Do You Have White Spot On Nails: Causes and Treatment of Leukonychia

 

White spots on nails may be due to underlying conditions like heart disease, psoriasis or eczema, renal failure, and pneumonia, nephrotic syndrome, liver cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, hypoalbuminemia and adult-onset diabetes.

  

Pink color of nails is a sign of a healthy person. However, discoloration, longitudinal ridges on nails, thickening of the nail, dullness or other abnormal appearances, may indicate more serious health problems. leukonychia (white spots on nails) is one of them.

White spots on the nails are very common, perhaps you've heard that these white marks are a sign of a vitamin or mineral (such as magnesium, selenium and zinc) deficiency. But it turns out that most white spots on fingernails aren't only related to nutrient consumption, per the National Health Service.

Medically, the condition involving these white spots that sometimes appear as dots or lines on finger and toenails are known as leukonychia, also heavily associated with autoimmune disorders.

White spots usually occur for reasons like trauma (in the case of injury), or a zinc or iron deficiency. Typically, these can disappear on their own. In rare cases (especially when the entire nail turns white), it can be a sign of heavy metal toxicity such as lead or arsenic, liver disease or hyperthyroidism.

However, the condition is more serious than that. Let's try to understand Leukonychia  and how you can prevent it.

What Are White Spots On Nails?,

Nails are made of a protein known as alpha-keratin that works as a polymer to provide a protective coat for the skin underneath.

"White spots (technically referred to as punctate leukonychia) are defined by keratin deposits of the nail plate," explains Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, a celebrity cosmetic dermatologist in New York City and author of The Pro-Aging Playbook. He points out that leukonychia can also present as white lines across (transverse or striate leukonychia) or down (longitudinal leukonychia) the nail.

The most common cause of Leukonychia nail disorder is trauma at the nail’s base where the new nail is beginning to develop. This is known as the matrix region. However there are other health related problems that can cause Leukonychia on your fingernails such as:

Arsenic Poisoning

Pneumonia

Heart Disease

Renal Failure

liver cirrhosis

Nephrotic syndrome

Poor Health

Hypoalbuminemia

Vitamin Deficiency

Ulcerative Colitis

Hepatic Cirrhosis

Psychogenic Stress

Onychophagia

Occupational Trauma

Lack of Zinc or Protein

Psoriasis as well as Eczema

Adult-onset diabetes

congestive heart failure

Arsenic poisoning may also be responsible for the white discoloration of nails. Systemic diseases (diseases that affect multiple systems in the body) may also cause white coloration in nails in rare cases.

A 2019 study published in the Journal of Dermatology Research and Therapy noted that people at risk of chronic renal failure often have white spots or lines on their nails.

Causes of White Spots on Nails?

Leukonychia can have a variety of causes, including damage to your nail plate, certain medications, fungal infection, underlying medical conditions, prolonged use of nail polish and even injury can cause varying kinds of white spots. Leukonychia can be hereditary too.

The American Academy of Dermatology board-certified dermatologist Chris Adigun said - there are several causes of white spots on nails, few of which are problematic.

"For whatever reason, many people think they are due to some kind of vitamin deficiency, which is not true, The most common causes are trauma to the nail as it is being developed, so a small bang to the end of your finger, in the region before you reach your nail, can lead to a small white spot in the nail as it grows out. That is because the matrix lies beneath this skin, and it is the delicate apparatus in charge of building the nail."

"In addition, trauma to the nail itself can leave a white spot. This is known technically as punctate leukonychia. The problem is that the trauma often precedes the white spot by weeks to even over a month, so most people forget about the trauma by the time they see the spot," (Source: Newsweek)

Types Of leukonychia,

The word leukonychia is derived from two Greek terms, leuko (meaning white) and onyx (meaning nail). Depending on how the white spots appear on your nails, you may have either of these three types of leukonychia.

Leukonychia Striata,

If the white spot on your nail appears as a horizontal band running parallel to the lunula (half-moon-shaped base of the nail), you may have leukonychia striata. These are also called Mees lines and generally outgrow with the nail over time.

Longitudinal Leukonychia,

Longitudinal leukonychia appears as multiple pale white bands at least 1mm thick that run parallel to the base of the nail.

Leukonychia Punctata,

Leukonychia punctata is the most common type of leukonychia and looks like small white dots on the nails. These generally disappear over time. However, as the nail grows, the number and pattern of the spots may change.

Ways To Get Rid of White Spots on Nails,

White spots on the nails can be prevented by adopting simple nail care habits including the following:

Direct trauma to the nail plate can be caused by having your nails buffed, cuticles pushed up too hard and too often, so try and avoid this where possible.

To prevent an allergic reaction to chemicals in normal nail polishes try using a water-based nail polish that will reduce the risk of any issues.

If you are prone to fungal nail infections, then the use of a topical nail lacquer may help to prevent the development of infections.

Where possible, try to avoid any trauma to the finger and nail plate by wearing protective gloves.

To keep nails clear, keep them hydrated, avoid biting them and take a break between manicures.

There are no exact treatments for Leukonychia. In most cases improvement of diet and taking vitamins to give your nail the nutrition it needs to strengthen and grow helps overcome the problem. Zinc and protein greatly improve Leukonychia disease. By taking zinc supplements and adding more protein to your diet, this will greatly reduce the appearance of Leukonychia.

If the white spots get worse without any known reason, visit a dermatologist.