White Spots On Your Nails: What They Causes And Really Mean For Your Health

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Did you that nails are also reflection in one’s overall health? But not all aware of it, sometimes nails are being ignored and not being taking care of properly.

Because they're right out there on the ends of our hands and feet, nails are subject to a lot of abuse. Some of the abuse, like biting, is self-inflicted.

But everyone has experienced broken or ripped nails from catching them on or in something, or cracking and splitting from overexposure to water and chemicals.

Nails may sometimes change in color as a result of an injury, some medications, nutritional imbalances, or skin conditions.

If the color of your nails has changed dramatically, it is a good idea to check with your doctor.

A study describing different types of abnormal coloring on nails of Korean patients indicated that nail-biting, frequent manicures and work-related injuries were the major sources of injury-induced white spots.

The study also found that skin-related diseases and systemic diseases are often associated with white spots on nails.

Psoriasis (characterized by scaly, itchy rashes) and alopecia areata (marked by hair loss) were the dominant skin-related diseases, while anemia (low red blood cell count) and chronic kidney failure were the major systemic diseases linked to white spots.

There is a popular belief that white spots on nails result from nutritional deficiencies, specifically in calcium. This claim was made without much evidence. However, there are some studies suggesting that deficiencies in zinc and selenium may play a role in the development of leukonychia.

Leukonychia is defined as any condition that causes abnormal whitening of the nail plate. Leukonychia spots are large groups of whitish nail cells trapped inside the nail plate.

There are two common types of apparent leukonychia: Terry's nails are a type of apparent leukonychia, characterized by ground glass opacification of nearly the entire nail, obliteration of the lunula, and a narrow band of normal, pink nail bed at the distal border.

Terry's nails can sometimes be attributed to aging. In other cases, Terry's nails can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure or diabetes.

Other one is, Lindsay’s nails Half and half nails show the proximal portion of the nail white and the distal half red, pink, or brown, with a sharp line of demarcation between the two halves.

Both cases are where about half of the nail or the entire nail becomes white on almost all of the nails, a disease that affects important organs such as the liver, kidney or heart problems could be the culprit.

It is a good idea to be aware of any changes to nail color and to speak with a medical professional if the discoloration is causing concern.

Observing the frequency and number of nails covered by white spots can be helpful in gauging the severity of the situation. If a single white spot presents itself on a single or a couple of nails, it most likely occurred from trauma and would not necessarily raise any alarms. If several white spots present themselves on a majority of the nails, the white spots may be associated with skin-related diseases.

How to determine the white spots of your nails?

“That’s a great quick and easy test,” says Dr. Ivy Lee, a dermatologist in Pasadena, California and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA.

Just press on the nail, to figure out if the white spots on your nails are apparent leukonychia. If the white spot stays there, it’s on the nail itself—that’s damage to the nail and generally it’s no cause for concern. But if the whiteness disappears or changes color, it’s coming from the nail bed skin and it could indicate a more serious health concern.

But if you’re healthy and your nails are looking white, don’t get too freaked out—that color change won’t be the first symptom to show up if you have a serious disease. Commonly, dermatologists will look for Terry’s nails or Lindsay’s nails as a diagnostic clue for someone who’s already in the ER with more worrying symptoms, says Dr. Lee. If you’re more worried about your nail texture, learn why ridges in the fingernails can signal disease. It is worth to consult your doctor.