7 Things Your Fingernails Are Trying To Tell You

For most of us retaining a perfect, unchipped manicure is the dream nail scenario, but actually what lies underneath that polish is far more important. To put your mind at ease, the vast majority of small nail abnormalities are just that - small - due to minor injuries or common skin complaints. But, there's a reason dermatologists often ask patients to remove their polish before an examination. Your nails can hold clues to the health not only of your hands but your entire body. Intrigued? Get the acetone out and give your nails a once-over to discover what they might be trying to tell you today.

1.Ridges

Ridges aren't always a cause for concern, if they run vertically from the base of your nail to the top, they're just an irksome but harmless part of ageing (cuticle oil can help) However, horizontal ridges that run from one side to another show that something has interrupted protein synthesis like an injury, which you'll probably remember, nutrition issues, chemotherapy or stress.

2. Flaking

Some of us just have flakier nails than others, but if they appear very brittle or are crumbling away this could be a sign of a fungal nail infection (especially if your toenails are flaking too) or an under or overactive thyroid. Harsh detergents and washing up liquids are also a common nail crumbler so wear those marigolds when you can!

3. Dark tips

If your nails are half white, turning brown near this tips this can indicate a kidney problem. This is thought to be due to chemical changes related to kidney issues causing melanin to be released into the nail bed and a jump in the number of blood vessels under the nail. If you do spot 'half and half' brown and white nails, a once over from your GP to determine the cause is a good idea.

4. Dents

If your nails curve inwards, or have large or small dents this can be a sign of quite a few skin complaints like psoriasis, eczema or alopecia. It's likely you'll already be aware if you live with any of these conditions, but do get any dents checked out as in rare cases they can also indicate reactive arthritis.

5. Yellowing

Yellow nails aren't pretty, but they aren't necessarily tricky to tackle either. Most commonly this can be caused by a fungal infection or overuse of nail polish - in which case give them a week off once a month. More serious conditions yellow nails can indicate include jandice, tuberculosis and thyroid inflammation.

6. Streaks

If you spot tiny dark red or brown streaks under your nail these are probably tiny broken blood vessels called splinter haemorrhages. If they're only on one nail it's probably just a little injury caused by knocking your nail, if you spot them on several nails get it checked out as it could be a symptom of psoriasis or in rare cases lupus or a heart valve infection.

7. Dark stripes

However, if you notice dark, or black stripes along the length of one of your nails, there could be somthing far more sinister going on. One women, Jean Skinner, posted on Facebook recently to warn that black stripes on your nails could potentially be a sign of skin cancer.

The nail technician pointed to a recent experience with a client, who noticed such a mark on her nail, but thought nothing of it. However, it turned out that the mark was a subtle symptom of melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

The NHS warns "Dark stripes shouldn't be ignored because it can sometimes be a form of skin cancer that affects the nail bed, called subungual melanoma. It's important that your doctor checks it to rule out melanoma.

"Subungual melanoma usually only affects one nail. It will also cause the stripe to change in appearance - for example, it may become wider or darker over time and the pigmentation may also affect the surrounding skin (the nail fold)."