Nails that are thin or break easily can indicate a shortage of protein in your diet. If your fingernails are looking pale and white, it is a sign that you may have anemia, or low red blood cell count. Pale nails can also indicate more serious conditions, serving as an early symptom of diabetes or liver disease.
Similarly, fragile nails can also indicate more serious conditions, like hypothyroidism, a condition where the butterfly-shaped endocrine gland at the base of our necks produces too little of the thyroid hormone that helps our body regular a number of functions, including body heat and/or metabolism.
Sometimes, the state of our nails can indicate the presence of an infection that has moved into the body, either directly into the nail bed, or into our bodies. Consider it one of the earliest symptoms of the onset of a chronic or serious disease.
Take a look at some of these weird nail diseases and disorders, and what they might mean:
Mees’ Lines
Visibly thick white lines running across the entire width of the nail are classified as Mees’ lines or Mees lines. One of the most common causes of Mees’ lines is chemotherapy treatments; however, there are several other less common causes that should definitely raise some concerns and prompt one to seek medical attention.