Why are the moons on my fingernails purple?

Blue fingernails are caused by a low level or lack of oxygen circulating in your red blood cells. This condition is known as cyanosis. It occurs when there isn't enough oxygen in your blood, making the skin or membrane below the skin turn a purplish-blue color.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


What do the moons on your fingernails tell you?

It happens when the red blood cells that carry iron-rich hemoglobin do not work correctly or when the body does not produce enough red blood cells. This causes an oxygen deficiency that can result in paleness, including paleness that makes the lunulae invisible.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


What causes red moons on fingernails?

Red lunulae are associated with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, alopecia areata, cardiac failure, hepatic cirrhosis, lymphogranuloma venereum, psoriasis, carbon monoxide poisoning, twenty-nail dystrophy, and reticulosarcoma.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


What does purple line on nails mean?

Cyanosis. Cyanosis is a low or lack of oxygen in your red blood cells that may result in the skin underneath your nails and elsewhere like the feet, lips and/or mucous membranes to be a bluish-purple color. Cold temperature exposure or abnormally high hemoglobin levels may cause cyanosis.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on onhealth.com


Why is it purple above my lunula?

This condition is known as cyanosis. It occurs when there isn't enough oxygen in your blood, making the skin or membrane below the skin turn a purplish-blue color. The skin discoloration could also mean that there's a high level of an abnormal form of hemoglobin in your blood.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


Here’s What The Little Half Moon Under Our Fingernails Means



Should I worry if my nails are purple?

There are many possible causes, some of which are serious. Therefore, a person with blue nails should speak with a doctor to determine the underlying cause. In some cases, fingernails turn blue or purplish because of cyanosis, which can also affect the lips and skin.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


What do Covid fingernails look like?

Red half-moon shape on nails

A few people have developed a red half-moon shape on their nails soon after a COVID-19 infection. The red markings appear about two weeks after a COVID-19 diagnosis. This shape shows up right above the lunula, the white part at the base of your nail.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on health.clevelandclinic.org


Why is my lunula blue?

Azure lunula describes the phenomenon where the moons of the fingernails take on a blue discoloration. This may indicate Wilson's disease, also known as hepatolenticular degeneration.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


Does Half moon nails mean you have anemia?

When suffering from anaemia, our body fails to produce enough red blood cells. This causes oxygen deficiency and paleness, which makes the lunula disappear. Kidney problems: Even people dealing with kidney problems do not have half-moons on their nails. Moreover, they notice a brown band at the tip of the finger.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on timesofindia.indiatimes.com


What do your 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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mayoclinic.org


What does the lunula say about your health?

Lunula that have a blueish tint could suggest Wilson's disease, a rare inherited genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in the liver, brain and other organs. Red lunula may indicate heart failure, research shows.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aarp.org


Why is my lunula pink?

A lunula which takes on the shape of a pyramid may indicate injury to the nail, which can include excessive manicuring. Pink / reddish discolouration may indicate cardiovascular problems or collagen vascular disease.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mymed.com


Can your 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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com


How do I know if I'm anemic?

Symptoms
  1. Fatigue.
  2. Weakness.
  3. Pale or yellowish skin.
  4. Irregular heartbeats.
  5. Shortness of breath.
  6. Dizziness or lightheadedness.
  7. Chest pain.
  8. Cold hands and feet.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mayoclinic.org


Should lunula be on all nails?

Often, Lunula is only visible on the thumbs, but fingers do not have it. It can be absent owing to different reasons, such as it may be hiding under the skin. Although not always, but it can be symbolic of some malnutrition problem, anaemia, or depression.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thecorporatereview.com


What color should your nail beds be?

Healthy fingernails and toenails should generally be pink - with the healthy nail plate being pink and the nail being white as it grows off the nail bed. Fingernail color and condition changes are rarely the first clues of serious illness.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on disabled-world.com


Why do my nail beds turn purple when I'm cold?

When nails appear blue from cold temperatures it is due to the cold restricting your blood vessels and forcing them to narrow. This creates narrow pathways which make it hard for an adequate amount of blood that is oxygen-rich to reach the skin beneath the nails.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mymed.com


Why do Wilson's nails turn blue?

In Wilson's disease the blue color involves the lunula (most intense pigmentation) and fades proximally. In argyria, the nail is permanently pigmented a slate-blue color and is most evident in the lunula. Minocycline can also turn the nail plate blue-gray.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aad.org


Does COVID-19 affect your fingernails?

According to recent data, up to 20% of patients with COVID‐19 have cutaneous manifestations. Nails can also develop abnormalities during and after infection. In this article, we review the nail findings observed in patients with COVID‐19.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


What a healthy nail looks like?

Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mayoclinic.org


How do you treat purple nails?

A small subungual hematoma may not need medical treatment. Ice and elevate the area to reduce swelling, and take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like aspirin, Advil, or Motrin for minor pain. But the pressure generated by pooled blood under the nail can be extremely painful.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com


How do you fix cyanosis?

Treatment of cyanosis
  1. Warming of the affected areas. ...
  2. Surgery as a treatment for cyanosis. ...
  3. Oxygenation as a treatment for cyanosis. ...
  4. Intravenous fluids. ...
  5. Drugs as a treatment for cyanosis. ...
  6. Immunizations for children with cyanosis. ...
  7. Injections for babies with cyanosis. ...
  8. Glucose administration.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on news-medical.net


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aad.org


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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mrhc.org