Although some people do pay attention to the appearance of their nails, most of us don’t really notice when they start looking a bit yellow, mostly because we don’t spend observing our nails as frankly there isn’t much to observe.
But the color of our nails can say a lot about our physical health, and hence it is imperative that we pay attention as soon as their outlook changes, even in the slightest.
According to doctors, this phenomenon is very similar to the formation of rings on trees which indicate a tree’s internal health.
However, make sure you don’t misperceive a change in the appearance of your nails to mean something more than a natural consequence of your actions, such as nail-biting or a stain left by nail polish, as that would cause you unnecessary worry.
But, once you have ruled out all such possibilities, that’s when you need to dig a little deeper and find out the root cause.
Evaluate The Possibilities
Although you should definitely be paying a visit to the dermatologist to figure out exactly what is causing your nails to change in this manner, still it is good to have some knowledge about the conditions that possibly impact the health of your nails.
If your nails have started to thicken and subsequently change their color, then you might possibly be dealing with a fungal infection. Although this usually occurs in the toenails, the nails on your hands may also become affected by such an infection.
A visit to the dermatologist is necessary in this case because the type of fungus needs to be diagnosed before an appropriate remedy is recommended, as not all antifungal treatments are suitable for all types of fungal infections.
Another major reason that could be causing staining on your nail is an overuse of your hands. Basically, when you use your hands, and hence your fingers, to perform a lot of tasks every day, you place your fingernails under a lot of stress since they have to make an effort to remain connected with the nail bed.
Eventually, they break apart, a condition called onycholysis, and a space forms between the nail and the nailbed, and this space makes the nail look yellowish on the outside.
A Potential Deficiency
Just like many other problems associated with our physical health, our nails too are impacted by a lack of adequate vitamin intake every day.
Without proper nutrition, there is a good chance that the nails would become discolored, and hence a doctor can diagnose the components you are lacking in the body through some blood tests.
According to doctors, discoloration in the nails usually occurs due to reduced quantities of Vitamin B12 or zinc, which can easily be recovered through the intake of proper supplements.
Sometimes, yellow stains can come from an excess of something, such as smoking, as the tar in cigarettes can cause both the fingers as well as the nails to look yellow in appearance.