what does the white bits that appear all over your finger nails mean?

Question

a couple of weeks ago i had these white bits starting to appear all over my finger nails and people say its calcium deficiancy or zinc and iron but i have a lot of all three of these i havn't knocked my nails or anything like that anything i was just wondering if their is anyone with the same problem as me if so how they found out what it means if anyone has any ideas it would be great to hear them all.

Answer 1

A decent medical man or woman can tell all sorts of things about you by looking at your nails. I remember reading somewhere that when they once dug up a body from God knows where they were able to tell that the 'owner' had had some dreadful disease a couple of months before he died - and that was only by LOOKING - none of the chemical tests!

Answer 2

It's normally calcium deficiency. You can drink more milk and eat more cheese to gain more calcium. However, having too much of it may also cause the same problem. Also, it doesn't just go away. It usually starts from the cuticle area. As your nails grow, the white bit moves towards the tip of your nails. Eventually you can cut it off. Be careful with taking too much calcium supplement. You can't get rid of calcium through urination, thus causing other problems later. Women, however, need a lot of calcium. Some healthcare provider recommend up to 1000mg of calcium for women. This is because we're more proned to osteoporosis... a bone disease.

Answer 3

Sometimes this can be the start of an infection in just one nail, but several may be affected. A doctor or even the chemist will be able to tell you if its anything to worry about and possible treatments. If its an infection, at first it is usually painless. The nail may look thickened and discoloured (often a greeny-yellow colour). Commonly, this is all that occurs and it often causes no other symptoms. However, it can look unsightly.

Sometimes the infection becomes worse. White or yellow patches may appear where the nail has come away from the skin under the nail (the nailbed). Sometimes the whole nail comes away. The nail may become soft and crumble. Bits of nail may fall off. The skin next to the nail may be inflamed or scaly. If left untreated, the infection may eventually destroy the nail and the nailbed, and may become painful. Walking may become uncomfortable if a toenail is affected.

Not treating
This is an option if the infection is mild or causing no symptoms. For example, a single small toenail may be infected and remain painless. Also, some people may prefer not to take medication as, although rare, there is a small chance of serious side-effects from antifungal medication. The option to treat can be reviewed at a later date if the infection becomes worse.

Medication
Antifungal tablets will often clear a fungal nail infection. However, you need to take the tablets for six weeks for fingernail infections, and for 12 weeks for toenail infections, sometimes longer. The medication will also clear any associated fungal skin infection such as athlete's foot.

Studies suggest that in about 5 in 10 cases the nail will look fully normal again after treatment. In about a further 2 in 10 cases the fungus will be cleared from the nail after treatment, but the nail does not look fully normal again. Fingernails tend to respond better to treatment than toenails. One reason for treatment to fail is because some people stop their medication too early.

Tips on nail care if you have a nail infection, with or without taking medication, include the following.

Keep your nails cut short, and file down any thickened nail.
Use a separate pair of scissors to cut the infected nail(s) to prevent contaminating the other nails. Do not share nail scissors with anyone else (for the same reason).
Avoid injury and irritants to your nails. For example, if fingers are affected use cotton and vinyl gloves for wet work. Use heavy cotton gloves for dry work.
If toenails are affected, wear properly fitted shoes with a wide toebox.
Keep your feet as cool and dry as much as possible.

Answer 4

I've also heard and read that it is due to a deficiency of certain minerals. It can also be because your body is not absorbing and correctly processing those minerals. In other words you could be taking all the mineral supplements in the world, which wouldn't be healthy either, but if you're not absorbing them into your system (do to stress or some other medical or dietary reason) it doesn't do any good.
It can also be from damage done to the nail as it grows from its base.
I've been told it isn't a big thing to worry about, especially if your health in general doesn't change drastically, just try to find ways to reduce stress in your life.

Answer 5

Ok...it is definately not heriditary. It could, however; be a calcium deficiency. Try a multivitamin. The main cause of this is actually the nail lifting away from the nail bed. It could be from biting the nails, smashing a finger, etc. Its not anything to worry about. It will eventually grow out.

Answer 6

I've had them all my life and I've always been well fed and don't hit my nails more than others. I think it's just hereditary, some little gene that controls white spots on nails that is turned on in us and not in others.

Answer 7

Long nails can be harbingers for bacteria, specifically if they are artificial, but they will are good for scratching and beginning those little foil wrapped containers which are so hard to get in to.

Answer 8

I prefer girls who have got a natural look... sure makeup and also other things are good, but when it is used to enhance your natural look.

Answer 9

I have it and they told me it was a calcium deposit.

Nothign to worry about from what I understand. Mine goes away... but every now and again come back.

Answer 10

It IS slight damage to the nail. Nothing much you can do about it.