The color of the nail on the hand has changed to white. Fungal and non-fungal toenail diseases - symptoms and characteristic signs, treatment methods

They say that hands are business card person. Accordingly, nails are the first thing that catches the eye. If they are problematic and look unhealthy, then they can easily push away from the handshake and cause unfavorable views of your interlocutor. However, not only the condition of the nails, but also their color indicates health problems. It is very easy to determine this. A change in color indicates the presence of a disease that a person may not be aware of.

General information about nail health

A nail is defined anatomically as a horn-like process that covers the tips of the fingers and toes in humans, most non-human primates, and a few other mammals (they are similar to claws in other animals).

Feet and toenails are made of a tough, protective protein called keratin, one of a family of fibrous structural proteins and a key structural material that makes up human hair, nails, and the outer layer of human skin. Nails are often used as the first indicator of distal tissue perfusion in people who may be dehydrated or in shock in medical and prehospital settings.

Healthy fingernails and toenails, as a rule, should be pink in color - with a healthy plate of a light color, part of which may be white color when it grows from the nail bed. Color and changes in the condition of the plate are rarely the first clue to a serious illness. In most cases, patients show other signs and symptoms of the disease before nail changes become apparent.

Colors can usually be grouped into blacks, blues, browns, coppers, greens, blue-greens, grays, yellows, pales, purples, or reds—each color stands for something particularly important. Keep in mind that your nails may change color for another reason completely unrelated to health (caused by mechanical or environmental influences).

When healthy plates begin to change color or texture, one of the most common causes is fungus, which can cause them to crack and peel. General disorders such as disease thyroid gland, are also capable of causing disturbances in the plates, often producing dry brittle nails which are easily flaked and broken.

Nails never stop growing and need to be trimmed from time to time. Pruning tools used by different people transmit infections. Using standard procedures hygiene and sanitation, you can avoid it. In some cases, gel and cream cuticle removers are used instead of cuticle scissors.

How can color change?

Nails can change their usual healthy color- this indicates changes in the body. Usually they are painted in a different shade when a certain disease has reached its limit and reports this with the help of the nail plate. The color that says this might be:

• black;
• blue
• brown;
• yellow;
• green;
• white.

Black or purple color caused by trauma (bleeding or bruising under a damaged coating). You may notice blood coming out from under the plate. The black color will most often fade as the injury heals, but this may take several weeks. Sometimes the appearance of black under the affected nail means damage to the matrix, the area where it first begins to form. If so, then the result will require removal of the nail plate and repair of the matrix. Melanoma can give a black appearance even to an intact plate.

The blue color can appear as by-effect medicines. It is also caused by problems that reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood, such as asthma and COPD, severe anemia, cold exposure, peripheral arterial disease, or shock. brown stripes commonly seen in dark-skinned people and only cause concern if they are recent or actively changing. They can be caused by medication or malnutrition. Green color provoked by bacterial and fungal infections.

Pale whites can be caused by nutritional disorders such as anemia or zinc deficiency and other medical problems. White spots or streaks are associated with a mild injury (you may not even know about it). These signs can last for weeks or months and go away on their own without any proper treatment.

A yellow tint occurs when the plate separates from the nail bed (onycholysis) due to injury, a skin condition, or infection. It is also caused by medical problems such as chronic lung disease or cancer. Nails can turn yellow from smoking cigarettes or from using certain polishes, especially red polish.

Color and texture reflect wide range medical conditions. Take a look at your nails and you will notice subtle changes - there is a hint of white here, pink shade maybe some ripples or dents on the surface. These shortcomings may seem very similar to each other, but to the trained eye they provide valuable information about the general condition of the human body.

Sometimes patients are advised to check the lungs, as a bluish tint is a sign that not enough oxygen is being supplied to the body (it may even turn out that there is fluid in the lungs). Nails often show warning signs for many other conditions, from hepatitis to heart disease, doctors say. Changes may be a sign of a local disease such as fungal infection or a systemic disease (lupus or anemia). Sometimes doctors try to determine if a person has anemia by looking at their nails. Pale whitish colors indicate low level erythrocytes corresponding to anemia. Iron deficiency can cause the coating to become thin and concave, as well as slightly ribbed.

