Caleb Foster
White spots on nails, known as leukonychia, are usually not a cause for concern. They are most commonly caused by injury, but can also be the result of allergies to nail products, fungal infections, or underlying health conditions such as liver disease or anemia. In some cases, they may indicate a mineral deficiency, although this is disputed by experts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause | Injury, allergies to nail products, fungal infections, liver disease, anemia, mineral deficiency |
| Medical term | Leukonychia |
| Types | Punctate leukonychia, longitudinal leukonychia, striate or transverse leukonychia, leukonychia partialis, leukonychia totalis |
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What You'll Learn
White spots on nails are usually not a cause for concern
Some experts say that white spots on your nails may be a sign that you're deficient in minerals like calcium or zinc. However, other experts dispute this idea and say that the spots are more likely to be from a minor injury. There are several more reliable signs that you have a mineral deficiency.
Leukonychia partialis refers to when white spots affect part of the nail, and leukonychia totalis refers to when the whole nail is affected. Leukonychia totalis is often a sign of a serious medical issue like liver failure. However, leukonychia partialis is usually not a cause for concern.
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They can be caused by an injury
White spots on nails, known as leukonychia, are very common. While they are often harmless, they can sometimes be caused by an injury. In fact, some experts say that white spots on nails are more likely to be caused by a minor injury than by a mineral deficiency, although this is disputed.
Leukonychia can affect the whole nail or just parts of it. When it affects the whole nail, it is called leukonychia totalis, and it is often a sign of a serious medical issue, such as liver failure. When it affects part of the nail, it is called leukonychia partialis, and it is usually not a sign of a serious issue.
The most common type of leukonychia partialis is punctuate, which is characterised by small white spots. Other types of leukonychia include longitudinal leukonychia, which presents as a white band down the nail, and striate or transverse leukonychia, where one or more horizontal lines appear across the nail, parallel to the lunula.
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They may indicate an underlying health condition, such as liver disease or anemia
White spots on nails are not usually a cause for concern, but they may indicate an underlying health condition, such as liver disease or anemia. Doctors refer to this as "punctate leukonychia", which is the most common type of leukonychia. Leukonychia is a condition where white spots appear on the nail or nail bed.
There are several types of leukonychia, including total leukonychia, where the whole nail plate is totally white in colour, and partial leukonychia, where only part of the nail is affected. Partial leukonychia can be further categorised into punctuate, longitudinal, and striate or transverse leukonychia. Punctuate leukonychia is the most common type and presents as small white spots. Longitudinal leukonychia presents as a white band down the nail, while striate or transverse leukonychia appears as one or more horizontal lines across the nail, parallel to the lunula.
While the most common cause of white spots on nails is injury, they can also be a sign of a more serious medical issue, such as liver failure or anemia. In rare cases, white spots on your nails can indicate a systemic illness or deficiency, such as a mineral deficiency. Some experts say that white spots on your nails may be a sign that you're deficient in minerals like calcium or zinc, although other experts dispute this idea.
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They could be a sign of a mineral deficiency
White spots on nails, known as leukonychia, are very common. While they are usually harmless, they can sometimes be a sign of a mineral deficiency.
Some experts say that white spots on your nails may be a sign that you're deficient in minerals like calcium or zinc. This is because the nail plate is made of a variety of nutrients in certain proportions, so a deficiency in nutrients can show on the nails. However, other experts dispute this idea, arguing that the spots are more likely to be from a minor injury. More research is needed to determine the truth.
There are several types of leukonychia. The most common type is punctuate leukonychia, which presents as small white spots. Longitudinal leukonychia presents as a white band down the nail. Striate or transverse leukonychia is where one or more horizontal lines appear across the nail, parallel to the lunula. Total leukonychia refers to a condition where the whole nail plate is totally white in colour, and it is often a sign of a serious medical issue like liver failure.
If you are concerned about white spots on your nails, it is best to consult a doctor.
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They can be caused by fungal infections
White spots on nails are called leukonychia and are usually not a sign of a serious issue. However, they can sometimes be caused by fungal infections.
Distal subungual infections are the most common type of fungal nail infection and can develop in both fingernails and toenails. When infected, the outer edge of the nail has a jagged appearance with white and/or yellow streaks across the nail. The infection invades the nail bed and underside of the nail. White superficial infections usually affect toenails. A certain type of fungus attacks the top layers of the nail and creates well-defined white spots on the nail. Eventually, these white patches cover the entire nail, which becomes rough, soft, and prone to crumbling. Spots on the nail may become pitted and flaky.
Proximal subungual infections are uncommon but can affect both fingernails and toenails. Yellow spots appear at the base of the nail as the infection spreads upward. This infection can commonly occur in people with compromised immune systems.
There are four main kinds of fungal nail infection, each with a slightly different appearance. Distal or lateral subungual onychomycosis is the most common kind. It results from a fungus called a dermatophyte and can affect both fingernails and toenails. It starts in the nail bed, underneath the nail, and spreads from the edges of the nail to the centre, as well as to places where the nail comes apart from the nail bed. White superficial onychomycosis is less common and only affects the nail surface, mainly on toenails. It starts as white spots, which become powdery and cause the nail to crumble.
Fungi that are already present in or on your body can cause nail infections. If you have come into contact with someone who has a fungal infection, you may have contracted it as well. Fungal infections affect toenails more commonly than fingernails, likely because toes are usually confined to shoes, where they are in a warm, moist environment. If you get a manicure or pedicure at a nail salon, be sure to ask how the staff disinfects their tools and how often they do it. Tools such as emery boards and nail clippers can spread fungal infections from person to person if they are not sanitised.
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Frequently asked questions
This is called leukonychia, and it can affect the whole nail or just parts of it.
There are several types of leukonychia, including total leukonychia, partial leukonychia, punctuate leukonychia, longitudinal leukonychia, and striate or transverse leukonychia.
Some experts say that leukonychia may be a sign of a mineral deficiency, such as a lack of calcium or zinc. However, other experts dispute this and say that the spots are more likely to be from a minor injury.
