White spots on Nails (leukonychia)

**asif amin** Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:31 am

I have mostly personally observed some spots on various persons hands. I explain about my own nail, sometime when I over exercised or taking fasting I see white spot appear on my nail. After having balance food, it is disappeared gradually.

I quote Beryl Hutchinson book's reference " A Modern Guide to Palmistry - your life in your hands".

Spots on Nails :

White spots are more frequent in some areas of the country then in others. They are often seen in the New Forest where there is a marked calcium deficiency. They are also frequent on the hands of growing children. Sometimes the spots remain for the whole journey of the sheath, sometimes disappear as suddenly as they arrived. There is a theory that bubble of oxygen has become imprisoned under the nail thus impairing the transparency, which is probably the cause of the temporary spots. My own experience attributes the permanent white spots to lack of calcium, probably in the phosphate form of that essential mineral.

Red spots are the result of a blob of blood becoming incorporated in the horn—possibly due to an unnoticed accident.

Black spots first start as blue, turning darker as they merge and spread over the nail, as observed by Dr.Geikie Cobb.

When the spots become so numerous as to combine in cloud-like layers across the nail, usually at the outgrowing end, about half-way from the moon, the situation is exaggerated. The condition may be due to the work on which the hands are employed having an influence on the grease necessary for the horn

.

**Martijn (admin)** Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:13 pm

EDIT: In my october 4 post you can read that 'white spots' can be associated sometimes with a zinc deficiency (though usually these are caused by nail trauma)

Hi Asif,

Thanks for introducing the nail conditions at this forum.

Beryl Hutchinson's book was written 40 years ago, and regarding some aspects the book completely outdated:

For example, 'white spots' (the medical term is: punctate leukonychia) are no longer associated with calcium defficiency. Nowadays, it is merely associated with nail trauma (and possibly a zinc deficiency,,, but probably only when there are A LOT of white spots... but I am not sure: it appears to be a theory only confirmed by sources from the 90's!).

The following article was published in 2009:
http://www.jotad.org/2009/1/jtad93101r.pdf

Which includes on page 2 the following quote:

"Punctate leukonychia is the most common
type and it occurs in normal individuals.
The nail plate shows small opaque white
spots that move distally with nail growth
and usually they disappear in time. Punctate
leukonychia can not be explained by
just abnormal keratinization. Besides
parakeratosis, the air that goes in between
the cells may cause this appearance. It is
also caused by trauma. Punctate
leukonychia is seen in alopecia areata. The
pattern and number of spots may change as
the nail grows."

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) Leukonychia-1

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) Leukonychia-1

Actually, I have a section available on my website about the topic 'leukonychia' ... though I think that section requires an update as well! ( Oh...nooo!

)
http://www.handresearch.com/finger-nails/leukonychia-nail.htm

An example of 'punctate leukonychia' (though usually the spots are much smaller).
White spots on Nails (leukonychia) 1leukoniso

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) 1leukoniso

**Lynn** Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:08 am

Thank you Asif for posting this topic. I am very interested in nails & their markings.

Martijn, when you say " 'white spots' (the medical term is: punctate leukonychia) are no longer associated with calcium defficiency." is that worldwide? or just in the Western world - maybe because generally most people's nutritional intake has improved over the years and so we no longer see the type of white spots on nails associated with calcium deficiency?

I ask this question because normally I see just very small white dots on nails, but three times I saw the kind of "white spots" illustrated below. They look like someone put "Tip-Ex" or white nail varnish stripes on their nails! But on closer inspection they were indeed part of the 'fabric' of the nail, like enormous white spots. Two of the people I saw it on suffered from anorexia nervosa, eating disorder, very thin young women basically starving themselves. I can't remember exactly the 3rd person, I think some kind of digestive/absorption problem. Their nails looked like this picture I saved from an old magazine (I think from 1998?)

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White_10

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White_10

I have always associated small white spots with stress. For example, if it is half way down the middle finger nail then they were stressed about earthy things (physical/material) such as work/money/property/health around 2 -3 months ago. Of course, when they were stressed maybe they weren't eating properly, so Asif noticing white spots after fasting is interesting. Some white spots are trauma to the nail, but they look a bit different from the ones that seem to be 'embedded' that grow out with the nail - trauma looks more like a 'bubble' under the nail or a scratch on nail surface.

**asif amin** Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:40 am

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) Leukonychia

Leukonychia (or leuconychia), also known as white nails,is a medical term for white discoloration appearing on nails.658-9 It is derived from the Greek words leuko ("white") and onyx ("nail"). The most common cause is injury to the base of the nail (the matrix) where the nail is formed.

