Important
Nail problems offer clues to medical conditions. If you suspect you have a problem, see your doctor or a dermatologist. He or she will likely include an examination of your nails along with other observations and tests in making a diagnosis.
Your nail tech is licensed Only to make your nails feel and look beautiful. He/she cannot diagnose nail disorders or treat nail diseases.
Your natural fingernails
Beau's lines — Indentations that run across your nail. This can appear when growth at the nail root (matrix) is interrupted by severe illness such as a heart attack, measles, pneumonia, or by fever.
Clubbing — Your fingertips widen and become round. Nails curve around your fingertips. Caused by enlargement in connective tissue as compensation for a chronic lack of oxygen. Lung disease is present in 80 percent of people who have clubbed fingers. Also may appear in heart disease or cancer.
Pitting — Small pits or depressions. Most common nail problem seen in 25 percent to 50 percent of people with psoriasis.
Spoon nails — Soft nails that look scooped out. Depression is usually large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often indicates iron deficiency anemia
Onycholysis (ON-i-ko-LY-sis) — The nail separates from the nail bed. Most of the time, this problem is associated with physical injury (trauma), psoriasis, drug reactions, fungal disease or contact dermatitis from using nail hardeners. Sometimes onycholysis is related to an over- or under-active thyroid gland, iron deficiency anemia or syphilis.
Yellow nail syndrome — One or more nails turn yellow or green. Nails grow more slowly, and the cuticle and "moon" disappear. May be associated with swelling of the hands and feet, or a variety of respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis.