Nails give many clues about what is going on inside you. Patients with lupus develop dodgy and angular blood vessels in the folds of the nails. Psoriasis causes splitting of the base of the bed. Heart disease causes the beds to turn red. Obsessive-compulsive disorder can manifest itself through the constant biting of the plate. Even common disorders such as thyroid disease can cause abnormalities such as dry, brittle nails.

Causes of color change

The main reasons due to which the coating changes its color are:

• melanoma;
• diet violation;
• incorrectly selected medicines;
• anemia;
• thyroid disease;
• chemical effects on the nails (varnish, nail polish remover, nail extensions, etc.).

Accurately established symptoms will help to determine the problem that has arisen in the body in more detail. Below are all possible deviations that can be seen in the nails and give explanations for them.

Brown vertical stripe on the nail: may be a sign of melanoma. Although you might think that the deadliest type of skin cancer always appears as dark spot on the body, it can actually begin in the nail. Only about 1 percent of all melanomas in Caucasians occur in the nail, but if you're African American, 20 percent of melanomas start from that spot. In more complex cases, it extends to the cuticle area or to the skin around the nail. This is an ominous sign that the melanoma is growing and spreading. Hormones and some medications can also create pigmented streaks, but be especially careful to look for brown or dark stripe, which goes from the cuticle to the free edge.

Brittleness: a common problem, provoked by diet or chemicals to which the hands were exposed. If you are malnourished or lack nutrients, then the body has no material to create good nails. That's why people with disorders eating behavior may notice problems of this kind. Fragility also indicates iron deficiency anemia or thyroid disease.

Remember, nails are made from keratin, a protein. A common myth is that calcium plays a role in their formation. It makes the bones strong, but has nothing to do with the destruction of the nail plate.

If your body has the material to create perfect nails, severe chemical substances may still destroy them as they grow. This includes everyday detergents and nail polish removers. Make sure you eat well balanced meals that include a large number of squirrel. Avoid using harsh chemicals on your nails. Even acetone-free nail polish remover can make them brittle.

Wavy: Vertical ridges develop as they get older, and most people eventually get them. They are like wrinkles on a plate. Doctors discourage patients from polishing these ridges because it makes the plate thinner. Deep horizontal ridges and depressions, known as the Bo Lines, are more troubling. They indicate that the plate stops growing temporarily. Reasons may include: high temperature; chemotherapy; serious illness; major surgery; blood transfusion; car accident or any serious stress on your system. You may have a series of parallel lines of Bo if you experience several periods of stress.

Small white spots: A condition called punctate leukonychia is actually due to some sort of minor trauma when the plate forms.

Yellowness: Very yellow nails can be associated with lung problems. If you have yellow nail syndrome, you may also notice excessive curvature.

A series of horizontal dimples on the thumb: This is a classic sign of a tic deformity habit, where people chronically rub or scrape the thumb cuticle with their index finger as the nail develops. It creates a series of horizontal grooves similar to a washboard (it's just a habit to get rid of).

Infected inflamed skin around the nail: known as paronychia and can be caused by cutting the cuticle. They really important element for the body and should not be cut. Cuticles seal the skin around the plate and prevent infection (prevents bacteria, fungi, yeast and mold from entering).

To prevent infection, do not use any sharp instruments to trim your cuticles. The best way Grooming them - Gently rub a towel over your nails after showering when your skin is soft to get rid of dead skin.

Structure and composition of nails
Take a close look at your fingernails and toenails, what do you see? “Well, nails, well, manicure,” you say ... but doctors on the structure, appearance and color of nails can say a lot about your health and body condition. Often the state of the nail plate can tell even more about the patient than he knows about himself, as this is a kind of “mirror” of health. You yourself probably noticed that your nails are not always in good condition, sometimes dots and spots appear on them. Stripes and even their color changes. Why this happens, what can be suspected by the condition of the nails in children and adults - let's talk today.

