By Dr. Laura M. Brown, ND
Your nails can be a surprising window into your overall health. Changes in their shape, color, texture, or strength can often reflect nutrient deficiencies, infections, or even internal health issues. Here’s what to watch for:
White Spots on the Nails
White spots are usually harmless and often caused by minor trauma (like bumping your nail). However, frequent spots could mean a deficiency in zinc, calcium, or selenium, possibly due to poor diet, leaky gut, or digestive issues. Healing the gut and replenishing minerals can help; it may take 3–6 months to see improvement.
Brittle or Rough Nails (Trachyonychia)
Nails that are brittle, ridged, rough, or dull may be due to inflammation or linked with conditions like alopecia areata, psoriasis, or eczema. Sometimes, it’s not clear why it happens. Fungal infections should be ruled out by testing a nail clipping. Treatment depends on the cause and may include topical or oral remedies.
Clubbing
Nail clubbing causes the nail to curve around the fingertips, with a rounded appearance and a wide angle at the base. It can be linked to lung disease, heart issues, liver conditions, or GI disorders. If it runs in the family, it may not be a concern—but if new or progressing, it’s worth getting checked.
Fungal Infections (Onychomycosis)
Signs include thickened, yellow, cracked, or crumbling nails. It’s contagious and commonly spread in gyms, pools, or even at home. Wear breathable cotton socks and disinfect shared spaces. Both topical and oral treatments exist, but treatment takes time—be consistent. Not all damaged nails are fungal, so a nail test can confirm the cause.
Lunula changes
The lunula is the white “half-moon” at the base of your nails.
- Missing lunulae (anolunula), especially on the thumbs, may point to anemia or malnutrition. Missing lunulae on other fingers can also happen with chronic stress or may be harmless.
- Blue lunulae may signal diabetes.
- Red lunulae may point to heart or blood disorders.
Yellow Nails
Slow-growing, yellow, loose nails may be linked to lung disease or lymphedema, and sometimes diabetes, nerve damage, or liver problems. If your nails also lack a cuticle, this adds to the concern.
Spoon Nails (Koilonychia)
Nails that look concave or scooped may be a sign of iron deficiency, lupus, diabetes, protein deficiency, or chemical exposure (like petroleum solvents). They may also occur with Raynaud’s disease.
Lindsay Nails (Half-and-Half Nails)
These nails appear half white and half red or brown, and are often seen with chronic kidney disease. They can also be associated with liver disease, Crohn’s, or other systemic conditions, but sometimes occur with no clear cause.
Terry Nails
Here, most of the nail appears white, with a thin pink or red band at the tip. It may be seen in liver disease, diabetes, heart failure, thyroid disorders, or simply aging. It’s caused by reduced blood flow to the nail bed.
Lines on the Nails
- Vertical brown lines: May be harmless, but can indicate melanin changes, Addison’s disease, or even melanoma (especially if skin around the nail is also pigmented).
- Beau’s lines: Horizontal grooves that show a pause in nail growth due to illness, trauma, cold, or zinc deficiency.
- Mees’ lines: White horizontal bands that can point to heavy metal exposure, chemotherapy, or certain infections.
Ridges and Striations (Onychorrhexis)
White vertical ridges may be part of normal aging, but can also reflect arthritis, diabetes, poor circulation, zinc deficiency, or lichen planus.
In Darier disease, both red and white ridges appear.
Splinter Hemorrhages
These look like thin, dark red or brown lines under the nail and are often due to nail trauma. Less commonly, they may signal heart infection/bacterial endocarditis, vasculitis, or psoriasis.
Pitting
Tiny dents or pits on the surface of the nails are common with psoriasis, but can also occur in alopecia areata, eczema, or arthritis. Sometimes they have no medical significance.
Green Nail Syndrome (Chloronychia)
A greenish tint to the nail may signal a Pseudomonas bacterial infection. This can develop when nails are exposed to moisture for too long. It can happen to hands that are constantly exposed to water, soaps, and detergents or are subject to mechanical trauma, especially in the elderly.
Black Discoloration or Streaks
Dark or black streaks can sometimes be harmless, especially in darker-skinned individuals. But if it’s growing or doesn’t respond to fungal treatment, it could be a sign of nail melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. A biopsy is needed for diagnosis.
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC)
In this rare genetic condition, nails may look shredded at the tips, and small benign growths (fibromas) may appear around the nail. TSC can affect many organs, so medical assessment is important.
Final Thoughts
Your nails offer clues about your internal health. While many nail changes are harmless, others may point to underlying issues like nutritional deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, infections, or chronic disease. If you notice significant changes in your nails, speak to your naturopathic or medical doctor for further testing and guidance.
This article is for educational purposes and not medical advice.
