Feeling good is within the power of your hands.
Where is Your Lunula?
Nail polish masks lunulae. Women usually do everything possible to make hands attractive. Pedicures and nail polish can hide underlying problems. Healthy fingernails should be smooth and glossy with a white crescent called the lunula. On average, it occupies one-fifth of the surface near the cuticle. It is normal to have 8 to 10 visible lunula (two are generally absent from respective pinky fingers).
Lunula care is usually administered by those in the cosmetology and dermatology professions. However, some suggest a cardiology correlation. The lunula is not just pigment. Even when the nail is removed, the lunula remains in place. It looks like another smaller fingernail embedded in the nail bed. It contains stem cells and a nail plate matrix that helps the nail grow.
Eastern Medicine Diagnosis
When a doctor looks at your hands during a routine exam, (s)he may see more than what you care to admit. Questions about how often you exercise might seem intrusive to non-athletic patients.
According to Eastern medicine, a more energetic person has correspondingly whiter lunulae. Minimal lunulae signals lower energy, poorer health, poor blood circulation, depleted immunity, and possible digestion problems.
No Moons on Hands Except Thumbs
When lunulae only appear on the thumbs, physical energy is insufficient and disease may be imminent. People with absent fingernail moons are not necessarily ill but they tend to have serious diseases when they do get sick. Conversely, some Western doctors may simply view lunula absence as atypical. Others express more concern.
Western Medicine Diagnosis
A red lunula is common among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In patients with Wilson’s disease (hepatolenticular degeneration), lunula is blue (azure lunula). Heart failure can show up as red lunula. Tetracycline therapy can turn it yellow. A blue-gray nail is indicative of silver poisoning.
Excessive fluoride ingestion may turn nails brown or black. Chronic renal failure affects almost all the systems of the body, including skin and appendages. Three nail disorders most common in patients with chronic renal failure are half-and-half nails, absent lunulae, and splinter hemorrhages.
Don’t “bite your nails” if you lack lunulae. Take it as a sign to exercise for better cardiovascular circulation and to subsequently feel A Bit More Healthy. The Understanding Skin anatomy poster includes a cutaway illustration of the fingernail for further study of the lunula.
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To support the writing of useful articles about dermatology, ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online. You may sponsor specific articles or remit a small donation.
ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online to offset expense of the writing useful articles about dermatology. Slide extra posters into DeuPair Frames without removing from the wall.
ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online. You may remit a small donation.
You can support the writing of useful articles about dermatology by sponsoring specific articles or remitting a small donation. Visible content is optimized for device size.
