We are massive fans of fancy nails here at SkinBase, and it seems we are not alone! But when the nail polish comes off, do your nails hold their own in the buff? Well it’s time to find out, because believe it or not, nails can reveal important things about your health.
Your nails and cuticles can indicate a number of implications related to our overall wellbeing such as nutritional deficiencies, stress, anxiety, infection and even disease. Next time you find your nails in the nudey, take note and have a good look at the nail bed. If it’s healthy, it will be smooth without grooves or ridges and free of spots or discolouration with a light pink underlying flesh tone.
Below is an overview designed to help you figure out what your nails might be trying to tell you about your health and wellbeing…
Nails with a yellowish tone
If you love your dark shades of nail polish (we certainly do!), yellow nails are often just a result of wearing dark nail polish for lengthy periods without a proper base coat. A few days rest from polish usually does the trick and they will return to their natural colour and the yellowish tinge will disappear. But, should the yellow tone remain for more than a week or so and is accompanied with other symptoms such as reddish, tender or swelling in the nail beds or nails, it could be that you have a fungal infection.
Nails that peel
Nail plates are made up of several layers of keratin, which are sealed together. If your hands are often exposed to cold, dry air or water, the top layers of your nails may loosen and as a result, peel. Using a good hand lotion will help and nail polish can help seal these layers together. If you notice excessive peeling, it could be that you need more of a nutrient called linoleic acid in your diet. But the good news is, simply adding more vegetable oils such as olive or sesame oil into your diet will have a massive benefit and should help keep peeling at bay.
Brittle nails
Brittle and weak nails can be very common with up to 20 percent of women suffering from them and they are usually caused by an iron deficiency, so try eating more eggs and dark leafy green veggies. There is another major cause of brittle nails – water! As mentioned earlier, dose up on the hand lotion and make the positive diet changes to improve brittle nails.
Lastly, we’ve only just scratched the surface (pardon the pun) in this blog, so if you notice anything particularly strange with your nails (e.g. white or concave nail plates, inflammation or puffiness), please see a medical professional if in doubt. Keep caring for those nails!
image:istock.com/Yulia Lisitsa
