you are here: Fantastic Nail Factoids

Fantastic Nail Factoids

Fantastic Nail Factoids

As early as 400 BC, Hippocrates taught that the nails reflect the condition of the inner body. It is true that abnormalities of the nails can often provide early clues to common medical problems or severe systemic diseases.

There are a number of variables that may affect nail growth;

1. Nail growth is different from person to person and from finger to finger. The nail on the middle finger grows the fastest and the nail on the little finger grows the slowest.
2. Nails grow from 0.05 to 1.2 millimeters per week. If a nail is lost, it may take seven (7) months to grow out fully.
3. As a rule, the nails of babies and older folks grow more slowly than those of teenagers.
4. The length of the finger and the size of the lunula or moon suggest the speed of growth of the nail. The shorter the finger and the less of its visible lunula, the more slowly the nail will grow. (The thumb is the exception.)
5. Biting fingernails, while detrimental to their health in other ways, is thought to make them grow faster.(Just trim them, Don't bite!)
6. Fingernails grow faster than toenails and all nails grow more quickly in the summer than in winter or cold weather. Heat increases the rate of all metabolic processes.
7. Nails grow faster during the day than at night due to the natural pulse of the body rhythms.
8. Mens nails grow faster than womens do. However, women will experience a spurt in nail growth just before menstruation and during pregnancy. These growth spurts are thought to be in response to hormonal activity.

The nails reflect the condition of the inner body....

We see color in the natural nail, but the fingernail itself is colorless and translucent. The central portion of the normal nail (nail body) appears pink due to the nail bed below which is rich in capillaries, and the nail body being close-fitting. The lunula, or moon, appears white because it is not firmly attached to the nail body.

Normal healthy nails can grow in a variety of shapes, determined by a persons genetics. Everyday fingernail problems are most often focussed on soft or brittle nails and split or pitted nails. These conditions are generally related to the effects of the environment, nail biting, age, or heredity. However, changes in the nails can also be a signal of other internal health problems, and nail disorders can result from a variety of causes.

Lines and Ridges on the Fingernails

Long lines. As people age, longitudinal lines appear in the nails. They are considered to be due to age. There are speculations that long, and corrugated lines on the nails may be due to the bodys poor absorption of vitamins and minerals, or that these nail lines may signal anemia, an iron deficiency.

White lines. White lines across the nail bed are common, but sometimes are indicative of liver or kidney disease.

Ridges. Any inflammation or irritation around the area of the nail matrix disturbs the growth pattern of the nail body, and a lengthwise furrow is produced. Cuticle manipulation, such as cutting too much of the cuticle or pushing it back too vigorously, can cause fingernail ridging.

Lines. Horizontal ridges that cross the nail like wavy furrows, indicate that something has interrupted the nail growth, such as high fever, nutritional deficiencies, drug reactions, painful menstruation, childbirth, or trauma from surgery. The nail matrix stops producing keratin. When the nail begins to grow again, a groove marks the spot where the nail-forming cells rested.

The following table outlines some common conditions:

The following is a listing of additional disorders that may show up in the nails and it is for reference only;

