Why Do White Marks Appear On The Nails?

Usually, when white marks appear on the nails, they are due to trauma or a blow received maybe a few months before without realizing it.

Leukonychia (the scientific name for this problem) is the term used to indicate the appearance of white markings on the nails.

There are different types and causes of this problem, although it has not been verified to be a sign of lack of calcium as many people believe. In this article we tell you why white marks appear on the nails.

It’s very interesting !

The captions around the white marks on the nails

At some point in your life you probably looked at your fingernails and realized that small spots or white lines had appeared.

Grandparents would say it was due to the lies we told and our parents made us drink more milk because it was due to a lack of calcium.

In reality neither of the two theories is true. The first even less than the second, that’s for sure. However, it is useful to clarify the story.

Leukonychia can appear at any time and go away just as quickly. Although it is good to know the reasons for its appearance.

Leukonychia can be divided into four types:

1. Dotted

These are small spots distributed over the length and width of the nail. They appear especially during childhood because of repeated small traumas.

2. Striated

When parallel and transverse bands appear. They are more common in women and the causes are linked to trauma caused by aggressive manicure. They can also be due to chemotherapy agents.

3. Partial

They affect a specific part of the nail, usually more towards the tips of the fingers.

4. Total

When the whole nail has an almost homogeneous whitish appearance. It is an uncommon problem that can appear at birth or at a young age. In the majority of cases it is hereditary.

Lack of zinc and white spots on the nails

When we were told that by not consuming enough calcium these white marks appear on our nails, we were wrong. However, there is one point we were right about: the lack of nutrients.

White lines and dots develop at the root of the nail and advance as it grows.

Zinc deficiency could be the cause of this problem. When the nail matrix suffers from a break, we see the white mark on the affected area.

Leukonychia can also be due to a disease or health problem, for example:

• Psoriasis
• Peptic ulcer
• Ulcerative colitis
• Nephritis

In addition, when we do not consume the nutrients responsible for forming and helping the growth and development of nail components, these white marks are even more likely to appear.

Among them are:

• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin A
• Iron

While the deficiency of nutrients of this type does not directly affect the formation of these white marks, it can cause greater fragility or weakness and, ultimately, greater vulnerability to trauma that leaves traces.

Other causes of white marks on the nails

These completely harmless but very unsightly spots (especially for women) could come from something else: an inflammatory process or trauma in the matrix, which causes a different and abnormal keratinization.

It should be taken into account that the nails grow 3 millimeters per month. Also, when we see the spot in the center, it means that the lesion or stroke happened two or three months before.

We didn’t notice it before because it was very close to the root of the nail.

It is certain that certain daily habits or practices can cause leukonychia with varying degrees of regularity. Among them we find:

• Biting nails or cuticles
• Too aggressive manicure treatments (which uses chemicals, for example)
• Some manual activities
• Too much nail cut
• Typing (on a keyboard) very hard
• Lightly banging the table with your fingernails
• Use household products with very strong chemicals without using gloves
• Always have your nails painted

How to avoid white marks on the nails?

At the moment there are no treatments for leukonychia. The only way we have to remove stains from nails is to wait until they grow enough to cut or file them.

During this time, and if we can’t stand to see these lines, we can just paint our nails or use gloves.

It is important to point out that in case the nails show marks all over their surface or if we notice that they lighten too much and acquire a rather opaque shade, we should consult a dermatologist.

It can be a permanent problem in the nail matrix.

If we don’t want these “little clouds” to appear on the nails we should:

• Maintain good hygiene and hydration
• Avoid aggressive filing and processing
• Let the nails “rest” between each varnish (leave at least a day before varnishing them again)
• Use gloves to clean the house (plates, floors, bathroom, kitchen, etc.)
• Treat the nails with care (and not just the tips, but especially the dies or roots)
• Consume foods rich in zinc, such as dried fruits and wheat germ)
• Eat vitamin A daily, found in carrots, squash and peaches