White spots on the nails: diet involved?
White spots on the nails: the fault of a poor diet?
Well-groomed hands and nails are like a business card. Also, many of us take good care of our nails. And yet, despite all the attention we give them, we sometimes discover small white spots, a few millimeters in size, without understanding why.
Where do those white spots that suddenly appear in some places of our nails come from? We often read that these colorings on the nails are due to a “bad” diet, in particular a lack of magnesium or calcium. But does diet explain the appearance of these white spots on the nails? Or are there other factors involved?
The white coloring – or discoloration – of the nails is called “Leuconychia” in medical jargon. It can take different forms: the nail can be completely or partially white, strewn with streaks, or even small spots or points.
It is the latter variant, “leukonychia Punctata”, which is the most common. The white spots appear singly or in groups and are usually the result of small lesions at the base of the nail. This area forms what is called the nail tablet which is made up of 3 layers of keratin. Keratin cells are arranged like the tiles on a roof, giving the nail its hardness. Pushing back the cuticle during a manicure, or being hit on the nail, can cause small lesions in the nail matrix and weaken the structure of keratin cells.
As a result, free spaces, thus containing air, can form between the layers, which manifests as white spots on the surface of the nails.
But don’t panic: these stains are completely harmless. They are not a sign of disease or a lack of nutrition, such as minerals.
If at the time of your manicure, you notice the presence of small white spots (or tips), rest assured: it is very likely that this is only a cosmetic problem.
However, if the entire nail has discolored, or if the nail takes on an unusual shape, color, or consistency, the disease may be the cause of these symptoms.
White spots on the nails: what to do?
There is no treatment to get rid of these spots: they disappear on their own with nail growth, slowly, but naturally.To prevent the appearance of new white spots, the only advice to give is to protect your nails well, to expose them as little as possible to shocks or aggressive products, and to give them the care they deserve. As we have already said: if our hands and nails are an indispensable tool in our daily life, they are also permanently exposed to everyone’s gaze. Having nails that are neat, clean, well-cut, and maintained is therefore also a question of aesthetics and the sign of certain hygiene.
