Your fingernails and toenails protect the tissues of your fingers and toes. They are layers of a hardened protein, keratin, also found in hair and skin.
Nails as health clues
- Healthy nails are usually smooth and evenly colored.
- Warning signs: some kinds of discoloration and changes in growth rate can signal lung, heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes or anemia.
- Harmless: white spots and vertical ridges.
Problems that may need treatment
- bacterial and fungal infections;
- ingrown nails;
- tumors;
- warts.
Prevention
Keep nails clean, dry and trimmed. Don't remove the cuticle — that can cause infection.
Sources
Based on "Nail Diseases," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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