White spots on nails are treated as a “bad thing’. Whether it’s concerning beauty or health, people prefer clean nails.
When one content creator posted a video depicting their nails with white spots, a doctor was prompted to explain if it was worth worrying about.
What the white spots on your nails mean
Dr. Karan Raj says the white spots on the nails, which most of us would have had at some point in life, are nothing to worry about. However, in some cases, it may indicate Zinc deficiency.
He started by debunking the myth that white spots indicate calcium deficiency in the body – which isn’t true. The doctor later explains that the white patch at the bottom of our nails is nothing but a lunula.
The lunula is the outer edge of the nail matrix where the nail grows from and it’s absolutely normal. He says the white spots appear when the nail suffers minor impact trauma, such as accidentally hitting it against a hard surface or biting your nails.
The white lines or spots appear when the trauma impact stops keratin-containing nail cells from bonding together properly, says Dr. Karan.
As the nails grow extremely slowly, the damage in the lower part of the nail may take up to six weeks to show up as a white spot. The spots will disappear altogether after about eight months.
What your nails say about your health
While white spots are nothing to worry about, the appearance of your nails can say a lot about your health, especially if you spot the signs the doctor has explained in a different video.
While clubbed round nails can indicate possible chronic lung conditions, pitted nails can be caused due to Psoriasis, Arthritis, and Eczema.
Whereas, horizontal yellow lines, also known as Beau’s Lines can indicate infection and malnutrition. As far as dark patches under the nails are concerned, they may be as harmless as the white spots caused by trauma.
But, in some cases, it could be a sign of rare skin cancer. We suggest seeing a doctor if you notice any of the above signs as a precautionary measure.
Dr. Karan Rajan is a certified NHS surgeon from London with over seven years of experience. After graduating from Imperial College London, he’s currently serving as a lecturer at Sunderland University.
He is best known for his TikTok videos related to health and medicine which he uses to educate his followers. He identifies himself as a ‘speaker’ and ‘educator’ with millions of followers across social media, which he has gained by combining his expertise with entertainment.
