Ava Monroe
White spots or discolouration under your nails is a common nail change, known as leukonychia. There are two types of leukonychia: true leukonychia and apparent leukonychia. True leukonychia occurs when the white spots form at the nail matrix, the beginning edge of the nail located under the skin of your finger. Apparent leukonychia occurs when the white spots form on the skin beneath the nail, known as the nail bed. While there are many myths about why white spots develop, they can be caused by vitamin deficiencies, heavy metal poisoning, chemotherapy treatment, fungal disease, or skin disease.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Leukonychia |
| Types | True leukonychia, apparent leukonychia |
| Causes | Heavy metal poisoning, chemotherapy treatment, systemic diseases, fungal disease, other infections, skin disease, vitamin deficiencies |
| Appearance | White spots or lines on the nail |
| True leukonychia | Damage to the nail causes the white spot or line; the white areas remain unaffected when pressure is applied |
| Apparent leukonychia | The nail bed affects the colour of the nail plate; the white spots fade when pressure is applied to the nail and do not move across the nail as it grows |
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What You'll Learn
White spots on nails: Causes
White spots on nails, or leukonychia, are a very common nail change. There are two types of leukonychia: true leukonychia and apparent leukonychia. True leukonychia occurs when the white spots form at the nail matrix, which is the beginning edge of the nail, located under the skin of your finger just before the visible part of the nail. It is caused by damage to the nail, and the white areas remain unaffected when pressure is put on them. These areas will grow out as the nail does. Apparent leukonychia occurs when the bed underneath the nail is affected, causing the nail plate to change colour. It will lessen or disappear under pressure and will not grow out with the nail.
Leukonychia can also be classified by underlying pathology, its distribution, or how it develops. True leukonychia is caused by abnormal nail plate keratinisation, while apparent leukonychia is secondary to disease of the nail bed. Apparent leukonychia can be further divided into partial or total leukonychia. Partial leukonychia refers to when only a portion of the nail plate is affected, while total leukonychia refers to the whitening of the entire nail plate.
Poisoning and medication can also lead to white areas on or under the nails. Heavy metal poisoning, from metals like lead and arsenic, and chemotherapy treatment for cancer can cause white spots to appear. Systemic diseases can also cause white nails, signalling that there is a problem elsewhere in the body. However, this is rarely the cause of white spots.
Fungal disease, other infections, or skin disease around the nail can also cause white spots to appear. Vitamin deficiencies may also play a role in the development of white spots on nails, although more research is needed in this area.
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White spots on nails: Prevention
White spots on nails, known as leukonychia, are a very common nail change. There are two types of leukonychia: true leukonychia and apparent leukonychia. True leukonychia occurs when the white spots form at the nail matrix, which is the beginning edge of the nail located under the skin of your finger just before the visible part of the nail. These white spots appear in the hard part of your nail, called the nail plate, and they will remain unaffected when pressure is put on them. They will grow out as the nail does.
Apparent leukonychia occurs when the nail bed, or the skin beneath the nail, is affected. This type of leukonychia can be distinguished from true leukonychia because the spots will lessen or disappear when pressure is applied to the nail, and they will not move across the nail as it grows.
To prevent white spots on nails, it is important to maintain proper nail hygiene and avoid any potential causes of leukonychia. This includes avoiding heavy metal poisoning, chemotherapy treatment, and systemic diseases that can cause white nails. Additionally, keeping your nails clean and dry can help prevent fungal and other infections that may lead to white spots.
Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can also help prevent vitamin deficiencies, which have been linked to the development of white spots on nails. While there are many myths surrounding the causes of leukonychia, vitamin deficiencies are one of the more plausible explanations.
Finally, it is important to be mindful of any medications you are taking, as certain medications can lead to white areas on or under the nails. If you are concerned about the appearance of white spots on your nails, it is always best to consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
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White spots on nails: Treatment
White spots on nails are known as leukonychia. This can be divided into two types: true leukonychia and apparent leukonychia. True leukonychia describes when damage to the nail causes a white spot or line. The white areas remain unaffected when pressure is applied to them and will grow out as the nail does. Apparent leukonychia occurs when the bed underneath the nail is affected. This type will lessen or disappear under pressure and will not grow out with the nail.
