For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

What Do Nails Say About Your Health?

Nails are health signifier; they say a lot about the state of your health, if you can read it correctly. The colour and texture of your nails can actually be signs of several health probloms that you do not know about. For example, if you have yellow nails then it is a symptom of jaundice. Your general health is also reflected by your nails. For example, pale nails can be a sign of anaemia.

Many diseases can be detected by looking at your nails. So, you need to pay extra attention to your nails to ensure your health is in perfect condition. Here are some of the pertinent things that your nails say about your health.

Nails

Pale Nails
Pale nails can mean a lot of things. Normally, paleness under the nails is associated with anaemia or low haemoglobin count. But it could also mean general malnutrition or a sign of some sort of lung disease.

Yellow Nails
Yellow nails are immediately associated with the liver disorder called jaundice. When a person is suffering from jaundice, the billirubin levels in the body rise. This casts a yellowish hue on the person's body. Eyes, skin and even nails get a yellowish tint.

Curling Nails
Curling nails are a sign of cancer. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to toe nails. Curling nails usually indicate a predisposition to lung cancer. But nails could also start curling due to age. Yet, you must get yourself checked.

Bluish Nails
Bluish nails do not indicate a health problem. Instead it means that your body is not getting enough oxygen. You need to get yourself checked for respiratory disorders if your nails appear bluish.

Cracked Nails
Nails that crack or get chipped easily are a symptom of thyroid gland malfunction. You need get your thyroid hormone levels checked if your nails break too easily.

Uneven Nails
Your nails can sometimes have uneven thickness that gives them a rippled effect. Such uneven texture of nails could indicate the first stage of inflammatory diseases like arthritis.

Black Nails
If your nails start developing black lines under them then it could be a dangerous sign. Blackness of the nails indicates the most fatal type of skin cancer or melanoma. However, a fungal disease of the nails that is not healed for a long time may also turn your nails black.

These are some of things your nails indicate about your health. Do you know any other sign that your nails give you?

Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2013, 11:19 [IST]