1. Black, splinter like bits under the nails can be a sign of infectious endocarditis, a serous heart infection; other heart disease; or a bleeding disorder.
2. Brittle nails signify possible iron deficiency, thyroid problems, impaired kidney function, and circulation problems.
3. Brittle, soft, shiny nails without a moon may indicated an overactive thyroid.
4. Dark nails and/or thin, flat, spoon shaped nails are a sign of vitamin B12 deficiency or anemia. Nails can also turn gray or dark if the hands are placed in chemicals such as cleaning supplies (most often bleach) or a substance to which one is allergic.
5. Deep blue nail beds show a pulmonary obstructive disorder such as asthma or emphysema.
6. Downward-curved nail ends may denote heart, liver, or respiratory problems.
7. Flat nails can denote Raynaud’s disease.
8. Greenish nails, if not a result of a localized fungal infection, many indicate an internal bacterial infection.
9. A half-white nail with dark spots at the tip points to possible kidney disease.
10. An isolated dark-blue band in the nail bed, especially in light skinned people, can be a sign of skin cancer.
11. Nail beading (the development of bumps on the surface of the nail) is a sign of rheumatoid arthritis.
12. Nails that broaden toward the tip and curve downward are a sign of lung damage, such as from emphysema or exposure to asbestos.
13. Nails that chip, peel, crack, or break easily shows a general nutritional deficiency and insufficient hydrochloric acid and protein. Minerals are also required.
14. Nails raised at the base, with small, white ends, show a respiratory disorder such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. This type of nail may also simply be inherited.
15. Nails separated from the nail bed may signify a thyroid disorder of a local infection.
16. Nails that have pitting resembling hammered brass indicate a tendency toward partial or total hair loss.
17. Pitted red-brown spots and frayed and split ends indicated psoriasis; vitamin C, folic acid, and protein are required.
18. Red skin around the cuticles can be indicative of a poor metabolism of essential fatty acids or of a connective tissue disorder such as lupus.
19. Ridges can appear in the nails either vertically or horizontally. Vertical ridges indicate poor general health, poor nutrient absorption, and/or iron deficiency. They may also indicate a kidney disorder. Horizontal ridges can occur as a result of severe stress, either psychological or physical, such as from infection and/or disease. Ridges running up and down the nails also indicate a tendency to develop arthritis.
20. Thick nails may indicate that the vascular system is weakening and the blood is not circulating properly. They may also be a sign of thyroid disease.
21. Thinning nails may signal ichen planus, an itchy skin disorder.
22. Two white horizontal bands that do not move as the nail grows are a sign of hypoalbuminemia, a protein deficiency in the blood.
23. Unusually wide, square nails can suggest a hormonal disorder.
24. White liens across the nail may indicate a liver disease.
25. If the white moon area of the nail turns red, it may indicate heart problems; if it turns slate blue, then it can indicate either heavy metal poisoning (such as silver poisoning) or lung trouble.
26. White nails indicate possible liver or kidney disorders and/or anemia.
27. White nails with pink near the tips are a sign of cirrhosis.
28. Yellow nails or an elevation of the nail tips can indicate internal disorders long before other symptoms appear. Some of these are problems with the lymphatic system, respiratory disorders, diabetes, and liver disorders.

Discolored Fingernails.

Normally, the color of fingernails is uniform and of a lighter tone than the skin on the back of the hand. The nail bed will show a pinkish color through the nail body for the fair skinned and a creamy beige for darker skin tones.

Discolored nails can give clues to internal body imbalances. Toxicity to certain medications can also discolor nails. This following listing is for reference only:

1. Colorless fingernails that appear much paler than the surrounding skin may indicate anemia.
2. Red or deep ink fingernails can indicate a tendency to poor peripheral circulation.
3. Blue nails may be a sign that the blood is not receiving adequate oxygen due to respiratory disorders, cardiovascular problems, or lupus erythematosus. Blue nails may also be a reaction to dyes or chemicals.
4. Yellow nails may be the consequence of colored nail enamels, nail hardeners, tetracycline, fungus, diabetes, psoriasis, or heredity.
5. White, crumbly, soft nails can result from a fungal infection leading to thickening and ridging of the fingernails. The fungus usually begins at the free edge of the nail and works its way down to the root.
6. Half white/half pink nails may indicate a fungal infection or, more seriously, kidney disease.
7. Small white patches that gradually move down the nail are usually a sign of injury to the nail matrix (such as bending the nail tip too far back) or of contact exposure to harsh soaps or cleaning products.
8. Purple or black nails are usually due to trauma to the nail. However, a brown or black streak that begins at the base of the nail and extends to its tip could be a clue to a potentially dangerous melanoma.