Maintaining Nail Health

It’s a good idea to give your nails a break from nail polish every once in a while to examine your nails. They can give you a lot of clues to what’s going on with your body.

Your nails can tell you a lot about your health. If you can’t stand to look at them naked, it may be a sign there is something else going on. They can tell you about health issues you may not be aware of.

Part of keeping your nails healthy is clipping your nails regularly. Using nail clippers regularly will clue you in on your nail health. Healthy nails are strong, not brittle, mostly smooth, and are white with a pinkish tint.

Some changes in your nails can be caused by serious health problems; they can also be caused by an imbalanced diet or nail abuse.

You can easily avoid nail abuse by wearing gloves while washing dishes or cleaning, or while having hands submerged in water for long periods of time.

One of the biggest indications of health issues is your nail color. Let’s explore what each color can be indicative of.

Blue or purple nails can indicate lack of oxygen and lung problems, or be caused by cold weather conditions.

Yellow nails can be caused from nail polish stains; however, if it doesn’t go away in a few days, it can be a sign of health issues like psoriasis or nail fungus.

Brown nails can mean a number of things including thyroid issues, or lack of folic acid or vitamin c, and even psoriasis.

Grey nails are most often caused by certain medications, but can also be a sign of nutritional deficiencies.

Green (or green-black) are most commonly a sign of iron or B-12 deficiencies.

If your nails are white, this can be a sign of just getting older; however, they can also clue into other issues, such as heart failure, kidney failure, and anemia, among others.

Make sure your consult a physician if any of these nail issues pop up, if you aren’t aware of any reasons for it. A doctor can help locate the issue, and create an action plan toward better health.