Can Your Nails Show Signs of an Illness?
Color, thickness and shape may signal health issues
Color, thickness and shape may signal health issues
Nails can be windows into your health. Healthy nails are smooth and have no spots or discoloration. However, changes in color, texture or shape can signal health problems.
“Most of the time, these are harmless changes due to lifestyle or to a nail injury,” says Aracely Bonilla Navarrete, MD, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center Hillcrest. “However, in some cases they may be a sign of health issues, such as nutritional imbalances or thyroid problems.”
Keeping an eye on your nail health can help you catch problems early. Talk to your doctor if you notice changes that concern you.
Here is a summary of common nail changes, what may be causing them and when to see a doctor.
Texture changes
Thin or soft nails
Thin or soft nails break or tear easily or may bend before breaking. Often, these changes are due to exposure to chemicals — such as detergents or nail polish remover. Low levels of B vitamins, calcium or iron also may be to blame.
Cracked or split nails
Usually, nails split or crack because they are dry or brittle. Surprisingly, dry nails can result from frequently soaking your nails in water while washing dishes, bathing kids or swimming. Nail polish, nail polish remover and alcohol-based hand sanitizers may also contribute.
Dry, cracked nails may also be a sign of thyroid disease. If the problem persists, contact your doctor.
Peeling nails
Nails may peel off in layers due to trauma. This can happen when you use your nails as tools for opening packages, scraping hard surfaces or picking at old nail polish. Oversoaking nails also can lead to peeling.
Pitted nails
Do your nails look like someone took an icepick to them? Tiny indentations in the nails may be related to psoriasis, which also causes dry, scaly skin patches. It may also be related to alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
Spoon nails
If your nails look “scooped out” like a spoon, you may have anemia, hypothyroidism or liver problems. Contact your doctor to find out what’s causing the condition.
Ridges or ripples
Vertical ridges in your nails may be age-related and are usually harmless. Horizontal ridges, called Beau’s lines, indicate a pause in nail growth that could be related to a health issue.
Common causes include high fever, vitamin deficiency, injury, diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. Chemotherapy may also cause these lines. If the condition persists, check with your doctor.
Curved nails
Curved or “clubbed” nails happen when the fingertips enlarge and the growing nails curve around them. This is a gradual process that often develops over several years and may be inherited, or may be associated with lung disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease or liver disease.
Call your doctor to have clubbed nails evaluated and rule out that it could be from an underlying disease.
Ram’s horns
Thick, overgrown nails that resemble the horns of a ram may be hereditary or caused by conditions like psoriasis or poor circulation.
“People with this condition should not attempt to trim their nails at home,” says Dr. Navarrete. “They need to be trimmed with special instruments to prevent further injury or infection and treatment is also needed.”
Nail separate from nailbed
Nails may separate from the nailbed because of injury or infection. The detached nail may turn white with a yellow or greenish tint and may be tender or painful. In some cases, a separated nail may be linked to psoriasis or other illnesses. If the nail does not grow out normally, see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Color changes
Very pale nails
Healthy nails are generally pink. Very pale nails may indicate illnesses, such as anemia, congestive heart failure or liver disease. Poor nutrition also may be a culprit. It’s a good idea to get very pale nails checked by a doctor.
White spots
Random white spots on nails are usually not harmful. They often occur due from an injury — like hitting your fingertip or from frequent manicures. Other possible causes are zinc deficiency, a fungal infection or an allergic reaction.
Blue nails
Nails may take on a bluish tinge if the body lacks adequate oxygen. Heart disease and emphysema may cause this. If you are not under a doctor’s care for an oxygen-related issue, make an appointment to see what is causing the color change.
Yellow nails
Yellow nails are common and may have various causes, ranging from dark nail polish stains, smoking to an infection. A fungal infection can make nails thicken, crumble or detach from the nail bed.
More serious issues may include rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease, thyroid disease and diabetes. If the condition persists or worsens, call your doctor.
Dark lines underneath the nail
Dark lines that appear beneath the nail may be caused by melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. Have these checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
“Having any of these changes does not mean you have an underlying health condition. However, if you are concerned about your nails, play it safe and call your doctor,” Dr. Navarrete says.