What are nails.
Nails are appendages of the skin, of the same kind as hair. Nails are located on back side fingers on the hands and feet in the form of dense and even horny plates of pink color, identical with the color of the skin. The basis of the nail is the protein keratin, consisting of amino acids, the same as that found in the structure of the hair. In order for the keratin protein in the nail structure to be dense, it combines in the nail plate with special sulfur compounds. This gives the nail density and strength, making its structure exactly the same as we see on the nail. The structure of the nail is multi-layered, but in normal conditions the layers of the nail fit snugly together. Between the layers of keratin in the nails there is a thin layer of fats and water.

It is water and fats that make your nails healthy, elastic and shiny. But nails contain not only these substances, nails accumulate a lot of calcium, phosphorus, selenium, chromium and zinc in their composition. Due to their presence, the nails become strong and maintain health. The nail bed, the place where the nail is located, is well supplied with blood and innervated, due to which the nail receives the necessary substances brought with the blood for its growth and development. The nail grows continuously throughout life. Nail plate depending on the state of health. It is completely updated (grows) in 6-12 months, sometimes faster. Sometimes slower. Children's nails grow more actively than this. You yourself notice this when you cut your baby's nails. normal nail on average, it has a thickness of about 0.3 mm, has an absolutely flat surface, smooth, shiny, pink in color.

If the nails are changed.
Many years of medical observations have been noticed. That the state of the nail plate changes greatly when various diseases or disorders in the metabolic structure occur in the body. The altered nail may be early or late manifestation disease, depending on the cause. The color of the nail, its shape may change, various bulges, stripes and other details may appear on the nail.

In addition, each finger and nail on it reflect the state of certain organs or systems of the body, with which there is a close and inextricable connection. So, if only one of the nails on the hand changes, it is necessary to look for the cause in the malfunctioning of certain organs. What is connected with what:
- the thumb and the nail on it are closely related to the work of the brain,
- nails on index fingers hands will talk about the condition of the lungs and colon,
- middle finger and his fingernail are suffering from problems with the small intestine,
- ring finger and his nail are responsible for the connection with the work of the kidneys, the little fingers and their marigolds are reproductive system women, as well as the work of the heart.

Changing the color of nails.
Normal nails have a uniform color and bodily pink color without any change. In the area of ​​the crescent at the base of the nail, the color may be somewhat whiter, lighter - there is the growth zone of the nail. The color of the nails may change temporarily, for example, when freezing, the nails may turn slightly blue or pale, but the color may be permanently changed. Traditional and non-traditional medicine may have a slightly different approach to the issue of diagnosing nail color, classical medicine pays more attention to the physical side of diseases and the connection with color changes only with bodily changes, while oriental medicine sees the problem of changing the color of nails also in emotions and their imbalance. In any case, changing the color of the nails is not normal condition and reason for seeking medical advice.

So, let's discuss in more detail what changes in the color of the nails indicate health problems. The reddish-purple tint of the nails can indicate overwork, general severe fatigue and weakness in the body. The dark red shade of the nails can indicate an increase in the level of cholesterol and fatty acids in the body, the formation of blood stasis in the capillaries, which is usually caused by heavy food, excess fatty and salty. With this color of nails, the kidneys and heart, blood circulation and blood vessels are overloaded. This color of the nail is a disturbed outflow of blood from small capillaries and dilated vessels translucent through the nail plate. The same color of the nails can be with fever, with damage to the liver and gallbladder, and the spleen often suffers.

If the nails are red (sometimes up to purple) and along with them there is redness on the fingertips from the side of the hand, this happens with those who like to smoke hashish and marijuana, those who use hallucinogenic drugs and some drugs that can accumulate in the body. The same condition of the nails can be formed with thickening of the blood (erythremia), when the number of red blood cells prevails over the amount of blood plasma.

Dark- brown nails may occur with prolonged fevers and severe illnesses as a result of congestion in vessels. yellowish color nails (if you do not belong to Asian peoples) may indicate liver damage with a violation of bilirubin metabolism or the formation of jaundice. Yellowish-greenish coloration of the nails can occur during a long purulent process in the body, and it does not have to be abscesses - it can be sluggish tonsillitis, sinusitis and others.

