It's not just your hairstyle and outfit that need to be right – well-groomed hands are also extremely important.Who would have thought:the color and overall appearance of your fingernails can actually reveal the state of a person's health. Brittle nails, ridges, pink discolorations, or bulges have a meaning. Likewise, various surface changes or color gradients indicate that something is wrong with the organism. Therefore, you should not take cracked nails or changes in shape too lightly.
Fingernail diseases and clinical pictures
The following is a list of the most common changes in fingernails, along with a possible diagnosis:
- Claw nails(are thick or curved nails): circulatory disorders are often to blame for this nail appearance
- Yellow nails:liver disease, jaundice, fungal infection, or the effect of medication
- Pale fingernails:anemia
- Blue fingernails:possible heart or lung diseases
- Peeling of the fingernail:lack of minerals and trace elements
- Ridges and furrows in the nail:injury to the nail root or cuticle, but also diarrhea, blood poisoning, depression, pneumonia,
- Brittle nails:lack of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, etc.
What can you do about brittle fingernails?
Of course, extensive care is important for beautiful fingernails. Not only care from the outside, but also from the inside is crucial.
- People who suffer from brittle nails should regularlysoak their nails in warm water or warmed olive oiland bathe them thoroughly. This restores moisture and valuable oils to the nails. Afterwards, treat the cuticle with a cuticle remover and remove it with a rosewood stick. If necessary, finish by applyingnail hardenerto the fingernails.
- Frequent painting of the nails and the subsequent use of nail polish removers areabsolutely unsuitablefor brittle nails. Even more devastating is nail modeling with gel or acrylic. The nails do not get any air, cannot form keratin, and are butter-soft after the gel is removed. To avoid unnecessary strain on fingernails, one should not apply modeling to damaged nails and should change the color more often with normal polishes. For this, useoil-based nail polish removers.
- A A finger bath in lemon juiceis a pure treat for nails. The nails can absorb vitamins and become smoother and shinier. However, this treatment is not recommended for people with sensitive nails, inflamed cuticles, and torn nail beds. Lemon juice contains natural acid, which can of course cause pain in open wounds.
- Tip: not only external treatments are important for healthy nail growth. With acalcium-rich and vitamin-containing dietyou can grow great nails.
- Anyone who has to work a lot withcorrosive or otherwise harmful substancesshould make sure to wear gloves at all times. In addition,daily, regular moisturizingis not a bad idea. This cares for not only the hands, but also the cuticles and the nails themselves.
What can I do if there is no improvement?
If there is a generally poor condition of the fingernails with no improvement in sight, you should see a doctor. Address the nail problem specifically and do not be shy. Often, nail changes havehormonal backgrounds such as pregnancy or breastfeeding– but other causes can also be a reason for concern. A good doctor will recommendan appropriate therapyand with a little perseverance and sufficient care, brittle or discolored fingernails will soon be a thing of the past.
Read also: Home remedies, such as condensed milk or lemon juice for beautiful, strong fingernails
Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at
