Nails have long been regarded by a lot of people around the world as an aesthetic attribute. Not many of us know that nails can actually be a reflection of your overall health and well-being. Nails are nothing but dead cells released by the body during cell repair and renewal which is a naturally occurring process. As a result, it ends up providing clues to the status of your internal body/system functioning. Most of the systemic problems related to the body can result in a significant change in the nail’s shape, texture or even colour.
The next time you notice any of the following abnormalities in your nail, please visit your doctor to nip things in the bud.
1. White Spots

These spots are commonly found in people and most of the time signify iron deficiency. If the white spots are persistent and don’t go away, it might need some attention as it may be due to a fungal infection.

2. Yellow Nails

Yellow nails can be due to the use of excessive chemicals like acrylic on your nails. During such cases it is important to set aside your nail colours and allow them to breathe. In some cases, smoking can also lead to nail discoloration and it may indicate a severe lung disease. Less often, yellow nails could be related to psoriasis, thyroid problems and diabetes.

3. Dark/Black Spots

Black spots or streaks that are painful or not may require immediate medical attention as this might indicate skin cancer. In some cases, an accident or a trauma to the nails could also result in blood clots due to which the spots appear.

4. Dry, brittle or cracked nails
Dry and brittle nails can occur because of various lifestyle factors. Most of the time it doesn’t signify any major illness but research shows that one in five people having this condition have also had hypothyroidism. Sometimes lack of Vitamin A, B or C may also result in cracked nails due to the poor nourishment of the connective tissue.

5. Spoon nails

Spoon nails are nails that curve upward towards the tip and may be because of anaemia (iron deficiency) or hemochromatosis (excess absorption of iron).

6. Pitting

If you find a lot of pits or dents in your nails instead of having a levelled finish, it might often be a sign of psoriasis. It can also be because of connective tissue disorder or alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

7. Horizontal ridges

These ridges are usually white in colour and may be due to trauma or high fever. These are also called Beau’s lines and may indicate psoriasis, zinc deficiency, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or even circulatory disorders. Similarly some people might get vertical ridges which most often are not a threatening symptom but only indicate lack of vitamins and nutrients like B12 and magnesium.

8. Clubbing

Clubbing of nails happen when your fingertip becomes enlarged and your nails curve downward. It can be related to poor oxygen supply to the body resulting in liver disease, lung disease, heart disease and other bowel problems. People having AIDS may also have clubbing of nails.

References:

http://articles.mercola.com/si tes/articles/archive/2015/12/0 7/10-nail-symptoms.aspx

http://news.health.com/2015/11 /16/nail-health/