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In This Article
Your fingernails might not be something you give a lot of thought to.
But why does it matter, and how can you tell if you have healthy nails?
To find out, we asked two board-certified dermatologists.
@phoebesummernails
Ahead, learn why nail health is important and how you might tell if your nails are healthy.
Meet the Experts
Are Healthy Nails Even Important?
It’s important to have healthy nails for a few reasons.
“The cuticle is a barrier that prevents environmental elements from entering subcuticular space.
Taking proper care of the nails can help prevent infections and other health issues.
Moreover, keeping the nails looking good is a great way to enhance your appearance and self-confidence.”
Additionally, your nails can help doctors understand more about your entire body’s health.
“It’s a problem if there’s redness.
They Are a Uniform Color
Your nail beds should have a healthy, natural pinkness to them.
“They should not have white spots, also known as leukonychia,” DeRosa notes.
This is rare though due to an adequate supply of them in a typical diet.”
DeRosa also cautions that pale nails may indicate inadequate nutrition, anemia, liver disease, or heart failure.
Yellow nailsmay also be cause for concern.
“The nail lacquer dye interacts with the nail plate’s keratin, causing yellow discoloration and brittleness.
Additionally, she says that yellowness can be sparked by smoking or certain foods.
“Heavy smokers may develop yellow nail staining due to nicotine deposit,” Allawh adds.
They Aren’t Excessively Curved
You might notice that sometimes nails curve strongly up or down.
Ideally, you don’t want either.
“The curvature of the nail may be an important clue to nail health,” Allawh says.
“A nail that is excessively curved downwards or upwards (i.e.
resembles a spoon) may be of concern for an underlying pulmonary disease or iron deficiency, respectively.”
They Are Fungus-Free
It may seem obvious, but healthy nails do not have fungus.
“Nail fungus is a quite common but difficult to treat infection,” DeRosa notes.
“Sometimes those lines do not require treatment and will disappear on their own.
In other cases, an underlying problem such as vitamin deficiency needs to be addressed and treated accordingly.”
There are numerous ways to improve the health of your nails.
“Keep your nails clean and dry and avoid frequent manicures,” DeRosa suggests.
“Do not remove the cuticle or bite the nails.”
It’s also important to pay attention to the types of products you’re using on your nails.
Allawh says brittleness can also be soothed with the right moisturizers.
The Final Takeaway
Paying attention to the health of our nails is important.
Not only do they protect our hands, but they can also be indicators of various health issues.
