What do your nails say about your health?

While you may be addicted to gel nails or nail polish, it’s a good idea to go without sometimes so that you can see if your nails are in good condition. If they’re looking a bit off, it could be a sign of something more serious, so don’t just lash on the polish to cover it up and forget!

Pale nails
If your nails are looking a bit pale it could be a sign of anaemia, so you need to up your intake of iron. Pale nails can also be a sign of early diabetes or liver disease, so it’s worth getting checked out if you are experiencing any other symptoms.

Yellow or thick nails
If your nails are thick and/or yellow, you could have a nail fungus. Get yourself down to the chemist or if it’s particularly bad, book in with your GP to sort it once and for all.

Dark lines
While you may check your skin for any changes, you might forget that your nails can show signs of melanoma as well. If you develop some dark lines on your nails, it’s a good idea to get it checked out.

Grooves and dents
If you’ve noticed grooves and dents in your nails, you could have psoriasis, as people with this condition sometimes develop clusters of cells along the nail that disrupt it’s smoothness. Go to your GP for some cream to sort it out.

Brittle nails
If you find your nails breaking more often than not, you could have a thyroid problem. The thyroid gland produces a hormone that regulate metabolism, energy, and growth, and if it’s not producing enough of the hormone you will run into problems, such as brittle nails or hair loss. A simple blood test can give you a diagnosis.