What do your toenails say about your health?

Your nail may even turn a purple color, meaning you have a circulatory issue. Black toenails indicate an injury beneath your nail, but it can also be a symptom of a bacterial infection, a deficiency of Vitamin B12, or anemia. In extreme instances, black toenails can be a sign of cancer or liver or kidney disease.

Can you tell your health by your toe nails?

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 should healthy toenails look like?

Typically, toenails should be more or less a clear, partially translucent color. But sometimes, they can appear yellow, green, blue, purple, or black. Several things can cause toenail discoloration (also known as chromonychia). These range from minor injuries to potentially serious health conditions.

What do different toenails mean?

A healthy toenail is smooth, consistent in color, and generally pinkish. Different shades, spots, or lines could indicate health issues. Dr. Miguel Cunha of Gotham Footcare spoke with INSIDER about the way different afflictions can affect your toenails, and how to know if you need to seek medical attention.

What diseases affect your toenails?

Tell-nail Signs of Your Health

Can your nails 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 are signs of unhealthy nails?

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 the color of your toenails say about your health?

A healthy toenail is a shade of pale pink, much like your fingernail. Any yellowing or tinges of black color means something is not right. For example, if your toenails become yellow, you probably have a fungal infection. Yellowing can also be the result of smoking or a side effect of diabetes or a liver condition.

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.

Why do toenails get thick?

Thick toenails come from a buildup of the cells that make up your toenails. Three possible causes are increased age, nail fungus, and nail psoriasis (an autoimmune disease).

Why do toenails thicken with age?

Blood circulation is when the small blood vessels in our feet begin to narrow and become thicker, making it harder for the blood to flow. This then causes the nail cells to build up causing the nail to thicken from the nail root. This process is called onychoctes.

What do nails look like with anemia?

Spoon nails are thin and soft and shaped like a little spoon that is often capable of holding a drop of water. There are many causes, but the most frequent one is iron deficiency anemia.

What do Covid toes look like?

COVID toes: One or more toes may swell and turn pink, red, or a purplish color. Others may see a small amount of pus under their skin. Sometimes, people who have COVID toes have other symptoms of COVID-19.

What do ridges in your nails mean?

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.

Why has my toenail gone thick and yellow?

Thick yellow toenails are usually caused by a fungal infection called onychomycosis. This can be irritating or painful. It's less common, but the infection can affect your fingernails as well. Thick yellow toenails can be prevented by taking certain precautions.

Why do I have vertical lines on my toenails?

The vertical lines running from the cuticle to the top of the nail are nothing to be worried about. In most cases, such longitudinal ridging is simply a side effect of the normal aging process of nails. In addition, nails often lose their luster as they age and may appear opalescent and dull.

What color is toenail fungus?

Nail fungus can cause the nail to become thick or ragged and appear yellow, green, brown or black. An infected nail may separate from the nail bed. Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail.

Can diabetes affect your toenails?

People with diabetes are more likely than those without diabetes to get a fungal infection called onychomycosis. This infection usually affects the toenails. The nails will turn yellow and become brittle.

What does Vicks VapoRub do for toenails?

Vicks VapoRub

Although designed for cough suppression, its active ingredients (camphor and eucalyptus oil) may help treat toenail fungus. A 2011 study found that Vicks VapoRub had a “positive clinical effect” in the treatment of toenail fungus.

Can you scrape out toenail fungus?

Prescription Medicines

If your fungus doesn't clear up at home, you should check in with a dermatologist (a skin, hair, and nail specialist) or podiatrist (a foot doctor.) They may gently scrape under your nail to get rid of some of the fungus or send it to the lab for diagnosis.

Are thick toenails always fungus?

Although there are many potential causes of thick nails, a fungal infection is the most likely cause in the toenails. Other conditions, such as psoriasis or diabetes, may also cause thick nails to develop. The exact cause of thick nails will help decide a person's treatment to correct the condition.

Can fingernails show heart problems?

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.

What are 8 common nail disorders?

Can liver disease affect 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.