Q What kind of changes in the nail indicate diseases?
Nails are not important only for decoration. They also serve as a health indicator. Different diseases appear in different ways on the nails. Brittle nails signalize iron deficiency, biotin deficiency, kidney disorder, thyroid or circulation problems. Very thick nails also indicate circulation problems. Splitting and fraying nails are a symptom of Vitamin C deficiency, psoriasis, or lack of folic acid and proteins. Oxygen deficiency in the body (due to lung, heart or liver problems) leads to clubbing i.e the nails curve down around the fingertips and the nail bed itself bulges. When nails look like a spoon (i.e. they are concaved), this is a symptom of iron deficiency and/or lack of Vitamin B12. Short small nail beds hint about a heart disease. When nails have pits, this is a symptom of psoriasis. Vertical ridges appear due to arthritis. Horizontal ridges are a result of too much stress. White stripes across the nail indicate liver or heart disease. When your nails have a strange color, this might also tell a lot about your general condition. For instance, dark nails signify B12 deficiency. Pale or white nails indicate anemia or problems with the kidneys/liver. Red nails are often due to heart disease. Pink and white nails are a symptom of a kidney disease. Blue nail beds are the result of lack of oxygen in the blood, most likely due to asthma, emphysema or other lung and heart diseases. Grey nail beds are a very serious symptom of diseases like arthritis, glaucoma, cardio diseases or excessive malnutrition. Yellow nail beds signal the presence of of liver disorders, diabetes, lymphatic diseases or chronic bronchitis.