What Are White Spots On Nails and How To Get Rid of Them?
Nails, like hair and skin, change with time. Fun fact: Nails are formed up of a protein called alpha-keratin, which acts as a binder to protect the skin underneath. The nails, like your hair (which is composed of the same protein), can serve as an extension of your overall health, therefore it’s crucial to look after them and watch for changes.
If one of those changes is the appearance of white spots, it may be time to calm down, refuel, or take a vacation from those beautiful gel manicures. But where do they come from, and when should you seek medical help?
You may want to read on to learn what you should do about these white spots and when is the right time to consult a doctor.
The White Spots on Nails
“Punctate leukonychia” is the official name for those white spots, and damage is the most prevalent cause. When you’re nervous, do you bite your nails? Do you pound your desk or spend a lot of time typing on your computer at school?
Consider getting a manicure. All of these items might develop white spots on your nails as a result of nail damage. Wearing shoes that don’t fit properly might even cause white spots on your toenails.
White patches, on the other hand, can be caused by disease. They could indicate a deficiency in iron or zinc, for example. They may also indicate diabetes or kidney illness.
People with skin diseases such as psoriasis may develop white patches. If you’re concerned that white spots on your nails indicate illness, consult your doctor.
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The white dots are rarely inherited. White patches on babies’ fingernails might be present at birth or emerge later in life. White patches, like the colour of your eyes or hair, are inherited from your parents in these situations and do not signify illness or damage.
Ways To Get Rid of White Spots on Nails
- Moisturize Your Nails
Keep in mind that you moisturize your nails as well as your hands. Before bed, apply a nutritious hand oil or vitamin E oil to your fingernails. This will keep your nails strong and healthy, as well as aid to decrease the appearance of white dots.
- Use Essential Oils on your Nails
White areas produced by nail damage or fungus have been found to cure with essential oils. Tea tree and orange oils are the most effective. Rub a few drops of your essential oils into your fingernails after mixing them with a carrier oil like olive oil. Tea tree oil should soak for about 15 to 20 minutes, whereas orange oil should soak for about 45 minutes.
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Note: After using the oils, always rinse and wash your nails.
- Dip Your Nails in White Vinegar and Water
Massage your nails in water and white vinegar. In a bowl, combine one part white vinegar and one part water. In the bowl, dip your fingernails. Soak your nails for 10 minutes, then rinse and dry them. If you do this four times a week, you should notice a decrease in white spots. Use stronger water to vinegar ratio if you have sensitive skin.
- Remove The Spots With Lemon Slices
Lemon is high in vitamin C, and a vitamin C shortage can cause white patches on the nails. Simply cut a lemon in half and massage the cut side across your fingernails. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the juice to soak in before rinsing and drying your nails.
- Dip Them In Sugar-free Yogurt
Natural, unsweetened yogurt with no added tastes will help to strengthen your nails and prevent the appearance of white patches. Pour around three tablespoons of yogurt into a bowl and soak your nails for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse your nails in warm water after you’re finished.
Note: You can also flavour the yogurt with a few drops of lemon juice or vitamin E oil.
- Don’t Bite or Pick Your Nails
Unhealthy habits like pulling and biting your nails can actually harm your nails. Stop playing with your nails if you’re prone to it. You may notice a decrease in white spots if you pick and bite less.
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Wear bandaids over your nails if you have trouble not picking or biting your nails. Painting your nails may also be beneficial, as you don’t want to destroy your freshly painted nails.
- Wear Gloves While Cleaning and Doing the Dishes
Dishes, dusting, and other domestic activities should never be done with bare hands. While such activities may not appear to be strenuous, they can harm and dry out your nails. Invest in a pair of rubber gloves to use when cleaning your nails for best nail health. If you’re too scared about getting these white spots on your nails then do get yourself a pair of gloves, it’ll do you good.
- Avoid Painting Your Nails Regularly
Whenever you paint your nails on a daily basis, avoid doing so two days in a row. Nail polish can dry out and damage nails, resulting in problems such as spots. You should also pay attention to how polish affects your nails. If you acquire spots after applying a certain polish, you might have an allergy to it. Remove that polish as soon as possible.
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Minimize manicures as well. If you’re prone to white spots, only get a professional manicure on special occasions.
Some Extra Tips
- Having your nails buffed or your cuticles pulled up too forcefully and too often can cause direct harm to the nail plate, so try to avoid it if at all feasible.
- If you want to avoid an allergic reaction to the chemicals in regular nail lacquer, try using water-based nail polish instead.
- If you’re prone to fungal nail infections, using a topical nail lacquer can help avoid infection.
- Wear protective gloves to avoid any harm to the finger and nail plate if at all possible.
We’ve tried covering as much information as we could in this article. We hope this helps you out and that you share it with others too. Do share your feedback in the comments.
Filed under: Makeup & Hair, Tips and Myths
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