Nail health status

The general standard for healthy nails is light pink and translucent, with a smooth and natural luster on the nail surface, no abnormal depressions/thickenings/stratifications/dark spots, and the nail bed returns to ruddy color within 3 seconds after being released. 90% of minor abnormalities in nails that can be seen daily have nothing to do with visceral lesions, and are mostly caused by local wear and tear, improper care, short-term work and rest or nutritional fluctuations. There is no need to scare yourself when you see vertical lines or white spots.

A while ago, there was a regular customer who often came to my studio for nail care. He came in anxiously with his hands raised and said that there were a lot of vertical lines on his nails recently. He posted a short video and said that this was a sign of declining liver function. He just had a physical examination at his own expense last week. The liver and kidney functions and tumor markers were all normal, and there were no problems. I checked her store visit records and found that she had done phototherapy nails almost every two weeks for the past three months. Every time she removed her nails, she had to wear off a layer of the nail surface. It was strange that there were no vertical lines. I asked her to stop doing manicures, apply some hand cream around her nails after washing her hands, and wear rubber gloves when doing housework. When she comes back in two months, the nail surface will be so smooth that it can reflect light.

There have always been disagreements about vertical nail lines. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that if it is accompanied by dizziness, easy tiredness, and poor sleep, it is indeed related to insufficient qi and blood and weak organ function. Appropriate adjustment of work and rest to replenish qi and blood will improve it; but the general consensus of Western medicine dermatology is that most of them The fine vertical lines on the nails of most adults are called "longitudinal ridges". They are essentially caused by the slight aging of the nail matrix or local external friction. They are just like the small lines on your face. They will appear more or less after the age of 25. It is not a disease at all. There is no need to take a lot of supplements because of this.

There is also the saying that "white spots on nails mean there are worms in the stomach". Last time I met a young man in the second year of high school. His grandmother asked for deworming medicine and said that the three white spots on the nails must be roundworms. After asking for a long time, I found out that my nail poked someone's back while playing basketball and grabbing rebounds last week. Of course, there is a small probability that the white spots are related to zinc deficiency or fungal infection, but it is usually caused by many nails growing at the same time, accompanied by other symptoms. One or two of them alone, so don’t think about it.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to take care of any abnormal nails. There are two situations in which I really advise you to go to the hospital immediately: one is that a black line suddenly grows on the nail, the width is more than 3 mm, the border is still blurred, and there is no history of trauma from being smashed or pinched. In that case, you should be alert to the possibility of onychomycosis or even malignant melanoma. Don’t delay and get rid of the skin quickly. Get a dermatoscope; the other is that the nails are repeatedly thickened, yellowed, and flaked, and the surrounding skin is still itchy. Don't believe in the "7-day cure for onychomycosis" magic medicine sold by WeChat merchants. Either it is onychomycosis that requires antifungal drugs according to the course of treatment, or it is psoriasis, which requires a doctor's consultation before it can be treated. If you apply medicine randomly on your own, it can easily become chronic.

I stayed up late for a month working on a project for the past two years. One day, I suddenly discovered that there were many small pits on the nail surfaces of my two thumbs, which looked like thimbles. I panicked at the time and read a lot of literature saying that it might be a sign of alopecia areata or autoimmune diseases. I was so scared that I went to bed the next day. I went to get a dermatology appointment. The doctor asked me about my recent routine and told me to go back and catch up on sleep and eat more foods rich in vitamin A and protein. After I went back, I stopped unnecessary social activities, slept 8 hours a day, and ate salmon twice a week. Within two months, all the dents were gone. You see, nails are often just a temporary status indicator. If there is a small problem, first think about whether you have treated yourself badly recently, and don't rely on terminal illness first.

Are the armor tablets and armor drinks sold by many businesses now useful? There is actually no unified conclusion in the academic circles. One group believes that as long as you have a balanced daily diet and eat enough meat, eggs, milk, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables, the biotin, zinc, protein, and B vitamins needed for nails can be obtained from food. Extra supplements will be an IQ tax. The other group believes that if you often eat takeout and go on a diet to lose weight, you are indeed easily deficient in nutrients, and there is no harm in supplementing appropriately. I personally tried to take biotin for three months. My nails were soft and would break if I left them a little longer, but later they wouldn't break even if I opened a can even if they were one centimeter long. But my colleague and I took it together and there was no change after half a year. This really varies from person to person, so there is no need to make myths or beat them to death with a stick.

To be honest, I have been involved in nail-related issues for almost ten years. My biggest feeling is that people have too many misunderstandings about nails. They either don’t take it seriously at all and still wear nail patches when their nails are rotten, or they are scared to death if there is even the slightest abnormality. After searching Baidu, I am ready to write a suicide note. In fact, nails are not so amazing. They are appendages of your skin, just like your hair. When your hair is dry, you know how to apply conditioner. But when your nails are rough, why do you have to think about internal problems? If you wear your nails less often, avoid direct contact with harsh detergents, eat well and sleep well, most of the time your nails won't have any major problems. You can't be sure. It costs more than ten yuan to get a dermatology doctor, which is much more reliable than searching online for half a day.