What do concave toenails mean?

Koilonychia

Koilonychia

Koilonychia, also known as spoon nails, is a nail disease that can be a sign of hypochromic anemia, especially iron-deficiency anemia. It refers to abnormally thin nails (usually of the hand) which have lost their convexity, becoming flat or even concave in shape.

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Koilonychia - Wikipedia

is indented nails. Instead of growing straight, your nails look concave, like spoons. In many people, koilonychia is a sign of iron deficiency. Usually, you can get rid of spoon nails by treating the underlying cause.

Why are my toenails turning concave?

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 do indented toenails mean?

The indentations can appear when growth at the area under the cuticle is interrupted by injury or severe illness. Conditions associated with Beau's lines include uncontrolled diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as illnesses associated with a high fever, such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps and pneumonia.

What does it mean to have curved toenails?

Onychogryphosis is a thickening of the nails due to injury or infection. It mostly affects the toes — specifically the big toes. This condition is also known as ram's horn nail and claw nail because it causes the nails to curve and resemble the shape of a ram's horn or claw.

Is it normal to have curved toenails?

Changes to the nails, such as curving, sometimes result from an underlying health issue requiring treatment. However, these changes are not always a cause for concern. If curving of the nails occurs with other symptoms, a person should seek medical treatment.

Tell-nail Signs of Your Health

How do I stop my toenails from curving?

Wear sandals or other low-heeled open-toed shoes whenever possible. When you wear close-toed shoes, make sure the toe box (the front of the shoe) allows room for the toes to move freely. When the toenail grows out, cut it across in a line that mimics the curving line of the toe tip; do not round the corners down.

What does a pincer toenail look like?

If you notice that your toenails have a curled appearance or that the lateral edges seem to slope inward toward one another as the free edge grows, you may have what's known as a pincer nail.

What deficiency causes bent nails?

Koilonychia is an abnormal shape of the fingernail. The nail has raised ridges and is thin and curved inward. This disorder is associated with iron deficiency anemia.

Why do toenails curve as you get older?

Similarly, in children, there is a stronger element of growth happening.” In elderly people, the growth rate of the nail slows down relative to the adhesion strength, creating a condition called pincer nail where the nail plate forms a tight curl.

What does the shape of your toenails mean?

Shape Changes

A definite indentation in your toenail is called a spoon-shaped toenail, also known as Koilonychia. Spoon-shaped indents can indicate an iron deficiency, lupus, or Raynaud's disease.

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 do Beau's lines look like?

Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your fingernails or toenails. They're a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition interrupted your nail growth. Treating the underlying cause will allow new, smooth nails to grow again.

Is it normal to have dents in your nails?

Nail pitting refers to dents, ridges, or holes in the fingernails or toenails. The dents in the nails can be shallow or deep. It's typically a symptom of another condition, such as psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that causes skin cell overgrowth and buildup.

Are spoon nails hereditary?

Spoon nails can also be hereditary (genetic), or caused by your environment. One study of people who lived in a higher altitude found that over 47 percent of them had spoon nails. The study also found that residents who did manual labor had an even higher chance of developing spoon nails.

What does Terry's nails look like?

Terry's nails is when most of your fingernail or toenail looks white, like frosted glass, except for a thin brown or pink strip at the tip. People with Terry's nails don't have a half-moon shape (lunula) near their cuticles. Instead, nearly the whole nail looks washed out.

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 is the white hard stuff under my toenails?

In medical terms this is called onychomycosis or tinea unguium,” says Batra. The fungal infection breaks down the keratin in the nail to form a white or yellow chalky substance under the nail plate. "As keratin debris spreads under the nail, the nail plate typically becomes lifted up off of the nail bed.

What your toenails say about your health?

Yellow Toenails

Your toenails tell a lot about your overall health. A fungal infection often causes thickened yellow toenails. Thick, yellow nails also can be a sign of an underlying disease, including lymphedema (swelling related to the lymphatic system), lung problems, psoriasis, or rheumatoid arthritis.

What do nails with vitamin deficiency look like?

Nail plate discoloration can result from several nutritional deficiencies. Research has shown vitamin B12 deficiency to cause brown-gray nail discoloration. White nails can be the result of anemia and pink or red nails may suggest malnutrition with several nutrient and vitamin deficiencies.

Can vitamin D deficiency cause nail ridges?

Ridges in nails usually come from aging but can also indicate improper nail care, nail trauma, vitamin deficiency, or even a more pressing medical condition, according to 2022 research.

What causes parrot beak toenails?

The term “parrot beak nail” describes a morphologic change of the nail plate characterized by excessive forward curvature. It may be associated with systemic disease or, most commonly, occurs as an idiopathic finding complicated by delayed nail plate trimming.

Can you cure pincer toenails?

There is no standard treatment for pincer nail. Several treatment methods, including conservative approaches and surgical methods, are used. Surgical therapy can produce a satisfactory result in cases with severe deformity; however, that invasive approach may cause severe discomfort.

Can you fix curved toenails?

The brace will work on any curved ('involuted') nail, regardless of whether it has progressed to an ingrown toenail or it's on the way. The nail can have one or both sides curved inwards, the brace will still be effective.

What vitamin deficiency causes dents in fingernails?

Without zinc, the body is not able to develop as effectively. This can slow down the growth of a person's nails and increase their fragility. This can take the form of various nail conditions, including Beau's nails and onychorrhexis.

Do thyroid problems cause nail ridges?

Horizontal ridges can be caused by trauma to the nail and may be deep or discolored. The can also indicate malnutrition, psoriasis or a thyroid problem. Check with your doctor if you see horizontal ridges on your nails; they may indicate a more serious problem. Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician?