Nail health knowledge

The nail color is uniform and light pink, blood returns within 1 second after pressing and releasing the nail surface, and there is no sudden drastic change in shape/color in a short period of time. More than 90% of minor nail abnormalities have nothing to do with disease, so there is no need to be overly anxious.

A while ago, my best friend saw two small white spots on her nails. She watched short videos all night long and became more and more frightened. She sometimes felt that she was lacking zinc, and sometimes she felt that there was a liver problem. The next day, she went straight to the hospital to see the dermatology department. The doctor tapped her nails and asked if she had touched them recently. She suddenly remembered that her nails hit the car door while squeezing on the subway last week. In fact, the vast majority of nail white spots are nail damage caused by minor trauma, and will disappear when the nails slowly grow out. Only if a large number of white spots appear on different nails repeatedly can it be caused by nail malnutrition or zinc deficiency, which has nothing to do with the "kidney deficiency" and "liver toxicity" reported on the Internet.

As for the crescent moon issue that everyone is most concerned about, there are indeed different judgment tendencies in the academic circles. Some traditional Chinese medicine believes that the number and fullness of crescents correspond to the running status of qi and blood. If all the crescents suddenly disappear in a short period of time, or if full crescents suddenly appear on fingers that did not have crescents before, it may be related to metabolic disorders and abnormal thyroid function. It is recommended to conduct further examination in conjunction with other physical symptoms; The general consensus in modern dermatology is that lunulae are new nail cells that have not yet been completely keratinized. The position of the nail matrix is different for everyone. Some people are born with lunulae only on their thumbs, while others have all ten fingers. As long as your lunulae do not undergo drastic changes within a month or two, you don't have to worry about the number and whether they are full or not.

As for the vertical nail lines that many people are worried about, I have grown all over my hands since I was 30 years old. Before I went for a manicure, I was sold a "Nail Care Kit" for 398 times, which was said to be able to remove vertical lines and "cleanse liver toxins." When I turned around and asked me about the dermatology department, they rolled their eyes. It is said that these are the "wrinkles" of the nails. They will grow when the nail renewal speed slows down as you get older. People who do housework every day and use dishwashing liquid and frequently do manicures and polish their nails will have them earlier and more obvious. As long as the vertical lines don't suddenly become thicker, uneven, or cracked in the middle, don't worry about it at all. Why spend the money on it?

I had phototherapy nails for half a year. After the nails were removed, my nails were so thin that the flesh underneath could be seen through. I could cut them open even if I drove a courier service. Later, I asked a senior who has owned a nail salon for 10 years. She gave me a very practical tip: Don’t ask the clerk to polish off the cuticles on the surface of your nails every time you have a manicure. After two phototherapy sessions, Leave at least a month's window for your nails to rest. After washing your hands, don't just wipe your hands. Apply some hand cream or special finger edge oil to the edges of your fingers. Don't always use your nails to pick labels or open cans. I followed this for two months and my nails were almost recovered. It is much more effective than those "imported nail nutrient solutions" that boast of being amazing.

Of course, this does not mean that everyone should not take nail abnormalities seriously at all. Last year, my distant uncle suddenly developed a black line on his thumb nail. He thought it was onychomycosis and it was not healed after applying three months of medicine. When I went to the hospital for a checkup, I found out that it was an onychomycosis. Although it was benign, the doctor also reminded me that if The black line on the nail suddenly widens to more than 3mm, the boundary is blurred, and the color is uneven, or the nail suddenly becomes inexplicably sunken, turns yellow, thickens, and scales, or even the periungual nail is inexplicably red, swollen, and painful for a long time. Don't blindly search Baidu for symptoms. Go directly to the dermatology department to register. It is more reliable than anything else.

In fact, to put it bluntly, nails are appendages of the skin, similar to hair and fine hairs. It is normal to have small flaws occasionally. Don’t think of serious illness just because of the slightest trouble, and don’t take it completely seriously. Don’t worry about it at all. It is better than any folk remedies for health care.