Your nails aren’t just tiny keratin shields — they’re surprisingly good health reporters. Here are the top doctor-approved nail changes and what they might mean.

1. Pale or White Nails

If your nails look unusually pale or whitish, it can be a sign of:

• Anemia (most common)
• Low protein levels
• Heart or liver issues in rare cases

Quick check: If the rest of you feels fatigued, cold, or dizzy, get a blood test.

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2. Yellow Nails

Yellow nails are usually caused by fungal infections, but they can also be linked to:

• Chronic lung conditions
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Psoriasis

If they’re thick, brittle, and slow-growing, you’re likely dealing with a fungus.

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3. Spoon-Shaped Nails (Koilonychia)

If your nails look scooped-out enough to hold a drop of water, think:

• Iron-deficiency anemia
• Hemochromatosis (too much iron)
• Thyroid disease

This is one of the clearest nail-health red flags.

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4. Dark Lines Under the Nail

A single vertical dark streak, especially on just one nail, deserves attention. It can be:

• A harmless pigment band
• A mole under the nail
• Or subungual melanoma, a rare but serious skin cancer

Rule: If the line is new, changing, or uneven — get it checked fast.

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5. Beau’s Lines (Deep Horizontal Grooves)

These grooves form when nail growth temporarily pauses. Causes include:

• High fever
• Major illness or infection
• COVID, flu, pneumonia
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Chemotherapy

Think of them as timestamps of physiological stress.

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6. Clubbing (Bulbous, Rounded Fingertips that look like drumsticks)

When fingertips enlarge and nails curve around them, this can be associated with:

• Lung disease
• Heart disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Liver cirrhosis

It’s not subtle — and it’s something doctors pay close attention to.

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🩺 When to Actually Worry About Your Nails

Reach out to a doctor if you notice:

• Sudden nail changes
• Pain, swelling, or pus
• A nail separating from the nail bed
• Dark streaks that widen or change
• Persistent brittleness despite good nutrition

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🌱 How to Keep Your Nails Healthy

• Eat enough protein (your nails are made of it!)
• Include iron, zinc, and biotin in your diet
• Wear gloves when cleaning
• Moisturize your cuticles
• Don’t rip or peel gels/acrylics

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Want more content like this? Check out our Youtube channel Askadoc!

Stay healthy,

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👩‍⚕️ Dr. Joanna​
​AskADoc4Advice — where medicine meets curiosity (and a little bit of weird).

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