Changes of the toenails
Toe nails and also the fingernails are always of a pale pink to transparent color and firm contour when in good health. They can therefore serve as indicators of deficiency symptoms and diseases. For example, if the toenails and fingernails are brittle, this may be an indication of a deficiency of vitamin B7 (biotin), whitish nails, especially the toenails indicate a nail fungus or athlete’s foot.
There are also some other, disease-specific changes. If the toenails turn yellowish, this process does not necessarily have to be caused by a disease. Many smokers have yellow nails, whereby the yellow coloration occurs more frequently on the fingernails than on the toenails.
A lack of foot hygiene can also cause a yellowish coloration due to deposits of bacteria on the toenails. In addition to regular nicotine consumption and improper care, there are also a number of diseases that can cause yellow nails. Nail fungus, psoriasis and liver diseases play just as much a role here as hormone fluctuations.
A very rare disease that causes yellow toenails is the yellow nail syndrome (“yellow nail syndrome”). Through a growth disorder, the nails thicken and become yellow. Other symptoms of the disease include fluid accumulation in the chest (pleural effusions), lymphatic drainage disorders (lymphedema) and frequent sinusitis.
Since the development of yellow toenails can have many causes, the discoloration is treated according to the underlying disease. For example, nail fungus is treated with special nail polishes or hormonal fluctuations through the administration of hormones. Often, however, the yellow nails disappear completely by themselves when the underlying disease is treated and do not require any special treatment at all.
Grooves Toenails
Changes in the shape of the toenails, as well as discoloration, can provide indications of certain diseases. There are two types of grooves: longitudinal and transverse. Longitudinal grooves run from the tip of the nail to the root and are usually harmless, age-related or genetic changes.
Transverse grooves run from left to right side of the nail and can be signs of a variety of diseases. Even the smallest injuries, for example in the course of cosmetic treatments, can cause growth disturbances of the nails and thus the formation of transverse grooves.Lack of absorption of nutrients and vitamins, such as iron, calcium or zinc dissolve insufficient nail growth and consequently the formation of transverse grooves. Such deficiency symptoms are often found in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or radical diets, when the nutrients cannot be absorbed or are not supplied to the body at all due to insufficient food intake. Other causes of grooves in the toe nails are the intake of various medications, for example as part of chemotherapy, poisoning, for example with arsenic, or influenza diseases with high fever.
