Listen to your nails, they can tell you a lot

Take a good look at your fingernails and you will notice subtle variations in the texture and color. These imperfections can provide valuable information about your overall health; afterall,  your nails are like a window to the inner you, so to speak.

For example, anemia will typically produce pale, whitish nail beds, indicating a low red blood cell count. While an iron deficiency can cause the nail bed to be thin and concave,  having raised ridges. And thyroid disease can cause dry, brittle nails that crack and split easily.

Lupus patients get quirky, angular blood vessels in their nail folds. And heart disease can turn the nail beds red. Last on this list, but still just a drop in the bucket, obsessive-compulsive disorder can show up in the nails through persistent nail-biting or picking.

To be clear, nail changes are rarely the first clue of serious illness. Typically you would see other symptoms first. And furthermore, certain illnesses may cause nail changes in some patients but not in others. In any case, it is worth giving yourself just a little extra care and paying attention to the condition of your nails, others may be, too.

More often than not, common nail disorders start as fungal infections. These infections cause the nails to crack, peel, and change color or texture. And worse of all, they are difficult to treat; prescription medications being a typical remedy, no fun.

With all the information that is out there, and trust me it is all worth at least a read through, I found a few very basic tips to live by. Keep your nails clean and dry. Apply moisturizer to your nails and cuticles every day. And bring your own instruments if you get frequent manicures.

Small habitual changes like these might save you some embarassing dicomfoft in the long run. If you have any tips of your own, make sure to share with the rest of us. Together we spread the word and bannish ugly nails.