Did you know that your nails can actually tell a lot about the state of your health? That’s why it’s important to never ignore these five fingernail symptoms of disease.
Fingernail symptoms of disease
1. A brown vertical stripe on the nail
Of all the fingernail symptoms of disease, this one might possibly be a sign of melanoma. In some cases, skin cancer doesn’t start with a mole or a dark spot; it can actually start in one of your nails.
For Caucasians, 1% of melanomas start in the nail. However, for African Americans, 20% of melanomas start in the nail. That’s why you should never simply ignore this sign as it might possibly be a symptom of something worse.
2. Brittle nails
Brittle nails commonly happen due to an issue with your diet or because of the chemicals that your hands can get exposed to.
If you’re malnourished or lack certain nutrients, then your body won’t have enough nutrients to help build healthy nails. This is why malnourished people, or those with eating disorders, can have brittle nails.
Additionally, most people think that calcium is important in having strong, healthy nails. In fact, nails are made of keratin, a type of protein. That’s why protein is also important if you wish to have strong nails.
Don’t let pretty manicures hide common fingernail symptoms of disease
3. Nail clubbing
Nail clubbing, or when fingertips enlarge and the nail curves around the finger is a sign of low oxygen in the blood, and can possibly be a sign of lung disease.
It can also be with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and AIDS. If you see that your nails seem to be clubbed, then you might want to go to a doctor to get a checkup.
4. Spoon nails (koilonychia)
Spoon nails is a condition when nails look like they’ve been scooped out.
Spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia, or sometimes a liver condition called hemochromatosis where your body absorbs too much iron from the food that you eat.
They can also be associated with heart disease and hypothyroidism.
5. Horizontal lines in your nails (Beau’s lines)
Horizontal lines in your nails, or Beau’s lines, are indentations that run across your nails.
These fingernail symptoms of disease are mainly a sign of nail trauma when the cuticle under the nail has been injured, or due to a sickness. Beau’s lines can possibly be a sign of zinc deficiency, but they’re also a sign of other diseases such as high fever, scarlet fever, measles, mumps, and pneumonia.
Also read: Cancer signs in children you shouldn’t ignore
Sources: mayoclinic.org, today.com