Bluish nails or nails with a bluish tint often occur in children when freezing, especially if the legs and arms are frozen, and in pathological processes this occurs due to heart failure, birth defects heart or lung malformations. Such nails are a sign of venous congestion in the capillaries and tissue hypoxia, according to this sign, during the operation, anesthesiologists monitor the patient's condition. That's why. Doctors strongly recommend not to have a manicure and nail polish during childbirth. Nails and their color visual symptom well-being or disorders in the body.

Pale nails usually indicate a lack of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood that occurs with anemia. They are usually combined with general pallor of the skin, anemia and impaired condition. In addition, the pallor of the nails can be with damage to the liver, spleen and kidneys, as well as some types of leukemia and cancer. Dirty nails gray color burning about congenital syphilis or acquired, black-gray spots on the nails indicate mercury poisoning and its accumulation in the body. Yellowish spots on the nails can be the result of a violation of brain processes, neuroses and nerve infections. White nails, almost milky can occur with damage to the adrenal glands and the formation of Addison's disease, the same nails give cirrhosis of the liver. Gray nails are with malaria, and black - with arterial thrombosis and incipient gangrene.

Healthy nails grow quickly, about 0.1 mm per day, and there is a clear relationship between the season and the growth and condition of the nails. Faster and thicker they are in summer and autumn, at the peak of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, in winter and spring during hypovitaminosis, nails, however, like hair, grow more slowly and worse. If the nails grow very slowly all the time, they are thin and dry, brittle, in combination with the same structure of hair and skin, an endocrinologist should be consulted - these problems may arise due to a malfunction of the thyroid gland, hypothyroidism.

White spots on the nails usually indicate minor injuries, this is a delamination of the nail structure and an air bubble getting there. If there was no injury, and the nails are systematically covered with white spots, like droplets of milk, you may have problems with the nervous system and you need to consult a neurologist, you may live in eternal stress. In addition, white spots on the nails can occur in conditions of calcium or zinc deficiency, they can indicate problems with the body's sugar metabolism, and alcohol intake.

Strong brittleness and fragility of nails indicate a lack of minerals and the body is in a state of stress and hypovitaminosis. This is a signal that it's time to relax and take care of yourself, drink a course multivitamin preparations and pay special attention to calcium, iron, and the B vitamins and vitamin D. Usually, this signal is quickly noticed by all women and prevents more serious metabolic problems that may occur in the future.

This is not all that can be said about the nails and their changes, tomorrow we will talk further about color disorders and pathological inclusions on the nails, and also decide on the change in the shape of the nails and proper care for them.

The nails of a healthy person are smooth, shiny, pale pink in color, with a pronounced whitish hole at the base. At the same time, the nail plate is constantly updated, growing by about one millimeter in a week.

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With age, the nail plate thickens and becomes more brittle. This is part of the body's natural aging process. Fragility is also characteristic of the nails of women. But within six months after giving birth, everything usually returns to normal.

It is acceptable if the nails break due to a lack of vitamins or turn yellow due to poor-quality varnish. Sometimes the nail plate can even turn black and fall off if the finger is pinched or hit.

In a healthy person, the nails on the hands are completely restored within 4-6 months, on the legs - within 6-8 months.

But there are persistent pathologies that we often do not even pay attention to. But in vain. Some changes in the shape, color and texture of the nails, as well as the skin around them, may indicate a malfunction. internal organs and the presence of a variety of, sometimes serious diseases.

What are the deviations

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If the nail breaks as soon as it looks beyond the edge of the finger, it is likely that the body is deficient in A, E and C, as well as iron and zinc. Sometimes fragility can be the result of thyroid disease and a precursor to diabetes.

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In the people, they are considered a good omen, in medicine, this pathology is called leukonychia. Microscopic air bubbles form between the layers of the nail plate, which on the surface look like white dots and stripes.

