Nail Whitening & Nail Precautions
Nails play one of the most important role in protecting out fingers and toes from trauma exposure to the other harmful elements. Although they might not seem to be apparently functional, they are known as the barometers of our health, indicating our overall health condition through their appearance. They are equally important in enhancing the beauty of our hands and feet and thus contributing to the beauty and appeal of our overall personality. Just as al the other body parts, nails are also exposed to several problems and nail diseases, which can be quite painful and discomforting to deal with. Leukonychia or nail whitening is one of the several other nail problems that seem that our nails suffer from. Leukonychia can be the indication of a number of serious ailments and hence proper nail precautions are essential to avoid the consequences of nail whitening.
Nail whitening or Leukonychia can be of various types. The most common types of Leukonychia include Punctate Leukonychia Medicalese, Striate Leukonychia and Leukonychia Totalis. While Punctate Leukonychia Medicalese can be identified by the white spots appearing on your nail plate, in case of Leukonychia Totalis the nails tend to turn entirely white. Striate Leukonychia manifests itself with the visible appearance of white bands on16 the nails and can be associated with a number of diseases from leprosy to arsenic poisoning. Other ailments and diseases which are also commonly linked to Leukonychia are diphtheria, colitis, typhoid fever, myocardial infarction, frostbite, gout cholera, trichinosis and acute rheumatism.
According to medical opinions, ‘white spots’ or Punctate Leukonychia is not always that harmful, appearing only as mere spots on the nails and disappearing by their own with a certain period of time. In fact, the folk lore about Punctate Leukonychia associates the white spots with ‘fortune spots’ or ‘gift spots’. The white color appearing as spots on the nails are supposed to be trapped air or defective keratinization, the process that helps the formation of the nails. The whitening is considered to be the result of the refracted light from the air bubbles and/or opaque, imperfectly keratinized granules within the nail cells.
The reason of behind nail whitening or different forms of Leukonychia has remained quite a mystery to the medical world. Often, severe trauma caused to the fingernails or excessive stress lead to Leukonychia. Also, excessive manicuring or specific jobs such as working in a pickle factory tend to make things worse. Zinc deficiency in the body can again lead to white spots or nail whitening. Women and young people seem to suffer most from Leukonychia.
Precautions against nail whitening can be again quite difficult to emphasize as the actual cause of Leukonychia has been difficult to figure out. However, a balanced diet and regular nail care can help prevent any kind of nail disease. Regular intake of a specific amount of zinc can be equally helpful for making up the zinc deficiency (if any) that has caused nail whitening. Protecting your nails from any kind of external trauma can also prevent Leukonychia. In short, maintaining your overall health can reduce the possibilities of Leukonychia to a great extent.
How to Perform a Manicure?
Have a manicure once a month by a professional manicurist because only he or she knows ..