True leukonychia occurs when the white spots on your nails form at the nail matrix. This is the beginning edge of the nail, located under the skin of your finger just before the visible part of the nail. They appear in the hard part of your nail, called the nail plate. Apparent leukonychia happens when the white spots form on the skin beneath the nail (called the nail bed), rather than on the nail itself.
Poisoning and medication can also lead to white areas on or under the nails. Heavy metal poisoning, from metals like lead and arsenic, and chemotherapy treatment for cancer can cause white spots. Systemic diseases can also cause white nails, signalling that there is a problem elsewhere in the body. Fungal disease, other infections, or skin disease around the nail can also cause white spots to appear.
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White spots on nails: Myths
White spots on nails, or leukonychia, are a very common nail change. There are dozens of myths about why white spots develop. Some of these myths are clearly far-fetched, such as the idea that white spots mean you recently told a lie or are about to receive a letter with money in it. However, other popular beliefs, like the ones about vitamin deficiencies, are closer to the truth.
Leukonychia can be divided into two types: true or apparent. True leukonychia describes when damage to the nail causes a white spot or line. With true leukonychia, the white areas remain unaffected when pressure is put on them. These areas will grow out as the nail does. Apparent leukonychia occurs when the bed underneath the nail is affected. With apparent leukonychia, the nail bed affects the colour of the nail plate. It will lessen or disappear under pressure and will not grow out with the nail.
True leukonychia occurs when the white spots on your nails form at the nail matrix, which is the beginning edge of the nail located under the skin of your finger just before the visible part of the nail. It appears in the hard part of your nail, called the nail plate. Apparent leukonychia happens when the white spots form on the skin beneath the nail (called the nail bed), rather than on the nail itself. This type can be distinguished from true leukonychia because the spots fade when pressure is applied to the nail, and they do not move across the nail as the nail grows.
Poisoning and medication can also lead to white areas on or under the nails. For example, heavy metal poisoning from metals like lead and arsenic, or chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Systemic diseases can also cause white nails, signalling that there is a problem elsewhere in the body. Fungal disease, other infections, or skin disease around the nail can also cause white spots to appear.
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White spots on nails: Vitamin deficiencies
White spots on nails can be caused by vitamin deficiencies. White nails are the most common nail dyschromia, where the nail loses its general pink undertone and appears white. This condition is known as leukonychia and can be divided into two types: true or apparent. True leukonychia occurs when the white spots form at the nail matrix, which is the beginning edge of the nail located under the skin of your finger just before the visible part of the nail. It appears in the hard part of your nail, called the nail plate. With true leukonychia, the white areas remain unaffected when pressure is applied to them, and these areas will grow out as the nail does. Apparent leukonychia occurs when the bed underneath the nail is affected, causing the nail plate to change colour. This type of leukonychia will lessen or disappear under pressure and will not grow out with the nail.
Leukonychia can also be classified by underlying pathology, its distribution, or how it develops. It can be caused by abnormal nail plate keratinisation, which leads to discolouration. Additionally, it can be secondary to a disease of the nail bed, such as fungal disease, other infections, or skin disease around the nail. In rare cases, systemic diseases or conditions elsewhere in the body can cause white nails. Poisoning from heavy metals like lead and arsenic, as well as chemotherapy treatment for cancer, can also lead to white areas on or under the nails.
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Frequently asked questions
White spots under your nails are known as leukonychia. They are a very common nail change.
Causes of leukonychia include heavy metal poisoning, chemotherapy treatment for cancer, fungal disease, other infections, and skin disease around the nail.
Yes, there are several myths about why white spots develop under your nails. For example, some people believe that white spots mean you recently told a lie or are about to receive a letter with money in it.