Leukonychia is punctate (a couple of spots on several nails) and total (when the entire plate is affected). The causes are varied, from injury and an unbalanced diet to exhaustion. nervous system and heart failure.

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The shape and color of the nails look normal. But if you look closely, the nail plate is pierced with tiny indentations (as if pierced with a needle). Doctors even have such a term - thimble-like stubbornness.

This is almost always a sign. Sometimes this can manifest itself as eczema or arthritis.

Having found this or any other nail pathology in yourself, you should not self-medicate. The first thing to do is to make an appointment with a therapist and / or dermatologist, to take tests. Only a professional doctor and clinical studies are able to give an accurate answer, what is the cause of the pathology. Maybe this is some stage of psoriasis, or maybe just a malfunction in the thyroid gland or the gastrointestinal tract.

Olga Aleinikova, nurse master of manicure and pedicure

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Lunules or holes are a light crescent at the base of the nail. They should occupy about a third of it and be clearly visible.

Athletes and people engaged in hard physical labor have too large holes. Sometimes they can indicate malfunctions and blood vessels, low blood pressure.

Small, barely peeking out from under the cuticle of the lunula can be a sign of a lack of vitamin B12 and iron, as well as problems with blood circulation.

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These are the so-called Bo lines. The pathology of the nail plate in the form of transverse lines up to one millimeter deep was first identified by the French military surgeon Joseph Honore Simon Bo.

Bo lines are formed due to damage to the matrix of the nail plate. When she lacks nourishment, chemical composition the nail changes and its plate is deformed. Most often this is due to strict diets bordering on starvation.

Also, these injuries can be mechanical (when the nail is hit in the area of ​​the hole) or toxic in nature (due to potent drugs or chemotherapy). Sometimes Bo lines can appear against the background of cardiovascular diseases, fungal and other infections.

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If for the elderly such a change in the relief of the nails can be considered the norm, then for people under 50 years of age, protruding vertical stripes most likely, they are talking about a lack of B vitamins and trace elements (zinc, iron, magnesium).

It can also be a consequence of a pedicure: the cuticle was pushed too far and the root of the nail was damaged. But in these cases, only a few vertical stripes stand out.

If more than 25% of the nails are affected by them, the health of the internal organs should be checked. First of all, the cardiovascular and digestive systems.

If the pathology does not have an infectious nature, you know its cause and have already begun treatment, then you can give the damaged nails an aesthetic appearance. In any good salon there are spa treatments for nails. For example, for nutrition and hydration, you can do a Japanese manicure (P-Shine) or paraffin therapy. For smoothness - grinding and polishing of the nail plate.

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This is koilonychia, that is, a deformation of the nail plate, in which its center bends, and the edges are turned up. It does not cause discomfort, the color and smoothness are preserved, but it looks ugly.

The easiest way to identify koilonychia is to put water on the nail. Did the drop roll off freely? Everything is fine. Is the drop stuck in the groove? There is reason to think.

Most often, concave nails are the result of a lack of iron in the body and endocrine disorders. Other acquired causes of koilonychia include injury, exposure to chemicals, and sharp drops temperatures.

In addition, spoon nails can occur due to gene mutations and can be inherited.

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Another name is the fingers of Hippocrates. This is a symptom in which the nail plates thicken and become like watch glasses. At the same time, if you look at the finger from the side, the angle between the posterior nail fold and the nail plate exceeds 180°.

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Drum sticks are always a sign of a serious illness. They can manifest themselves in diseases of the lungs (from tuberculosis to cancer), heart and blood vessels (heart defects, endocarditis and others), gastrointestinal tract (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and others).

9. Detachment of the nail

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In medicine, this is called onycholysis - a violation of the connection between the nail and the nail bed, when a void forms between them, and the nail plate changes color.

In 60% of cases, the cause is trauma. Upon impact, the vessels in the dermis are compressed, the nutrition of the nail is disturbed, its chemical composition and elasticity change. Another 30% comes from fungal diseases And allergic reactions. The remaining 10% of onycholysis develop due to systemic somatic diseases.

