Written by our own Nail and Beauty specialist Katie Goraj, who loves all things nails, here is interesting insight into every nook and cranny of your nails , white spots and all! And yes, and a bit of heath in it too…
Sometimes we just underestimate the importance of our nails. We take them for granted and only pay attention when one breaks. Utter tragedy. Nails come in a variety of shapes, colours and structures. But what can we ‘read’ from our nails? Most of us have seen white ‘spots’ on them, however not many of us took that as a warning sign.
In the past mums were convinced that it indicated lack of calcium but now the new research revealed something very different. A glass of milk will no longer do the trick. Many of us don’t know that the white spots have been given a name and its ‘leukonychia’. There are many types of leukonychia which indicate various conditions in our bodies. They also have different sizes and shape, can cover some or most of the nail plate starting from the cuticle area up to the free edge. They move as the nail grows, therefore if we notice a white spot on our nails, it may have been caused by something that happened in our bodies months before.
Nails grow at an average 2-3 mm per month. And they all tell a different story. If we could only but read it. This white spot or a line, not only lacks aesthetical look but also may be a result of lack of zinc and illnesses in our bodies. They may be psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and peptic ulcer disease or kidney infection.
This also indicates that our diet greatly influences the condition of our nails. The following vitamins will result in white spots on the nail plate: vitamin B, vitamin A, iron and zinc. Lack of these may result in not only unaesthetically looking nails, but also weakens and makes them split and thin.
In order to ‘top up’ your zinc intake you should look for lamb, pumpkin seeds, grass-fed beef, chickpeas, cocoa powder; cereals: fortified cereals like bran, whole grain and multigrain cereals contain high amounts of zinc; wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, meats, shellfish, squash seeds, fruits. By making sure our diet is rich in these products we contribute to the healthy look of our nails.
Leukonychia may also be caused by our bad habits. Most of us are guilty of biting, manual work, excessive typing on a computer, using unskilled manicurists who can damage the nail plate, failure to wear protective gloves whilst doing chores.
Therefore it is essential to make sure our nails remain clean, nourished and moisturised at all times. We should avoid excessive use of damaging substances such as acetone and have regular breaks in colour nail application.
The protective use of gloves can’t be stressed enough as well as appropriate diet with plenty of zinc and vitamin A, found in carrots, pumpkins and peaches.
The trend for summer 2018 ‘PEACE and LOVE’
Nostalgic and inspired by 1970’s will see the buff brown tones, sage green with warming mustard yellows and burnt orange. Delicate oval or almond shaped nails creating a flirty style.