What our Nails Can Say About our Health

The nail can be defined as a small keratin plate of hardly two square centimeters, located at the end of our fingers and our toes. Along with being able to scratch, pull something or scrape, it can also become fragile and transform its appearance.

According to dermatologist specialized in nail medicine and surgery Sophie Goettmann, the misuse of cosmetics, shocks, and excessive contact with moisture and water are the cause of its altered appearance. However, a change in color, texture or growth of the nail, can be a sign of disease.

Author and illustrator of "Vos ongles, tout un monde" also explained that streaks forming grooves and superficial vertical lines may appear naturally on the surface, and when they become deeper accompanied by thinning of the nail, a dermatological and inflammatory pathology is suspected; a lichen.

According to dermatologist, these two dermatological affections are oftenly the result of an emotional shock. "A stress, a strong annoyance and any nervous repercussion, has the power to trigger a lichen or a psoriasis, she confirmed.

Attention should also be paid on the coloring of the nail. Normally, the color is pink because of the play of transparency between the nail plate and the bed on which it rests. However, small white spots or lines can sometimes appear. Their appearance is not an indicator of a lack of calcium. "It's related to a disorder in the formation of keratin, a fibrous protein that ensures the strength of the nail," explained the dermatologist.

Cases to Watch Out For

Some nail abnormalities need the consultation of a health professional. Starting with a yellowed toenail or fingernail. Although fungus is the first thing to be suspected, there are other explanations for this abnormal coloring. Among the most frequent, there is a thickening of the nail, especially the toe nail, linked to a micro-trauma, or external factors; smoking staining the index and middle fingers or the permanent application of a colored varnish without a base. More rare, this manifestation can translate a syndrome called "yellow nails".

And when the nail turns black, the phenomenon comes from a hematoma, related to a shock, sometimes a narrow shoe or a pigmented mycosis. "It is usually benign but in very rare cases, a vertical black line that widens and changes over time can reveal an incipient melanoma. If it is caught in time, it is curable.”