Liam Carter
The white half-moon shape at the base of your fingernail is known as a lunula. Lunulae are part of your nail matrix, which refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. They are usually most visible on your thumb and decrease in size as you move down to your pinkie. While small or missing lunulae usually aren't cause for concern, changes in colour or size may indicate an underlying disease.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Lunula |
| Description | Small, white, half-moon shapes found at the base of the nail, just above the cuticle |
| Visibility | Most visible on the thumb, decreasing in size until the pinkie |
| Cause for concern | A change in colour or size may indicate an underlying disease |
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What You'll Learn
The white half-moon shape at the base of your nail is called a lunula
Although everyone has a nail matrix, not everyone will see or have a lunula on each nail. Those who do have a lunula may notice that they vary in appearance across each nail. A change in colour or size of this feature may indicate an underlying disease. For example, if the lunula extends almost to the end of the nail, making the majority of the nail white except for a narrow band at the top, it could signal cirrhosis, chronic renal failure or congestive heart failure. This condition, called Terry's nails, can also be attributed to ageing. If your lunula turns red, it may be a signal of heart failure. However, small or missing lunulae usually aren't cause for concern. They're usually just hidden underneath the cuticle or skin at the base of your finger.
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Lunulae are part of your nail matrix
The white half-moon shape at the base of your nail is called a lunula. Lunulae are part of your nail matrix, which is the tissue just beneath your nail. It contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels, and produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate.
Lunulae are usually white and take up a small portion of the bottom of your nail. They are most visible on your thumb, and decrease in size until you reach your pinkie, where they may be barely visible.
Lunulae vary in appearance across each nail, and some people may not have them at all. Small or missing lunulae are usually not cause for concern, as they may just be hidden underneath the cuticle or skin at the base of your finger. However, changes in colour or size may indicate an underlying disease. For example, if the lunula turns red, it may signal heart failure, and if it extends almost to the end of the nail, it could be a sign of chronic renal failure.
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Lunulae are usually most visible on your thumb
The white half-moon shape at the base of your fingernail is known as a lunula. Lunulae are part of your nail matrix, which refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. They are usually most visible on your thumb, and decrease in size as you move down your fingers to your pinkie, where they may be barely visible.
Healthy lunulae are usually white and take up a small portion of the bottom of your nail. However, they can turn red, which may be a signal of heart failure. If your lunula turns half-brown and half-white, this could be a sign of renal disease. If the lunula extends almost to the end of the nail, making the majority of the nail white except for a narrow band at the top, it could signal cirrhosis, chronic renal failure or congestive heart failure. This condition is called Terry's nails.
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Lunulae vary in appearance across each nail
The white half-moon shape at the base of your fingernail is known as a lunula. Lunulae are part of your nail matrix, the tissue just beneath your nail that contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels. While everyone has a nail matrix, not everyone will have a lunula on each nail. Lunulae vary in appearance across each nail. They are usually most visible on your thumb, appearing smaller on your pointer finger, and gradually shrinking in size until you reach your pinkie, where they may be barely visible. Healthy lunulae are usually a whitish colour and take up a small portion of the bottom of your nail. However, the colour and size of lunulae can change and may indicate an underlying disease. For example, if the lunula extends almost to the end of the nail, it could signal cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, or congestive heart failure. This condition, called Terry's nails, can also be attributed to ageing. If your lunula turns red, it may be a signal of heart failure. Small or missing lunulae usually aren't cause for concern. They're usually just hidden underneath the cuticle or skin at the base of your finger. In some cases, missing lunulae may be a result of trauma or a sign of an underlying disease.
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A change in colour or size of the lunula may indicate an underlying disease
The white half-moon shape at the base of your fingernail is known as a lunula. It is usually most visible on your thumbnail and decreases in size as you move down to your pinkie. Healthy lunulae are typically white and take up a small portion of the bottom of your nail.
People who experience chronic renal failure may produce more melanin, which can cause your nail bed to turn brown. This is sometimes called half-and-half nails.
Small or missing lunulae usually aren't cause for concern. They're usually just hidden underneath the cuticle or skin at the base of your finger. In some cases, missing lunulae may be a result of trauma or a sign of an underlying disease.
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Frequently asked questions
The white half-moons on your nails are called lunulae or lunula (singular).
Lunulae are part of your nail matrix, which refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. The matrix contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels, and produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate.
A change in colour or size of your lunulae may indicate an underlying disease. For example, if the lunula turns red, it may be a sign of heart failure. If your lunula turns brown, it could be a sign of chronic renal failure.
