Most of us don’t give a lot of thought to our fingernails beyond how often to clip them or which color to paint them. But besides protecting our fingertips or making a beauty statement, your nails say a lot more about your body than you think.
“The nail matrix, the site of nail growth that hides a few millimeters underneath the cuticle, is affected by each individual’s general state of health,” says Jessica Weiser, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at New York Dermatology Group. “Illness, fever, surgery, trauma, life stressors, and nutritional deficiencies all have different effects on the nails and their growth.”
To clue you in to everything your nails might be telling you about your body—from the minor to the more serious—watch for these nine things.
Photo: YouBeauty
1. Brownish Stripes
Possible Cause: Melanoma
Just like you regularly check your skin for moles, you should also keep an eye out for we…