When the nail plate begins to rise up, it no longer covers nail bed that feeds it. This can lead to infection. If you hit or had any contact with chemicals and suddenly noticed that the nail began to peel off, you need to use antifungal and regenerating agents as soon as possible.

Olga Aleinikova, nurse, manicure and pedicure master

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This is the name of the syndrome in which half of the nail plate is white, and half, closer to the tip, is brownish.

The most likely reason is kidney failure, due to which the number of blood vessels under the nails increases and they shine through the nail plate.

Also, "half" nails are found in people and those who have undergone chemotherapy.

A change in the color of the nail plate is a signal that it is time to take care of your health.

If the nails suddenly turn white, it is worth checking the digestive and cardiovascular system and draw Special attention on the liver. yellow shade also provoke liver diseases, as well as pathologies of the endocrine and lymphatic systems. Blueness indicates a lack of oxygen, low hemoglobin levels, or poor circulation.

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Most often, a black stripe appears on the nail plate due to injury or malfunction. And in some peoples, this is a feature of the natural pigmentation of the skin.

But if you eat normally, you didn’t hit anywhere, and blackening suddenly appeared on the nail, it’s better to see a doctor. This may be a symptom of melanoma, a malignant skin cancer.

How to keep your nails beautiful and healthy

proper nutrition, healthy sleep and sports should be the default. Regularly inspect the nail plates and take care of your hands.

• Get manicures and pedicures. Trim or file the free edge of the nails in a timely manner, treat the cuticle.
• Don't bite your nails.
• Wear gloves when handling chemicals and when digging in beds.
• Take vitamins.
• Regularly smear hands and nails with a nourishing cream.
• Don't wear tight shoes, don't stick your fingers in cracks, and be careful with your hammer.

When going out to crowded places, use liquid gloves (this is such an emulsion). Risk of infection infectious diseases through the hands is now very high.

Seeing signs of ill health on the nail plates, use antifungal agents and regenerating drugs. If the pathology is stable, be sure to take tests and go to the doctor.

At healthy people nails are smooth, shiny, light pink color. They owe their color to capillaries, which are located directly under the nail platinum and shine through it. The work of all organs and systems depends on how the blood circulates in the body, and nails can show us if this process is not proceeding correctly for any reason. That is why good doctor on examination, he will always ask to see his hands and may ask to completely remove the manicure from the nails, which can make diagnosis difficult.

Any deviations in the appearance of the nail plate may be evidence serious problems with health due to impaired circulation, metabolism or problems in the endocrine system.

Of course, it is not worth making a diagnosis on your own, focusing solely on the condition of the nails. But at the first “bells” that appear, you should consult a doctor so that he prescribes you more full examination in the area that your hands are "pointing to".

As health improves, changes and appearance nail. Not immediately, of course, but after two or three months, when the nail plate is completely renewed.

Determination of the disease by the nails of the hands

Now let's take a look at our nails.

Nail color and disease

yellowish nails- a sign of problems with the liver. If there are difficulties with the normal outflow of bile in the blood, the content of the bile pigment, bilirubin, increases, which gives the skin and nails the corresponding icteric color. yellow nails can also be found in smokers, but this color is usually brighter on those fingers with which they hold a cigarette, and on the rest it is very small. Also, the nail platinum turns a little yellow in natural causes with age.

Blue or with purple tint nails - clear sign severe cardiovascular or pulmonary insufficiency and hypoxia ( oxygen starvation naked brain).

black nails- a sign of thrombosis of the arteries leading to the hands.

bright red nails signal an increased content of red blood cells in the blood - erythrocytes.

Very pale nails they talk about a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood, anemia.

white nails- a sign of cirrhosis of the liver or disease of the adrenal cortex.

White spots on the nail plate they talk about the transferred stresses and experiences, they can also occur if the nail was bruised.

White thin lines talk about a lack of zinc in the body.

yellow spots on the nails signal arteriosclerosis, vasospasm and possible violation brain functions

Shape and structure of nails

convex, like glass from a watch, nails are a sign of problems in the functioning of the lungs and the cardiovascular system.

