White stripes on nails: causes and treatment

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White stripes on the nails are one of the most common diseases of the nail plates of the hands and feet.

We are used to not going to medical institutions unless something starts to hurt us. But this does not mean at all that we are healthy. Our body sends us various signals about the state of our health. White horizontal or vertical stripes on the nails are the first signal that we need to act if we want to feel good. A seemingly insignificant problem can cause a lot of trouble in the future.

What do white stripes on nails mean?

White streaks on the nails can appear in both little girls and older women, so the appearance of a white tint on the nail bed is not related to age.

Girls may perceive the appearance of such pigmentation as a small defect that disappears as the natural plate grows. However, white spots may not always be harmless, since dysfunctions of the body can often be noticed in this way, due to which a natural manicure is partially painted white.

Often white spots or stripes appear as single zones, but sometimes they fill most of the natural plate, which indicates the presence of serious, global causes.

The formation of such a defect is called leukochinia and indicates the origin of pathogenic changes in the microflora of the matrix (root), which causes the process of active production of keratin due to its insufficient quantity.

There are two main types of leukonychia:

• True. Appears in the presence of dysfunction of the matrix of natural marigolds;
• False. It is a manifestation of symptoms of a specific cause. When it is eliminated, a healthy nail grows back.

It is quite difficult to distinguish the types of lesion formation on your own, so you can contact a cosmetologist or mycologist to make a diagnosis.

Also, the pathology can have several visual manifestations:

1. Limited. White dots appear singly on one nail or several at once.
2. Spot. On all nails of one hand, white spots of different sizes appear simultaneously, which, as they grow, are in the same location relative to each other.
3. Striped. It is not dots that appear on the plates, but white stripes; they can be located on the nail singly or in several places simultaneously.
4. Absolute. It is impossible to distinguish individual stripes or spots; the entire nail bed becomes white or grayish.

The last case is the most dangerous for a girl, as it indicates the presence of a strong hormonal imbalance in the body or dysfunction of any organs. In this case, you definitely need to get diagnosed by a doctor to prevent complications due to a harmless change in the shade of your manicure.

Leukonychia itself is not a separate disease, but it becomes a natural signal for a girl about the possible occurrence of side effects or complications if it is ignored.

Onychodystrophy - decaying nail

Processes that occur with significant destruction of the nail structure are called onychodystrophy. White spots and stripes are a manifestation of a pathological process accompanied by a malnutrition of the plate.

The onset of onychodystrophy is best visible on well-groomed female nails. The combination of white stripes with other visible signs can nudge the doctor in the right direction, i.e. help diagnosis.

The nail is a constantly renewing structure, therefore, with proper treatment of the underlying disease that caused the stripes, defects in the nail plate gradually disappear.

Why white stripes appear on nails - the main reasons

In order to prescribe a treatment regimen or reduce the risk of complications, it is recommended that if severe pigmentation of the nails is detected, they should be examined. To do this, you can contact a specialist or try to understand the reason yourself, based on your health and lifestyle.

There are quite a lot of factors that can affect the condition of the nails, since there are many nerve endings on the fingertips, which is why many problems in the body are reflected in the appearance of a natural manicure. Keep in mind that defects can also appear on the legs, which has the same reasons.

There are two main blocks of reasons for the formation of lesions:

1. External. The condition of marigolds is affected by the influence of external factors and the characteristics of human life.
2. Internal. The fingertip area may suffer due to problems in the woman’s body, organ dysfunction and other factors.

Both options for the origin of the damage are important to consider, since they can always lead to total damage to the nail or the formation of complications that affect the girl’s health.

There are many external factors for the manifestation of leukonychia:

• Mechanical damage. If the hands, fingers are injured or the nails themselves are pinched/bruised, blood circulation slows down and metabolism deteriorates, causing problems with the condition of the manicure;
• Working with chemicals and aggressive compounds without rubber gloves. Many cleaning compounds and detergents are harmful to hands;
• Illiterate manicure. If you cut the free edge, cuticle or sand the plate inaccurately, white stripes may appear. Even when performing manipulations in the salon, there is a risk of the formation of such factors;
• Habit of biting nails. Then matrix dysfunction appears, growth and the supply of nutrients are inhibited.

