Points, stripes or grooves in fingernails are harmless. But for some abnormalities, you should respond. This is behind the nail changes.
- Longitudinal and transverse grooves in fingernails
- Cracked and brittle fingernails
- Watch glass vaulting of the fingers
- Yellowish discoloration of the fingers
- Small dents of the fingernails
Longitudinal and transverse grooves in fingernails
If there are corrugations from the cuticle to the cutting edge of the nails, the cause may be a lack of fluid. Transverse grooves in the fingernails can occur in acute or hidden infections (eg, inconspicuous bronchitis) or in gastrointestinal disorders (eg, often thin stool). Often only the thumbnails are affected.
Cracked and brittle fingernails
In most cases, the nail polish or remover is too aggressive when fingernails splinter or layers of it stand out. But: It can also be a lack of vitamin A, B or iron. Yellow, orange and red vegetables provide plenty of vitamin A. Iron is in meat, egg yolk, beans, oatmeal. Nuts also provide this mineral, as well as important B vitamins.
Watch glass buckle of fingernails
If you have rather round nails as a child, this growth form is innate - no problem. If the nail plates bulge on single or all fingers but recently extremely roundish up, a dermatologist should search for the cause. Possible triggers are internal disorders, usually due to lack of oxygen. This in turn may have several reasons, eg. B. a weakened heart-lung function.
Yellowish discoloration of fingernails
This is often a symptom of nail fungus. Untreated, the discoloration is stronger, and the nail gets grooves, crumbly-brittle. Yellowish thickening can also indicate the yellow nail syndrome, which can be triggered by psoriasis, a liver disease or even water in the lungs. A dermatologist should clarify the cause.
Small dents of the fingernails
Tiny recesses, which look like punched, caused by the detachment of horny cells on the nails and are usually harmless. However, eczema, circular hair loss, psoriasis, fungal infections, thyroid hyperfunction or even unrecognized inflammation in the body may be responsible for such pits. If such "holes" occur suddenly, a dermatologist should examine it more closely.
