2024-08-07 16:48:00
Toenails and fingernails are an extension of the skin, like hair. They are made of keratin, a tough material that grows along the finger to form a hard plate. The cuticle offers additional protection against injury and infection.
Toenails and fingernails should have a slight toe-nail pattern without indentations or depressions. In contrast, koilonychia is a condition in which the nail is concave; in some cases, it forms a central depression deep enough to contain a drop of water. A nail affected in this way often also appears thin and can become more brittle. Koilonychia can indicate anemia, which means there aren’t enough red blood cells in the person’s bloodstream to carry oxygen to the tissues. This is associated with iron deficiency. Low iron can be caused by a poor diet, celiac disease, or cancer of the stomach and intestines. Mechanics and hairdressers may be at particular risk of developing koilonychia because of their work with petroleum-based oils found in motor oils and perming agents. However, the possible causes of scaly nails are numerous.
Ideally, the nail bed should have a nice pink color. Discoloration of the nail bed or the entire nail can occur as a result of disease or infection. Yellow nails, for example, can indicate a fungal infection or changes due to a skin condition such as psoriasis. Leukonychia, or nail discoloration, can take many forms. In some cases, white marks on the nails can indicate poisoning from heavy metals such as lead or arsenic, both of which are a problem in many countries around the world due to the contamination of the water system. If the whiteness spreads throughout the nail and affects several nails, the problem is more likely to be a lack of protein in circulation. This may indicate liver or kidney disease. However, small white marks on the toenail may suggest some type of traumatic injury, which may come from hitting or dropping something heavy on the toe to indent the toe. Even the common practices of nail biting and sensitive nails can lead to nail damage such as purple, blue or red color on the nail. This is a subungual hematoma, a collection of blood between the nail and its bed after trauma. These wounds usually heal on their own over time, but they can also cause infection or separation of the nail from the bed.
During a medical emergency, doctors often check the patient’s nails to check for oxygen in the blood. This is measured with a pulse oximeter, which is placed on a finger and shines a light through the fingertip, then measures the amount of blood passing through it. This shows how much oxygen is getting into the blood and therefore how well the heart and lungs are working.
Another indicator of how well your circulation is working is the capillary refill time test when you press your fingernail or toenail for five seconds to whiten the skin underneath. Once you stop pressing, the skin should return to its previous color within two seconds. If you take more, you may be dehydrated, cold, or have poor peripheral perfusion. Fingernails can also be tapped to check if a patient is asleep or unconscious. This test is part of the Glasgow Coma Scale, which measures responsiveness and altered level of consciousness in patients.
Apart from these, there are many other nail problems such as nails, nails with dimples or lines, swollen nails or nails, and nails with red marks on the bottom. And the list of possible diagnoses is extensive and ranges from the mild to the most serious.
Warning: False or painted nails may hide visible changes. So, be careful not to bite your nails and pay attention to what they can say about your health.
#nails #health