Taking care of your fingernails helps to project a professional and polished image, no matter your gender. Turns out paying attention to your fingernails actually confers an additional benefit. Your fingernails can tell if you’re suffering from several different rather-not-go-there illnesses. So as a step in your assessment of your health, take a look at your fingernails. They may be trying to tell you something you’d just as soon not know, but certainly need to know.
If the bases of your nails are puffy and inflamed, that could be a heads up that you have a connective tissue disorder such as lupus. A dark line beneath your fingernail that is not the sort of dark mark that’s there because you recently slammed your finger in a draw may be a signal of melanoma. If that’s the case, make an appointment to get it checked immediately.
Pink and white stripes in your nails? You might want to get your kidney function checked out. Bluish nails indicate a lack of oxygen in your body. It could be emphysema or some other lung disorder. It’s a good idea to take the hint and check it out. Very pale nails are an indication of anemia while white nails indicate you may be suffering from hepatitis.
The one that’s got me personally concerned is rippled nails. This happy feature is an indicator that your may have inflammatory arthritis. Of course, I had an idea that might be the reason I can’t completely bend some joints, but borrow trouble, as my grandmother would say.
After viewing this video…
…and reading up on the diagnostic powers of our fingernails, I’m not quite as sanguine. Turns out trouble may be following you and all you need to do is pay attention to an unexpected part of your body for the advance notice you need to take care of the problem before it’s progressed to the point where it’s very difficult to treat.
So – here’s a new reason for a weekly manicure. Maybe you can deduct it as a medical expense?
[Image via Shutterstock]