However, it is more important to take into account internal factors, since often the condition of a natural manicure conveys the girl’s health and can signal the presence of malfunctions.

Leukonychia has significantly more internal factors:

• Diseases of the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract;
• Infectious diseases, the presence of inflammatory processes in the body;
• Low metabolism;
• Taking antibiotics, the effect of which affects the functioning of the intestinal tract;
• Low metabolic rate (this may be affected by diabetes or thyroid dysfunction);
• Neuralgic diseases;
• Unstable emotional state – frequent stress, depression, which affect hormonal levels.

Such white spots often appear when the hormonal levels are unstable or disrupted. This often happens in pregnant women, while pregnant or during menstruation.

Common reasons why pigmentation can form are an excess or lack of vitamins and nutrients in the body. It is important to pay more attention to your diet in order to restore the balance of microelements and the condition of the marigolds. To prescribe a nutritional regimen aimed at treatment, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist.

A separate factor that often leads to various deformities of the nail bed, including the formation of stripes, is a fungal infection. When nails become infected, they become uneven, rough, yellowish, as well as dark and light spots on the surface.

It is quite difficult to cure the fungus, especially when the form is advanced, so to restore your nails you need to contact a mycologist.

Mycoses, nail psoriasis - onycholysis and onychodesis

If the nail is covered with dots and stripes, nutrition is disturbed, the thickness of the nail plate is changed - we are most likely talking about a fungal or psoriatic infection.

If you already have foci of psoriasis or chronic mycosis, first of all you should suspect the corresponding disease and consult a dermatologist. Onychomycosis, like nail psoriasis, cannot be treated in isolation - a full course of local remedies and systemic medications (tablets or capsules) will be required.

If you do not pay due attention to the process, the nail begins to gradually separate, i.e. onycholysis occurs. In some cases, the process happens very quickly, and the nail cannot be saved. Rapid separation of the nail due to psoriasis or onychomycosis is called onychodesis. It is impossible to cure onychomycosis, much less nail psoriasis, on your own.

These conditions are characterized by longitudinal grooves. This symptom occurs somewhat less frequently with lichen planus and gout. Sometimes rheumatoid arthritis can manifest itself in this way. In this case, vertical cavities and uneven thickness of the nail plate are observed.

Treatment of white stripes on nails

The sooner you diagnose the problem and begin to eliminate it, the easier it will be to restore the natural health of your nails.

In any case, to properly treat the surface, you need to consult a doctor. There are three specialists who can help eliminate pigmentation:

1. Surgeon. You can contact him initially to diagnose the cause of the lesion.
2. Dermatologist. The doctor prescribes a competent treatment regimen if it is associated with external damage to the upper stratum corneum.
3. Mycologist. If there is a fungal infection, a mycologist will help eliminate it.

Sometimes girls consult with cosmetologists, but specialists have a fairly wide area of ​​activity, so they cannot always find out exactly what the problem is and how it can be corrected. In addition, if the cause is internal factors, the cosmetologist will not be able to identify them and prescribe proper restoration.

The treatment regimen is usually based on the cause of the stripes on the nails. If they are caused by internal factors, the doctor prescribes long-term step-by-step treatment, which usually includes taking medications and applying external compounds.

If there is a lack of vitamins, you need to normalize your diet, and if the reason is external factors, you need to correct them and wait for the gradual growth of a healthy, clean nail.

To speed up healing, you can use folk recipes (compresses, baths, masks, lotions). They will provide the matrix with microelements and also increase local immunity, preventing the recurrence of defects.

Also follow preventive measures:

• Do your manicure properly. To do this, you need to use a file, which cuts off the free edge, moving the tool in one direction. And to remove the cuticle, a metal pusher or an orange stick is used, dry skin is trimmed with nippers;
• Apply essential cosmetic oils to the cuticle area every night to increase the local immunity of the manicure;
• When carrying out household work and using chemicals, be sure to wear rubber gloves;
• Periodically perform manipulations to care for your nails, making steaming baths and compresses;
• Balance your diet. Additionally, you can take a vitamin course to maintain normal levels of microelements in the body.

