Many health conditions are very visible in the nails. Their condition can tell you how long you’ve been ill, since fingernails need six months to grow, and toenails a full year. Even nail-biting can be an indicator of mental health. Lung disease and lymphedema can cause yellow discoloration, while psoriasis can look like fungus. Bands, lines, as well as changes in color, can also indicate illness. Paying attention to your nail health is important, because this way you will know what changes your body goes through. Here are some of the most frequent things that can happen to your fingernails.

Weak, splitting nails

If you can break or bend your nails easily or they are easy to peel off, than it’s a warning sign. Brittle nails can be related to advancing age, or a sign that they’ve been over processed due to harsh manicures, acrylic nails, or gel wraps. Vitamin A deficiency is another reason (it helps your body process protein and is a key ingredient in your nails). Give your nails time to breathe. Stay away from the nail polish or the salon. Also frequent dish washing can be harsh for your nails. If none of this help, it’s time to see the dermatologist and get a detailed diagnosis.

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Yellow Nails

Nails will have a subtle or dramatic yellow tinge.
The reason can go from nail fungus, psoriasis, or stains from smoking. In some cases, ladies who paint their nails with dark nail polishes often have this problem.

If your nails are stained, soak them in denture cleaner will remove the stain. If the yellowing persists is still there (often accompanied by pain), it could be a fungal infection. Fungal infections can be tricky to conquer, especially if it’s been ignored. Yellowing is also seen in psoriasis patients, as a side effect of certain medications, and a result of a rare condition called yellow nails syndrome. If you notice a change in your nails, see your doctor.

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White dots

Small white dots that appear to be on the surface, but when you try to buff them away, they won’t budge. White dots on the nails are usually due to some type of trauma (banged finger or a too-aggressive cuticle trim). Give your nail some time to grow out and fade. If the dots aren’t going away, because this may also be a sign of fungal infection.

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Dark Vertical Bands

Dark lines of color running top to bottom, possibly darker at the base of your nail. Pigmented vertical bands are common in dark-skinned people and they can also be benign moles in the nail bed. A single new or changing band can be a malignant melanoma which can be a potentially deadly skin cancer.
If the bands continue to change or darken, see a dermatologist immediately.

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Spoon Nails

Nails seem scooped out. You can do an easy test and squeeze one or two drops of water from an eye dropper on the center of your nail. If the water sits on top rather than sliding off, it’s spoon nails. Spoon nails signify a deficiency in iron. The blood supply doesn’t reach the middle of your nail to make it grow. In some cases, spoon nails can be a sign of heart disease or hypothyroidism, a condition marked by an under active thyroid gland.

You need to see your doctor and get the appropriate blood check to see what kind of deficiency is behind it. Iron supplements will be prescribed. If your thyroid is out of wack, your endocrinologist will work with you to get it sorted out.

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Nail clubbing

This occurs when the tips of the fingers enlarge and the nails curve around the fingertips, usually over the course of years. Nail clubbing is sometimes the result of low oxygen in the blood and could be a sign of various types of lung disease. This is also associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and AIDS.

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