Concave and easy to push through when pressed nails indicate a lack of minerals in the body, in particular calcium. Maybe, we are talking about a violation of the absorption of minerals in the gastrointestinal tract or pathologies of the thyroid gland.

Cross dashes indicate periods when the growth of the nail plate for some reason slowed down. The culprit could be a past infection (for example, the flu) or severe stress. Often appearing peppered dashes on the nails indicate that there is chronic disease metabolism, such as diabetes.

longitudinal grooves on the nail means problems with gastrointestinal tract or pancreas. Perhaps your menu lacks the necessary minerals, or for some reason they are not absorbed in sufficient quantities.

Bright red nail socket indicates capillary disease or autoimmune disease such as rheumatism.

Complete absence nail holes whitish color at the base of the nail indicates a vitamin B12 deficiency or possible problems with the thyroid gland.

Small "holes and craters" on the nail platinum(as if she was poked with a needle) - a sign of a violation of the pancreas, pancreatitis.

Healthy nails have a smooth surface and a uniform color that matches the skin tone. A change in the color of the nail is called dyschromia. Unfortunately, not everyone pays attention to this phenomenon. And it’s completely in vain, since a change in the shade of the nail can be a symptom of a serious illness.

Therefore, having discovered that one or more nails have acquired an uncharacteristic color for them, you should not try to mask this deficiency with bright varnish, but should consult a dermatologist. You may also need to consult with other experts.

Causes

Nails can change their natural color for different reasons. Very often the cause is dermatological diseases. This is, first of all:

• . It is a fungal infection that causes a change in the shade of the nail in half the cases.
• Inflammatory diseases of the nail fold (, etc.).
• Various pigmentary nail anomalies.
• Various dermatoses, psoriasis, etc.

Endocrine disorders can become the cause of a non-standard color of the nail. Such as, expressed chronic insufficiency production of adrenal hormones. Sometimes minor manifestations of dyschromia can be observed during pregnancy.

Diseases that affect the liver or the cardiovascular system can cause changes in the nail plates. Also, the color of the nails can be affected by such serious illnesses like HIV or malaria.

TO external reasons, which can affect the color of the nail can be smoking and injuries, including sloppy manicure.

Changing the color of the nail, as a symptom of diseases

Doctors have long noted the relationship between nail color and various diseases.

The natural pink color of the nails is evidence of excellent health. But excessively pale nails can be one of the signs of anemia.

yellowish or brown shade of the nail may be due to a fungal infection. Sometimes this color of the nails is noted in patients with other chronically occurring dermatosis. Yellowish color nails can get as a result of a long course of antibiotics. In addition, heavy smokers have yellow or even brown nails.

Black or purple nail is, most often, a consequence of a nail injury. As a result of impact or pinching, it forms under the nail, which gives the color to the nails.

A bluish tint of the nail plates is observed in patients with circulatory disorders. In addition, nails can acquire such an unusual shade during treatment with silver preparations.

The appearance of dark red or brown spots can be both the result of a nail injury and evidence of infective endocarditis.

The appearance of white spots may indicate a lack of zinc or calcium in the body. The appearance of former cloudy areas of the nail plate often indicates fungal infections.

The yellow-green tint of the nail can be a sign of the development of cancer, serious liver damage, or diabetes.

Diagnostic methods

To diagnose the disease, an external examination of the patient is carried out.

Diagnosis in this case comes down to an external examination and the appointment of examinations aimed at finding out the cause that led to dyschromia. In this case, the patient may need to consult narrow specialists:

• Nephrologist;
• Cardiologist;
• Endocrinologist;
• Gastroenterologist;
• Neurologist.

The patient must be interviewed, it is necessary to find out how long ago the patient noticed changes in the color of the nail plates, find out about the presence concomitant diseases to find out if there was Lately.

In addition, a number of surveys are required. As a rule, the following tests are prescribed.

Cultural examination - bakposev on nutrient media. The technique is used to determine the type of bacterial or fungal infection and to identify their sensitivity. The material for the study is a piece of the nail. The material is placed in a nutrient medium, and through certain time measurements and determination of microflora species are carried out. The analysis usually takes 7-10 days. In the course of the study, the reaction of microflora to medicines This allows you to choose the most effective treatment.

microscopic examination material to determine the nature of the damage to the nail.

