Did you know your nails can reveal clues to your overall health? A touch of white here, slight ridges there or even swollen cuticles may be a sign of a disease in the body. More often than not, when something is wrong with your liver, lungs or even your heart, your nails may be the first tell-tale sign to let you know something is wrong.

White Nails

If your nails are completely white, looking like they’ve had an overdose on calcium, it may indicate liver problems such as hepatitis, especially if your nails are darkly rimmed.

Pale nails

Although pale nails are common for older people, they can also be a serious sign of illnesses such as anemia, congestive heart failure or even liver disease. So if you have other symptoms related to these diseases, you should consider paying your doctor a visit.

Yellow Nails

One of the most common causes of yellow nails is a fungal infection. If left untreated, the nail bed may retract and the nails could thicken and eventually crumble. In rare cases, yellow nails have also been associated with severe thyroid disease, lung disease, diabetes and even psoriasis.

Bluish Nails

As with everything else that turns blue, it’s usually due to a lack of oxygen. If your nails have a bluish tinge to them, it could indicate a lung problem such as pneumonia or in other cases diabetes.

Cracked or Flakey Nails

Dry, brittle nails that frequently crack or flake have been linked to thyroid disease. However if your nails are cracked, flaking and also have a yellowish tinge it may be due to a fungal infection.

Dark Lines beneath the Nail

If your nails appear to have ‘skid marks’ on them or dark lines, you should immediately have it seen to as dark lines are sometimes caused by melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

Puffy Nail Bed

If the skin around the nail appears red and slightly swollen, this is known as inflammation of the nail fold. It may be the result of lupus or another connective tissue disorder. Or else for ladies with false nails, it may just be that your French-nails were pushed too high into the nail bed.

Gnawed Nails

While a lot of people bite their nails and it may just be an old habit that dies hard, it may indicate persistent anxiety that could benefit from treatment. Nail-biting or picking of the cuticles has also been linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), so if you can’t stop you may want to see your doctor about it.

Although nail changes may indicate many conditions, these changes are rarely the first sign. It’s important to note other symptoms you may or may not be experiencing as having white nails doesn’t necessarily mean that you absolutely have hepatitis. If you are concerned about the appearance of your nails, it’s advised that you see your dermatologist

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