Your fingernails reveal much about your health. So much so, nail polish and artificial nails must be removed prior to surgery.

Fingernails protect the nerves at the tips of our fingers with a layer of keratin. This protein forms a protective shield, taking up to three months to grow.

A healthy nail will be smooth and the bed underneath pink. A blue nail bed, or streaks of white or red, could indicate poor circulation, disease, or poor nutrition. If your nails often break or splinter, your nails are telling you something.

While fingernails are a handy indicator of our health, we often subject them to abuse. They swell when they get wet. Then shrink when they dry. This swell-shrink cycle can eventually leave your nails brittle. Not drinking enough water can stress your nails and cuticles too. Wear rubber or vinyl gloves when using water, soap or chemicals.

Nutrition Response Testing (NRT) does allow us see “why” your nails are as they are. Remember, any deviation from the norm could mean non-optimal health for you. 

In good health, 
Dr. Serge & Dr. Stacey