Also, if you are used to biting your nails, you need to get rid of the bad habit so as not to deform the natural plate.

Treatment methods for leukonychia

Without identifying the cause of its appearance, it is almost impossible to get rid of false leukonychia. You will need a comprehensive diagnosis. The nail plate grows completely in six months. Therefore, the detection of leukonychia indicates problems that occurred relatively recently. Or they have simply survived to this day.

Many reasons lie on the surface, identifying and dealing with them are quite simple. If you often go on strict diets , then just visit your dietitian. He will advise you to change your diet to prevent hypovitaminosis coupled with mineral deficiency. Your menu should include large quantities of spinach, celery, and parsley. Don't forget about fruits, plant and animal proteins. Fresh dairy products (in particular milk and cottage cheese) should always be present in the refrigerator. Your doctor may also recommend multivitamin supplements.

If nail injuries are chronic, then it is better to visit the nail salon as little as possible. Treat cuticles and nails very carefully.

It will be more difficult to get rid of stains if you have problems with the nervous system. Of course, a vacation will help with chronic fatigue. A change of scenery plays a big role here. But you cannot cope with the consequences of a strong psychotraumatic factor on your own. You will have to resort to the services of a psychotherapist and drug therapy to normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

If problems with the cardiovascular system, stomach or liver diseases are identified, you should contact a professional specialist. Only he has the right to prescribe treatment for you.

Transverse groove of Beau-Reil

Furrow Bo

This is the name given to the arcuate groove that runs across the entire surface and connects both nail folds. Occurs due to a temporary stop in the growth of the nail plate. This indicates a malfunction of the matrix. Characteristic of severe infectious processes such as pneumonia, influenza, hepatitis or measles.

Very often observed in children who have had measles and scarlet fever. May appear after a heart attack, incl. on foot.

A heart attack on the legs is an amazing example of a high pain threshold combined with complete indifference to one’s own health. Sometimes it is the transverse white groove that indicates a heart attack.

Reactive psychosis, exacerbation of schizophrenia and simply severe stress or shock can cause the appearance of Bo's furrows. Very often, a similar symptom occurs after operations and fractures.

About the benefits of change

I noticed that a white streak in my life comes when I myself strive for change. I realized that under no circumstances should I allow myself to stand in one place. You need to constantly develop, gain new knowledge and experience. If you have been wanting to enroll in some courses for a long time, now is the time to do it. Engage in creative activities, attend performances, concerts and exhibitions, and pick up a book more often.

If you lock yourself within four walls, a streak of luck will not begin in your life. Accept the invitations that come to you. Go for a walk more often, go for a visit, visit entertainment venues. Your activity will attract positive changes into your life.

Traveling is a great way to broaden your horizons. This is not just about long trips, which not everyone can afford. It is possible that a lot of interesting and exciting things await you in the neighboring city.

In addition, I regularly rearrange the furniture in the apartment and update the interior. I noted that this also attracts positive changes in my life. It is not at all necessary to do a global renovation, completely change the furniture, and so on. Sometimes it’s enough to buy a new set of bed linen to change your life for the better.

Finally, physical activity is very important. When I started playing sports, my life became completely different. Don't force yourself to do things you don't like. For example, if you don't like running in the morning, it won't give you the results you expect. It may be that, say, swimming or yoga is more suitable for you. The main thing is to enjoy what you do.

Pathogenesis

Pathological changes on the nail plates (on one or several at once) occur due to disturbances in the process of keratinization of the nail. Due to the influence of various factors, the functions of the nail matrix, which determines the formation of the plate and its growth, may fail. Such disorders lead to incomplete maturation of the cells of the nail plate, deterioration or absence of their keratinization. As a result, a layer of air appears in the thickness of the plate, which is then filled with fat and water. Such layers look like white spots on the nail.