Leukonychia totalis

This condition is a whitening of the entire nail. This may be due to hypoalbuminaemia (low albumin), which is caused by the nephrotic syndrome (a form of kidney failure), liver failure, protein malabsorption and protein-losing enteropathies. A genetic condition, and a side effect of sulphonamides, a family of antibiotics can also cause this appearance.

Leukonychia partialis

This condition is whitening of parts of the nail. There are several types of this condition.
Diagnosis and treatment

A doctor will take a thorough medical history, and may test liver and kidney function. If a zinc deficiency is identified, a diet rich in zinc or zinc supplements may be administered.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukonychia

**Martijn (admin)** Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:47 pm

Lynn wrote:
Martijn, when you say " 'white spots' (the medical term is: punctate leukonychia) are no longer associated with calcium defficiency." is that worldwide? or just in the Western world - maybe because generally most people's nutritional intake has improved over the years and so we no longer see the type of white spots on nails associated with calcium deficiency?

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts & observations on this topic!

I have the impression that today ALL medical sources deny the formerly assumed link between calcium and white spots. So, I think there is no reason to assume that outside the Western world this former interpretation is still accurate.

But... since calcium, zinc & iron do belong to the major components of the fingernails, a deficiency in the intake of those elements might result in brittle nails (and maybe some other relatively unusual nail characteristics). So I think the white spots should simply not be attributed to deficiency in those elements (again, some medical source do state that only when a large number of white spots are observed - one might consider if there's enough zinc in the diet, but simply recommending more zinc-related food might actually be one bridge too far!).

Regarding the example of cases of anorexia, that's just really a different topic - simply because those people ALWAYS have an unbalanced diet! So, the very large spots might actually be indirectly the result of the combination of a lack of calcium, zinc, iron... + many other minerals. For, the lack of minerals creates an unbalance in the body... usually resulting in stress and neurotic behavior (nail biting

, skin picking Hopeless

, etc), so the large extremely large white spots might actually also be a direct result of the sever nail trauma.

Here's an interesting study which describes a full picture of the related problems in anorexia nervosa:
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowAbstract&ProduktNr=224164&Ausgabe=227732&ArtikelNr=51779&ContentOnly=false

'Capice'...?

PS. Anorexia nervosa is often featured with nail abnormalities, but nail dystrophy & brittle
nails appear to be the most common characteristics.

**Martijn (admin)** Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:58 pm

For those who would like to read more about spots and other unusual nail characteristics, this PDF-document provides an excellent advanced introduction (69 pages with key-info):
http://www.dermpathmd.com/Clinical%20Dermatology/Nails.ppt.pdf

PS. Featured with many photos, etc.

**Lynn** Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:10 am

Martijn (admin) wrote:
I have the impression that today ALL medical sources deny the formerly assumed link between calcium and white spots. So, I think there is no reason to assume that outside the Western world this former interpretation is still accurate.

Ok, thanks.
re zinc, I looked on internet and there seem to be quite a lot of websites quoting zinc defiency correlating with white spots.

Martijn wrote:
Regarding the example of cases of anorexia, that's just really a different topic....<snip>...
'Capice'...?
PS. Anorexia nervosa is often featured with nail abnormalities, but nail dystrophy & brittle nails appear to be the most common characteristics.

Ok, capice! Banana waving

But I was not making any assumption, just observation - that I saw those huge white marks on nails only 3 times and two of them had anorexia.

PS Asif - thanks for your posts on this topic.

**Martijn (admin)** Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:23 am

Lynn wrote:
Martijn (admin) wrote:
I have the impression that today ALL medical sources deny the formerly assumed link between calcium and white spots. So, I think there is no reason to assume that outside the Western world this former interpretation is still accurate.

Ok, thanks.
re zinc, I looked on internet and there seem to be quite a lot of websites quoting zinc defiency correlating with white spots.

Yes Lynn, I know - I have seen a few of those sources. But I think we need at least one 'credible' source for confirmation regarding zinc... for, on the contrary: most sources do not mention the link with zinc at all (they only refer to nail trauma/pedicuring). Have you found a reliable source - preferably a research result???

(Even medical experts who provide online answers... might just be providing answers from sources from the 90's etc.)

**asif amin** Sun Oct 03, 2010 5:22 pm

Regarding white Spot I would like to define my own experience, Now a days I am facing hair falling problem I consulted with dermatologist having degree from U.K , he prescribed me multivitamin with zinc efficiency, interestingly he checked my nail and found white small spot on a nail he advised me it is due to Zinc deficiency and hair falling is also the result of Zinc and calcium deficiency because Zinc and Calcium deficiency weakened the root of hair. Surprised

**Martijn (admin)** Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:10 pm

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White_spots2

Hello Asif,

Thank you for sharing your experience (I am sorry to hear about your problem... but the following should illustrate that your dermatologist has given your the right advice).

