Nails
The nail is defined in the anatomy as a membrane covering the end of the fingertips of the hands and feet in humans. The nails consist of a hard protein called keratin, which contains 15% water and the rest includes calcium and mineral salts. Under the nails there is a substance called the nail lining, The fingernails are completely redolent every four months, while the fingernails take a full year to fully regenerate. The health nails are characterized by a uniform, spotless pink color, smooth texture and rounded shape, no grooves or edges around the nail, and may be exposed Nails to problems and changes as changes in color that may indicate the presence of diseases or internal disorders of the body which we will talk about in this article.
Nail Problems
The most prominent problems and disorders that may occur for nails, which is an indication of what happens inside the body are as follows:
- Nails that develop under the skin due to improper pruning or wearing narrow shoes or genetic causes, and can grow on the skin surrounding the nail and may cause pain, swelling and infection and may develop into abscess under the skin.
- In this case, the growth of the new nail takes 6 months for the fingernails and 18 months for the nails of the feet.
- Changes in the shape or texture of the nails, which may occur for several reasons, thick nails, fragile or dark, are more common in adults with impaired blood circulation, in addition to the formation of protrusions on the elongation of age.
- The nails are peeled, brittle and cracked, common problems when exposed to water, strong soap and other chemicals.
- Nails infected with fungal infections, which is one of the most common nail problems and treatment possible when consulting the doctor by describing the anti-fungus and takes several weeks or months or years, depending on the situation and degree, and this infection in the form of white spots or yellow under the nail, It may cause the nail fungus which is abundant at the athlete’s foot. The symptoms of fungal infections include:
- The color of the fingernail turns white, yellow, blue or black and is more common in males than females.
- Feeling pain and discomfort if the injured nail is not treated.
- The inflammation is worse in people with diabetes.
- Exfoliation of the nail and inflammation of the surrounding skin.
- Restlessness during walking if you leave your fingernails untreated.
- Change in the color of the nail that indicates certain problems or diseases within the human body.
Nail color and its significance
These are the most prominent colors that may appear in the nails and their causes or indications of problems or diseases that may be infected by the body:
the colour blue
- A disease of preference, a condition caused by frequent exposure to silver compounds.
- Lumbar hepatic degeneration (Wilson’s disease).
- Rhinode syndrome, where the nails begin to turn pale and end in blue, and may feel pain when exposed to cold weather.
- Blood poisoning or blood infection that occurs when a bacterial infection enters the bloodstream.
- Lung and respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic hepatitis, and other respiratory disorders.
- Low oxygen level in red blood cells.
- Very high level of hemoglobin in the blood.
- Insufficient blood supply to the hands due to cold or constriction of blood vessels or other causes.
Black Color
- Anemia.
- Vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Bacterial infection.
- Chronic Kidney Disease.
- Adrenal gland problems.
- Liver disease.
- Cancer or melanoma tumors.
- Exposure to a disease.
White color
- Anemia.
- Kidney failure.
- Liver fibrosis.
- Diabetes.
- Subject to chemotherapy.
- Flat lichen or intense alopecia.
- If half of the nail is white and the other half is brown or reddish, it may be due to renal failure or liver disease.
White spots
- Zinc deficiency.
- Injuries to the nail bed.
- arthritis.
- Poisoning.
- Iron deficiency.
the colour grey
- Arthritis problems.
- Lung ascites (water in the lung).
- Malnutrition.
- Postoperative effects.
- Glaucoma.
- Lung problems.
- Heart disease.
green color
- Allergy to cleaning materials.
- Bacterial infection such as bacillus infection.
- Fungal infection.
- Serious bulge.
the yellow color
- Dermatophyte infection, which is the most common and affects the fingernails also causes nail fragmentation.
- Psoriasis.
- Jaundice.
- Exposure to heat.
- Addison’s disease.
- Amyloidosis.
- Some medications such as tetracycline, chlorpromazine, gold salts (for rheumatoid arthritis).
- Nicotine patches due to cigarette smoking.
- Problems with the lymphatic system.
- Respiratory disorders, such as chronic bronchitis.
- Diabetes or liver problems.
Violet
- Oxygen deprivation.
- Circulatory problems.
- Congenital problems.
Red color
- Brain bleeding.
- heart disease.
- hypertension.
- lung diseases.
- brain attack.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Exposure to the wand.
- Bacterial endocarditis.
- Psoriasis.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Kidney failure.
Brown color
- Pigmented flesh.
- Malignant skin cancer.
- Addison’s disease
Brown or red spots
- Psoriasis.
- Folic acid deficiency.
- Vitamin C deficiency.
- Deficiency of proteins.
- Injury in the nail.
Tips and guidelines for keeping your nails healthy
It is recommended to follow the following guidelines and tips to maintain healthy nails and avoid infection and improve the appearance of nails:
- Take care to keep the nails clean and dry.
- Avoid nibbling or removing nails.
- Make sure to apply a moisturizer on the nails and skin on a daily basis, although creams containing urea, phosphorus, or lactic acid can help prevent nail cracking.
- Take care to cool the nails in one direction.
- Do not remove the skin or cleaning deeply under the nails, it may lead to infection.
- Do not dig nails growing under the skin, consult your doctor if the condition becomes annoying.
- Avoid nail polish removers containing acetone or formaldehyde.
- Use only your nail care tools.
- Take care to adopt a balanced diet and take vitamins containing biotin.
- Avoid harsh chemicals such as soap and strong detergents.
- Avoid or limit the handling of chemicals such as hair dyes.
- Stay away from smoking.
- Make sure you choose the right shoes to fit your feet.
- Carefully remove the artificial nails carefully and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Continuous check if the nail color changes to green. When the artificial nails are placed, they indicate bacterial infection.
- Use your own towel after bathing, taking care to dry your foot especially between the fingers and wearing the slippers in common bathing areas such as a gym or swimming pool.
- Accelerate the treatment of any signs of eczema that appear.
- Be careful to wear protective gloves while washing dishes.
- Do not squeeze the surrounding skin and return it back during nail care.