Treatment

Treatment in this case depends on what exactly caused the formation of natural color nail.

If it is a fungal infection, then complex treatment local and systemic action. Preparations are selected according to the results of the tests. As a rule, agents that have a general antimycotic effect are used. For example, Nizoral, Orungal, Lamisil, etc.

External treatment is to use local funds- ointments or solutions containing antifungal components. The use of Andriasyan's liquid, consisting of a mixture of glycerin, alcohol and vinegar, may also be prescribed. To soften the tissues of the affected nail, ointments containing salicylic or lactic acid are used.

In some cases, the use of surgical methods of treatment is indicated. In this case, the complete removal of the affected nail plate is performed. After the operation, a course of taking antifungal drugs is prescribed.

The treatment of subungual hematoma, which causes the nail to become purple or black, is a simple operation. With the help of a sterile instrument, the nail is punctured and the blood accumulated under it is released.

In the event that changes in the color of the nail are caused by beriberi, it is necessary to prescribe the intake of vitamin-mineral complexes to compensate for the lack of nutrients.

Upon detection endocrine disorders corrective treatment is prescribed by the endocrinologist. If the examination revealed diseases of the internal organs, it is necessary to prescribe special treatment.

In the event that the cause of yellowing of the nail is smoking, the only possible treatment will be a complete rejection bad habit.

Treatment with folk methods

The choice of alternative methods of treatment, as well as methods of traditional medicine, depends on the cause that caused the change. color shade nail plate.

1. Ointment for fungus. Take blue vitriol and heat it in a pan until a white-gray powder forms, mix with an equal amount of powdered sulfur, birch tar and goose fat. Put everything in a water bath and stir while heating until a homogeneous mass is formed. Apply to fungus-affected nails.
2. Ointment from celandine. Take 50 grams of celandine roots and stems and finely grind, grinding in a blender or in a meat grinder. Mix with 300 grams of melted fat. You can take goose or pork. Store the ointment in the refrigerator. Lubricate the affected nails 5 times a day.
3. Effective treatment fungal infection are compresses from kombucha or propolis tincture. In the first case, you need to apply a piece cut from the body of the fungus to the sore finger. In the second - a swab moistened with tincture. Keep the compress for about half an hour.
4. Coffee baths. You need to brew strong coffee and use it for baths. The nails are dipped in warm coffee, trying not to shake the sediment. After holding for 15 minutes, take it out and let the nails dry without wiping them with a towel.
5. A wine vinegar compress will help to cope with a fungal infection and return a healthy color to the nails.

If some disease has become the cause of the loss of the natural color of the nail plate, then it is necessary to direct the main efforts to its treatment. In parallel, you should take care of your nails so that they are stronger.

It is useful to make baths with the addition of sea salt. It is useful to use for the preparation of baths not water, but a decoction of St. John's wort or willow bark. After the bath, rub almond or other oil into the nails.

Another one useful procedure– melt the honey and mix it with an equal amount vegetable oil. Cool the mixture a little and add the yolk to it. Soak your nails in this mass for 15 minutes. Then massage your nails a little and wash your hands.

Forecast and prevention

Prevention of changes in the color of the nail is to maintain overall health. It is necessary to strive to lead as much as possible healthy lifestyle life, regularly undergo preventive medical examinations. When identifying diseases, carefully follow all the appointments of specialists.

It is important to properly care for the nail plates, avoid injuries, and carefully manicure. If possible, avoid trimmed manicure, as the risk of infection is high during this procedure. It is very important to use individual tools for nail treatment, and when undergoing procedures in nail salons require the master to sterilize the instruments.

It is highly advisable to quit smoking, as this addiction is not only unhealthy, but can also cause unnatural nail color.

The prognosis for changing the shade of the nail plates depends on the cause that provoked this phenomenon. When the cause is eliminated, in 8-12 months it will grow healthy nail normal color.