Can fingernails show signs of illness?

Did you know your nails can reveal clues to your overall health? A touch of white here, a rosy tinge there, or some rippling or bumps may be a sign of disease in the body. Problems in the liver, lungs, and heart can show up in your nails.

What diseases can you tell from your fingernails?

Changes in Nail Shape

Ripples on nails or pitted nails may be caused by a skin disorder, psoriasis, eczema, or arthritis. Nail clubbing is when a nail curves under at the tip of the finger. It could indicate heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lung disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, or HIV/AIDS.

Can nail disorders and diseases reveal clues your health?

The health of your nails can be a clue to your overall health. Healthy nails are usually smooth and consistent in color. Specific types of nail discoloration and changes in growth rate can be signs of lung, heart, kidney, and liver diseases, as well as diabetes and anemia. White spots and vertical ridges are harmless.

Does liver disease show in your nails?

Fingernails: Possible problems

Terry's nails can sometimes be attributed to aging. In other cases, Terry's nails can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure or diabetes.

Can nails indicate heart problems?

Fingernails: Possible problems

Nail clubbing is sometimes the result of low oxygen in the blood and could be a sign of various types of lung disease. Nail clubbing is also associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and AIDS.

Nails disorders , Nails diseases and differential diagnosis || Mis.Medicine

Does kidney disease affect your fingernails?

Nail changes.

Kidney disease can affect the appearance of your fingernails, toenails, or both. People who have advanced kidney disease can develop: A white color on the upper part of one or more nails and a normal to reddish brown color below, as shown here (half-and-half nails) Pale nails.

What do heart disease nails look like?

Nail clubbing is when a nail curves under at the tip of the finger. It could indicate heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lung disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, or HIV/AIDS. Puffy redness near the cuticle can indicate inflammation, a bacteria or yeast infection, Lupus, or other connective tissue disease.

What do nails look like with cirrhosis?

This condition, known as Terry's nails, is especially common in people with severe liver disease. Additionally, nails that are half white and half reddish brown are called Lindsay's nails, which is a condition that's often associated with kidney disease.

What do nails look like when you have liver disease?

Terry's nails is a type of nail discoloration. The nailbeds look “washed out,” except for a thin reddish-brown strip near the tip. Often, Terry's nails is a symptom of a chronic condition, such as liver failure or diabetes. Sometimes, it is a sign of aging.

What do nails look like with anemia?

Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft nails that look scooped out. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.

What are Covid nails?

COVID nails are nail changes that happen a few days or weeks after a COVID-19 infection. They're either a sign that the infection stressed your body, or they could be a rare symptom of the infection itself, depending on your symptoms.

What are 8 common nail disorders?

Do ridges in your fingernails mean anything?

Ridges in the fingernails are usually signs of aging. Slight vertical ridges commonly develop in older adults. In some cases, ridges may be a sign of health problems like vitamin deficiencies or diabetes. Deep horizontal ridges, called Beau's lines, may indicate a serious condition.

Can diabetes affect your fingernails?

Summary. People with diabetes are vulnerable to infections in and around the nails, including Gram-negative bacteria or fungi. Neuropathy and glycaemia increase the risk, as does damage to the nail or adjacent skin, for example by distorted or sharp-edged nails. It is vital to have good nail care in both hands and feet ...

What your nails tell you about your health Dr Oz?

And nails can become spoon-like with iron deficiency anemia, and the ends of the fingers can grow into clubs with lung and heart disease, cirrhosis and thyroid disease. Yellow nails can mean you have certain lung diseases or even AIDS.

Why does a rheumatologist look at your fingernails?

There are a number of reasons the appearance of your nails may give us a clue as to the problem you're presenting with (link for some examples). As a rheumatologist, I'm mainly checking out this part of your body to look for: Pitting: these are little holes or depressions in your nails.

What nail color says about your health?

For instance, white nails may be indicative of kidney or liver disorders or anemia. Healthy fingernails and toenails should be white as it grows off the nail bed and the nail plate a pinkish color. Pitted brown spots in fingernails may indicate skin and a joint disorder called psoriasis.

What are dystrophic nails?

Dystrophic nails are fingernails or toenails that are deformed, thickened or discolored. They can have various causes, ranging from toenail fungus to a skin condition.

What type of nails are associated with Raynaud's disease?

Beau's lines. This condition demonstrates as transverse depressions in the nail that result from trauma, exposure to cold, Raynaud's disease, or any episodic disease serious enough to disrupt normal nail growth.

What is Terry's disease?

Terry's nails are a type of apparent leukonychia, characterized by ground glass opacification of nearly the entire nail, obliteration of the lunula, and a narrow band of normal, pink nail bed at the distal border.

What are the symptoms of the liver?

What are the 5 common nail problems?

This article therefore helps clinicians to find the right treatment of the 5 most common nail disorders (brittle nails, onycholysis, paronychia, psoriasis, and onychomycosis) and provides practical tips that might improve patients' compliance.

What deficiency causes vertical ridges in nails?

Our nails naturally develop slight vertical ridges as we age. However, severe and raised ridges can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin B12 or keratin can result in fingernail ridges. Hormonal changes can also cause ridges to appear.

What are the signs that your heart is not working properly?

Chest pain. Fainting or severe weakness. Rapid or irregular heartbeat associated with shortness of breath, chest pain or fainting. Sudden, severe shortness of breath and coughing up white or pink, foamy mucus.

What are the first signs of kidney problems?

Generally, earlier stages are known as 1 to 3. And as kidney disease progresses, you may notice the following symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, urinating either too much or too little.