the nails to turn white.
In addition to patients with liver cirrhosis, persons with chronic heart failure or diabetes can also
have very white nails, often known as Terry's nails. Anosmia can occur naturally as people age.
Lung diseases
Some lung conditions, which frequently include lymphedema (the buildup of lymph in the
tissues), can result in yellow nail syndrome, a condition in which the nails thicken, bend, and
turn a yellowish-green color.
Kidney failure
The upper half of the nails may turn pink and the lower half white as a result of kidney failure, or
pigmentation may develop. Healthy persons can also get this dystrophy.
Drugs that may cause nail discoloration include:
The use of medications for several disorders may cause a change in the nail's color in addition to
pre-existing diseases.
Other nail issues that medications might cause include onycholysis and
melanonychia striata (brown or black pigmented lines). Different drugs may darken nails,
although this normally gets better once the drug is stopped and the nail grows back.
Drugs used in chemotherapy might make the nail plate darker (hyperpigmentation). People
receiving some chemotherapy medicines may also get horizontal white or pigmented lines.
Chloroquine, a medication used to treat parasite infections and some autoimmune illnesses, can
turn the nail bed blue-black.
Nails may turn a dark blue-gray due to the absorption of silver, which can occur after
occupational exposure or from taking nutritional supplements containing colloidal silver protein.
Gold-containing medications, which are occasionally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, might
cause the nails to turn pale or dark brown.
What the color of your nails tells You?
Blue nails indicate insufficient oxygen levels; white nails indicate liver disease and diabetes;
yellow nails indicate lung disease and nail infections; and dark red nails indicate cardiovascular
disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia areata, and dermatomyositis.
When you alter your food and lifestyle, certain changes to your nails will go away, but others
serve as warning signs for more significant health issues and stay there until they are resolved.
Because, as we said at the beginning, your nails reflect your health, it is crucial that you take
good care of their health.