Leukonychia, photo

General information

White spots on the nail plates appear in many people at a certain period of life. Most often they are perceived as a kind of cosmetic defect. But in fact, white spots on the nails indicate that not everything is in order in the human body. This is leukonychia - a phenomenon when, due to various reasons, white lines and spots appear on the nail plate as it grows. Leukonychia can be associated with a number of diseases, as well as with a lack of substances important for the body, and even with certain habits. But in any case, it is worth determining the cause of such a symptom and, if possible, eliminating it.

Where to begin

One day I noticed that one good event is often followed by another or even several. I thought about why a streak of luck began in my life. It turns out that this happens when I myself begin to strive for it.

First you need to understand that in our world nothing happens by chance. A white streak will certainly begin in your life, if you yourself want it, start working on it. It takes some effort to ensure that luck never leaves you.

What does this mean: description of the reasons for the appearance of stripes and photos

Important! Unpleasant dark stripes may appear on the nail plates. They are vertical and horizontal, differ in color, size and location.

This is not just a cosmetic defect.

This most often means that there may be health problems, so if stripes occur, you should go to the doctor to find out their nature and begin treatment.

This is what the black stripes on the nails look like in the photo:

Subungual melanoma

Attention! Black streaks on the nail beds may appear due to hemorrhage associated with subungual melanoma. This is a dangerous malignant tumor

Melanoma is a very aggressive neoplasm, so soon after its appearance, ichor begins to leak from under the nail plate, and the skin around it becomes inflamed

This is a dangerous malignant tumor. Melanoma is a very aggressive neoplasm, so soon after its appearance, ichor begins to leak from under the nail plate, and the skin around it becomes inflamed.

If the surgeon mistakes the tumor for a panaritium and opens it, it will be fatal for the patient. Rapid metastasis will occur and the patient will have stage 4 cancer.

Digestive system dysfunction

Discoloration of the nail can be caused by ulcers, colitis, gastritis and other diseases of the digestive system. After recovery, the nails are completely renewed and the stripes disappear.

Cardiovascular diseases

In people with cardiovascular diseases, clearly visible black stripes appear on the edges of the thumbnails. Their occurrence is associated with diseases such as:

• anemia;
• pathology of the heart muscle;
• endocarditis caused by infection.

Reference. Stripes also appear when there are circulatory problems.

Mechanical damage

Very often, such stripes are found among professional athletes and fans of outdoor games that involve the hands (basketball, volleyball, tennis). As the nail plate is renewed, the stripes disappear. If the injury was very severe, the nail may fall off, but after a while a new nail plate grows in its place.

Fungus of feet and hands

The most common cause of black spots is nail fungus.

People with weak immune systems who visit public places with high humidity and high temperature are especially often infected with the fungus.

It often happens that stripes on the nails appear after a manicure done by a specialist. This means that the master did not properly process the instruments and gave you an infection. First, the disease affects the legs, since the process of sweating is most active there, and this is the most favorable environment for the propagation of the pathogen and the appearance of stripes.

Important! Hands are less likely to suffer from fungus; it usually spreads to the hands in the absence of timely or proper treatment. To solve this problem, you will need long-term treatment

Therapy can last about a year.

Diabetes

In people with high blood sugar levels, black stripes on the nails can be seen quite often. The change in color of the nail plate is caused by impaired blood flow in the vessels.

Hormones

Stripes or dots on the nails indicate hormonal system disorders.
Also, a change in nail color may be associated with taking contraceptives.

Age-related changes

Mature people often experience natural deformation of their nails. Gradually, the nail plates lose their previous shape, thicken and darken. The deformation is caused by atherosclerosis of the capillaries at the root of the plate. The flow of oxygen to the nail root is hampered. Pathological changes occur.

External exposure to chemicals

Attention! Nails are very sensitive to chemical exposure. Cleaning products and glue can affect their appearance.

Frequent use of cosmetics and nail extensions also negatively affect changes in their appearance. Spots and streaks can be caused by a lack of oxygen from prolonged use of nail polish or false nails.