Detect the health of the body from the appearance of your nails & bull; hello healthy

The appearance of your nails can open up a ton of information about the health of your body. Sometimes, a number of changes in the appearance of the nail can indicate a bacterial infection or injury, but other signs can point to certain, more serious illnesses.

The rate at which your nails grow can provide clues about your health condition that you may not have known before. Healthy fingernails grow at about 3.5 mm per month, and are affected by the intake of nutrients, drugs, trauma, disease, and the body's aging process.

If you notice any significant differences in your nails, including swelling, discoloration, or changes in the shape and thickness of the nails, consult a doctor as soon as possible. These symptoms may be harmless and can go away on their own, but they may also indicate a certain health condition (for example, nail problems common to people with diabetes).

Below is a compilation of 12 finger nail looks and how they relate to your health.

1. Yellow nails

Common yellow nails are caused by aging and regular use of nail polish. Smoking also leaves yellowish stains on the surface of your fingernails.

If your fingernails are thick, brittle, and yellowish in color, the main cause is a yeast infection.

Very rarely, yellow nails are an indication of thyroid disease, diabetes, psoriasis, or breathing problems (chronic bronchitis or sinusitis).

2. Dry, cracked, or brittle nails

Soft and brittle nails are the effects of dry nail plates due to swimming, regular use of acetone, or being in a dry home environment. Brittle nails may also be caused by insufficient intake of vitamins A, B, and C.

Other causes include exposure to chemicals in cleaning products (washing clothes or washing dishes without gloves) or aging. To fix this, apply a moisturizing hand cream. Despite their hard texture, nails are organs that easily absorb fluids, just like skin. Use a hand moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid , glycerin or Shea butter . Or, take biotin pills, a non-prescription supplement that promotes healthy nail growth.

However, if this problem does not go away, consult your doctor. Sometimes, dry and brittle nails are one of the side effects of hypothyroidism.

3. Clubbing

Nail clubbing is a condition in which the tissue under the nail thickens and the tips of the fingers round and swell. The tips of the nails grow inwards following the shape of the fingertips.

Clubbing is thought to result from increased blood flow to the fingertips, is a hereditary and harmless condition. However, if you suddenly notice this disorder, clubbing could be a sign of a lack of oxygen in your blood and is associated with lung disease, cirrhosis, or cancer.

Clubbing it can also show signs and symptoms of liver, heart, kidney disease, or AIDS. If you notice this condition in your nails, consult a doctor.

4. White spots

White spots or stains that appear on the surface of the nails are generally a reaction to minor trauma, not due to calcium deficiency as is widely reported.

This is not a worrying medical condition and will go away on its own. However, if the white patches don't go away, it may be a fungal infection.

5. Horizontal white lines (Beau's lines)

Horizontal stripes on the nail surface may be the result of trauma or an illness followed by a high fever, such as scarlet fever or pneumonia.

This condition occurs due to the response system that delays nail growth because the body prioritizes the recovery process for other problems that your body may suffer from.

These horizontal white streaks can also be caused by psoriasis, uncontrolled diabetes, blood circulation problems, severe iron deficiency, or a reaction to certain drugs (such as chemotherapy). Horizontal but colored lines, called Meel's lines, are signs and symptoms of arsenic poisoning, Hodgkin's disease, malaria, leprosy, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

6. Vertical lines

Vertical stripes are a natural sign of aging. These lines will become more visible with age and are not a medical condition to worry about.

In certain cases, vertical lines on the nails may be the result of a deficiency of B12 and magnesium.

7.Spoon nails (Koilonychia)

If your fingernails look like a spoon, the nail plate protrudes inward and the edges grow outward, you may have iron deficiency type anemia, hemochromatosis (excess iron absorption), heart disease, lupus, Raynaud's disease, or hypothyroidism..

8. Nails with holes or grooves

Tiny holes or uneven grooves on the nail surface can be a sign of psoriasis, eczema, Reiter's syndrome, alopecia areata, or reactive arthritis.

9. The toenails of the big toe are thick and grow like claws

Sometimes, the toenails of the big toe can grow so fast that they thicken at the tips, and look like claws. These nails are difficult to cut with regular nail clippers.

This condition, called onychogryphosis, is common in the elderly or as a reaction to long-term pressure on the toenails.

10. Nails are blackened

Nails that look black because there is blood on the skin underneath, are usually injuries, aka trauma caused by an injury. However, if the black color does not come from the skin under the nail, but directly on the nail surface itself, and is followed by painful nail growth, this could be a sign of melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer. Immediately consult a doctor if you encounter this problem

Generally, subungual melanoma affects only one nail. In addition, melanoma also causes the black lines to change (for example, blackening or getting wider) and this pigmentation can also affect the skin of the fingers around the nails.

11. Nails white and brown

Nails that are half white and half brown (brown on the tips of the fingers) can be a sign of kidney failure. Doctors cannot know for sure the relationship between the two, but one theory is that kidney failure causes chemical changes in the blood that encourage melanin to be released to the nail bed. There is also another possibility that kidney failure is causing an increase in the number of tiny blood vessels in the nails.

It is estimated that up to 40% of kidney sufferers have this "patchy" nail condition. The same nail condition is also shown by people with AIDS and cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy.

12. White nails

If the surface of your nails is white and isn't the result of the nail slipping off the base, it is likely due to a fungal infection or a sign of insufficient blood intake to the tips of your fingers, aka Terry's nails.

Terry's nails are a milky white nail condition with reddish or dark tips, as a result of cirrhosis of the liver, heart, liver, or kidney failure, diabetes, iron deficiency type anemia, chemotherapy reactions, hyperthyroidism, or malnutrition.