What can your nails say about your health? Physician Dr Kunal Sood shares 5 insights

Good fingernails are not just cosmetic; they can signal good health in general. Dr Kunal Sood lists five signs that the nails share about one's health.

Taking care of our nails is part of personal grooming, and many people take that very seriously. They take manicure and pedicure appointments to keep the nails looking good.

However, their natural state can share signs about an individual’s overall health, according to Dr Kunal Sood, Dr Kunal Sood, a Maryland-based physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine. Taking to Instagram on August 8, he shared five such things that can be inferred from a person’s nails.

1. Spoon-shaped nails

“They may occur because iron deficiency affects nail growth and keratin formation, but the appearance alone cannot diagnose low iron. Blood tests such as ferritin and a complete blood count are usually needed,” he stated.

2. White spots

Small white spots on the nails usually result from minor injury to the nail matrix, often from bumping the nail, manicures, or nail biting. They typically grow toward the tip of the nail.

However, if the spots appear without any apparent reason, it may be a sign of calcium or zinc deficiency. Dr Sood did caution that the signs are not reliable and need further medical evaluation.

3. A new dark streak

“A new persistent dark streak on one nail deserves prompt evaluation,” stated Dr Sood. This is because although most such streaks are benign, it can occasionally represent nail melanoma (a type of cancer).

“Widening, irregular colour, pigment reaching the surrounding skin, or nail damage increase concern,” warned the physician.

4. Yellow, thick nails

Thick yellow nails are commonly caused by fungal infection, especially in toenails. However, Dr Sood pointed out that trauma, psoriasis, eczema, and other conditions can look similar, so appearance alone cannot confirm a fungal infection.

5. Clubbing of the fingertips

Clubbing is the enlargement of the fingertips with increased nail curvature. As per Dr Sood, “New clubbing may be associated with lung disease, certain heart conditions, inflammatory bowel disease, or liver disease, and should be medically evaluated rather than assumed to be normal.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

Dr Kunal Sood, MD, is a double board-certified physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine. He did his residency and fellowship in anesthesiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, followed by a one-year fellowship in interventional pain medicine. He later became the Medical Director of the office in Germantown, Maryland.