Half-moons, hangnails... Is there something wrong with your nails? Stretch out your finger and click in to check!

If you don't have half-moons on your nails, you are not in good health.

Too many nails indicate sub-health

I always have hangnails. Is it because I lack vitamins?

Nails have really endured too much!

In addition to cutting nails and doing manicure

I always have to take the blame for my poor health.

What changes in nails are okay?

What changes should I pay attention to?

Friends pointing fingers

Come and check it out.

01 Can the crescent reflect health?

Let us first briefly understand the structure of the nail. The nail is the stratum corneum covering the dorsal side of the fingertip and is produced by the nail matrix.

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The scientific name of the crescent is the lunula , which is located in the middle of the proximal nail fold and the nail bed. It is in the shape of a convex arc. Due to its special anatomical structure, it appears white and constitutes the distal edge of the nail matrix.

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The number and size of the half-moons are related to the rate of keratin production. They are not specific signs of disease and are not necessarily related to personal constitution or nutritional status .

02 Do vertical lines on nails mean poor health?

Some friends feel that their nails have vertical lines and feel uneven, and they can't help but wonder: Is it calcium deficiency? Vitamin deficiency? Is there something wrong with the body? In fact, vertical lines on the nails do not mean that the body is not good, it just means that your nails are not smooth.

Generally, when you are young, the vertical lines on your nails are not very obvious. As you age, just like "nail wrinkles", the vertical lines will become more and more obvious. But it does not affect your health, so you don't need to pay special attention to it.

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However, if there are "abnormal" lines on your nails , such as horizontal, deeply sunken, colored lines, or if the nail growth stops , you may suspect onychomycosis (onychomycosis).

03 Does hangnails mean vitamin deficiency?

Hangnails are medically called "reverse peeling". Most of them are not related to vitamin deficiency, but are caused by physical friction or excessive hand washing , which causes the oil on the surface of the stratum corneum to be washed away. The cuticle without protection becomes dry and peels off, resulting in "hangnails".

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When seeing hangnails, many friends can't help but tear them off violently with their hands, or bite them off habitually, which may cause skin tears and infection. It is best to trim the hangnails neatly with nail clippers . For friends who often have hangnails, you can apply hand cream after washing your hands every time .

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04 Pay attention to these changes in nails

▲Black lines appear on nails

When black lines appear on the nails, that is, single or multiple brown or black lines appear in one or more nails, running vertically through the entire nail, it may be suspected to be a nail matrix nevus .

Image source: Weibo screenshot

Although there is a probability that the nail matrix nevus will become malignant, not all nail matrix nevus will become malignant. When the following symptoms appear, you should be highly alert to the possibility that the nail matrix nevus will deteriorate into melanoma :

1. The width of the black line on the nail is greater than 3 mm.

2. The edges of the mole are uneven and have no obvious outline.

3. In the short term, the black line undergoes obvious changes, such as darker color, uneven pigmentation, and wider width.

4. The nails crack and abnormal symptoms such as itching, redness, dark spots, and erosion of the local skin appear.

▲Sudden acceleration or stagnation of nail growth

There may be something wrong with your thyroid gland. For people with hyperthyroidism , their metabolism becomes very fast, and the growth of their nails is no exception; for people with hypothyroidism , their metabolism becomes very slow, and their nails grow slowly.

▲ Grayish-yellow and wrinkled nails

If the nails appear pale or grayish yellow, thickened, have increased longitudinal ridges, or have brittle or damaged nail plates, onychomycosis may be suspected.

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Onychomycosis is medically called onychomycosis, which is caused by a large class of microorganisms called pathogenic fungi. There are many types of pathogenic fungi that can cause onychomycosis, the most important of which is dermatophytes, which live around us, such as in the soil, on the floor of baths and swimming pools, and on animals (commonly found in cats, dogs, pigs, etc.).

Onychomycosis is contagious, and the fungus may infect other parts of the body, causing fungal skin diseases. What's worse, it can be transmitted to family members or people around you who have more contact with it. Onychomycosis is more common in hot and humid areas. In addition to geographical factors, not paying attention to personal hygiene, frequent labor or exercise, wearing tight clothes and non-breathable shoes, and old age and frailty can also cause onychomycosis.

Image source: Photo Network

Finally, I would like to remind you

Don't rely on just one or two characteristics of your nails

I think I have a disease.

Self-observation can be used as a reference

But it cannot replace medical examination and doctor's diagnosis

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

References

[1] Luo Qin. Talking about the "crescent moon" on the nails[J]. Family Medicine, 2021, 000(003):P.60-61.

[2] Zheng Guoyi, Chen Minjing, Wang Yan, et al. Clinical and pathological analysis of 35 cases of subungual pigmented nevus[J]. Journal of Practical Medicine, 2015, 000(005):860-861. DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2015.05.060.

[3] Yu Zhihua. Black lines appear in the nails, what is going on? [J]. Wish you good health, 2020(9):2. DOI:CNKI:SUN:ZNJK.0.2020-09-014.

[4] Liu Weida. On the causes and prevention of onychomycosis [J]. China Labor, 2002(7):1. DOI:CNKI:SUN:LDKX.0.2002-07-031.

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