Nails are the “detail” of the human body, but they are closely related to our health.
A sign of a serious illness?
What should I do if my nails become brittle and break easily?
Is onychomycosis contagious through the skin?
……
“Dr. Clove App Health Encyclopedia” collected 8 nail health questions that everyone cares about most, and invited dermatologists to answer them one by one.
01
The vertical lines on the nails, is there a problem with the body?
Not in most cases.
If the vertical lines are the color of the nail itself, it is translucent. This is normal and does not require treatment.
Normal people basically have it, and it will be more obvious for middle-aged and elderly people and manual workers.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
However, if the vertical lines are red and black, it may be related to some physical disease, and you may consider visiting a dermatologist for further evaluation.
What diseases might the red and black vertical streaks be associated with?
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02
I have white spots on my nails. Do I need any vitamins?
Vitamin supplementation is usually not required or has no direct effect.
According to the shape, there are 5 types of leukoplakia on the nails, which can be divided into: punctate leukoplakia, linear leukoplakia, partial leukoplakia, full leukoplakia, and obvious leucorrhea. The reasons for each are different, but they are not directly related to vitamin deficiencies.
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1. Spotted white nails: There are irregular white spots on the nails, which will not fade when pressed.
2. Linear white nails: There are horizontal or vertical white stripes on the nails, one or several, with different widths, which will not fade when pressed.
3. Partial white nail: The nail part turns white, and the white appears in pieces, which will not fade when pressed.
4. All white nails: The nails are all white and will not fade when pressed.
5. Visible white nails: The white color can be seen through the transparent nail cap, and the white can be faded after pressing the nail cap. Clearly white armour can be further divided into Muehrcke armour, half armour and Terry armour.
Muehrcke Nail: The nail has multiple transverse leucorrhea, parallel to the proximal crescent.
Terry’s nail: In Terry’s nail, the distal 1-2 mm of the nail is normally pink, while the entire cap or proximal end of the nail is white due to changes in the nail bed.
Paranail: The paranail is white at the proximal end and red, pink, or brown at the distal end, with a clear demarcation between the two.
Image credit: Dr. Clove Content Team
03
Nails are brittle, break easily, and have no elasticity. What can I eat to replenish them?
Nails are mainly composed of elements such as protein, iron, and zinc. You can eat foods rich in these nutrients.
Foods rich in iron: meat, poultry, fish;
Zinc-rich foods: Meat (especially chicken), nuts, lentils.
In addition to diet
Take care of your nails, You must also pay attention to these 5 points
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04
What if the nails keep growing into the flesh?
The key is to learn how to properly trim your fingernails and toenails.
Specific method: During manicure, the two lateral corners of the distal end of the nail should be longer than the underlying skin tissue; in this way, as the toenail grows, the two corners are not easy to reach Periungual skin or nail groove.
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Image source: Dr. Lilac Content Center
Improper nail trimming can easily lead to paronychia. I accidentally get paronychia. How to effectively treat it?
The right treatment for paronychia
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05
What are the early symptoms of onychomycosis?
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the fingernails or toenails.
In the beginning, the surface of the nail will lose its luster and become uneven, and the tip of the nail will thicken and turn grayish-yellow and cloudy.
Further, the fungus can infect where the fingernail connects to the knuckle, causing it to become rough, thick, uneven, or broken.
Eventually, the entire nail will be damaged, turning sallow, taupe, the deck may completely fall off, and the nail bed will thicken and scale.
Onychomycosis is divided into different types according to the location and degree of fungal invasion of the nail.
Symptom map of different types of onychomycosis
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(Friendly reminder: pictures may cause discomfort)
06
Onychomycosis can be cured by pulling it out?
No.
Nail pulling is not the first choice for the treatment of onychomycosis. Even if the nail is pulled out, the fungus cannot be “rooted out”, and the new nail can still be infected with the fungus again after it grows.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
Inappropriate armor removal can easily cause the deck to deform and cause great damage. If it is not necessary, don’t use this ruthless attack on yourself.
At present, the treatment for individual cases only needs to be combined with the removal of the diseased nail, such as the thick nail plate, but also the use of antifungal drugs.
3 Correct Treatments for Nail Fungus
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07
Is onychomycosis contagious through skin-to-skin contact?
If it is only brief contact, it is unlikely to be contagious.
Nail fungus is contagious, but dermatophytes cannot infect normal skin and decking.
So, if your own finger/toenails and the skin around the nails are not broken, and briefly shake hands with the patient, the possibility of infection is very small.
But if you live with someone with onychomycosis for a long time, you still need to take care to prevent infection.
Proper practices to prevent onychomycosis
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08
Is onychomycosis curable?
Yes.
But because onychomycosis is a disease caused by a fungal infection, once there is a suitable environment for the fungus to grow, it may re-infect.
Therefore, after the onychomycosis is cured, it is necessary to pay attention to personal hygiene and avoid re-contact with bacteria-carrying daily necessities to prevent the recurrence of onychomycosis.
Tips for daily life with onychomycosis
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Onychomycosis has a long course and is easy to recur. If you suffer from it unfortunately, you must stick to the medication. Don’t believe the rumors in the street shops and the Internet to buy the so-called “7-day cure for onychomycosis.” “The secret recipe, but delays the timing of treatment.
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