For, I can now report 2 credible sources which confirm that (though nail trauma is recognized as the most common cause)... white spots can also relate to zinc deficiency:

- First of all, a 1974 study has pointed this out; the study is titled: 'Fingernail white spots: possible zinc deficiency', see:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/summary/228/2/157

- And second, this recent article (2010), titled: 'A potential medicinal importance of zinc in human health and chronic disease' - includes the following info (see page 10):

"7. DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS

The deficiency symptoms of zinc include
• Growth retardation
• Low blood pressure
• Retarded bones
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of sense of smell and taste
• Weight loss
• Pale skin
• Diarrhea
• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• White spots under finger nails.

The important food sources of zinc include meat based
products. The source of a wide range of trace elements zinc,
especially the most abundant meat, such as chicken, lamb,
beef, rabbit meat, oysters, scallops, blackfish and animal
liver, and so on. Good sources of its mushrooms,
mushrooms, day lily flowers, edible fungus, rape, cabbage,
black sesame, black rice, dates, hazelnuts, ebony and other
vegetables, food crops and fruit."

The full article is available here:
http://www.pharmainterscience.com/Docs/IJPBS-2010-01-02.pdf

**asif amin** Mon Oct 04, 2010 1:53 pm

Thanks Martijin for suggestion me good and balance diet.

**Martijn (admin)** Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:01 pm

Hello Asif,

Very nice to hear that this info is useful for you!
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts + experience.

wave

**Martijn (admin)** Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:04 pm

Hello folks,

Because obviously there are quite a few 'living myths' surrounding this topic - I decided to write a detailed summary about the facts ... and the myths!

You can see the result at:
WHITE SPOTS IN FINGERNAILS - About myths & the true causes!

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White-spots-nails-leukonychia-punctata

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White-spots-nails-leukonychia-punctata

**Martijn (admin)** Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:26 pm

Lynn wrote:
I ask this question because normally I see just very small white dots on nails, but three times I saw the kind of "white spots" illustrated below. They look like someone put "Tip-Ex" or white nail varnish stripes on their nails! But on closer inspection they were indeed part of the 'fabric' of the nail, like enormous white spots. Two of the people I saw it on suffered from anorexia nervosa, eating disorder, very thin young women basically starving themselves. I can't remember exactly the 3rd person, I think some kind of digestive/absorption problem. Their nails looked like this picture I saved from an old magazine (I think from 1998?)

Hi Lynn,

After thinking about this topic a little more... I would like to add that the typical characteristic of 'leukonychia punctata' is that it actually manifests from the nail matrix (root) - which implicates that it doesn't manifest in the nail structure at the surface of the nail.

So, this describes the essential difference with your report about those cases in anorexia - where you are talking about as if the surface of the nails was 'tip-ex-ed'...!

Do you now recognize the difference with the relatively 'normal' white spots?
scratch

...I think what you observed, can not be described as 'normal' at all!?

Thumb up

PS. I also would like to add that 'white bands' in the fingernails (which are often seen in undernourished children in developing countries) are associated with 'protine deficiency':
http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/bookstore/foodqa/ch2/2-31.htm

**Lynn** Wed Oct 06, 2010 11:24 pm

hi Martijn,
Yes I always recognised the difference between them and the more usual small white spots we see. I mentioned those 3 cases as obviously they were 'abnormal',
nb I said - it looked as if the surface of the nails was 'tip-ex-ed'...But on closer inspection they were indeed part of the 'fabric' of the nail.

I mentioned it because I wondered whether the white spots we see nowadays are very different to the white spots mentioned in old literature that talk about nutritional deficiency. There must be some reason why they originally associated white marks on nails with calcium, zinc deficiency - I wondered if, in times when diet was bad, they saw the bigger white markings.

I have seen pictures of white bands in protein deficiency (they look similar to the picture I posted or even bigger white bands) and I suspect that maybe what the anorexic women had.

**Martijn (admin)** Wed Oct 06, 2010 11:52 pm

Hi Lynn,

Sounds excellent, I think in this discussion we have been able to solve quite some parts of the 'white spots puzzle'. By the way, regarding your suggestion that the 'white sports' related to stress...

Maybe it would be interesting to search for stuff how 'stress', 'confusion', 'lethargy', and 'drowsiness' ... relate to zinc!

Why?

Well... the following study presents awesome results on the last three issues that I mentioned!:
http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1990/pdf/1990-v05n04-p198.pdf

And... I just discovered that there is also a clear connection as well between zinc & 'stress':
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C56785.html

"Levels of zinc and other trace minerals were determined in 66 men before and after a five-day period of sustained physical and psychological stress. Zinc levels decreased by 33% on average."

scratch

... that looks quite like a round circle!! Thumbs up!

PS. Lynn, did you know that pharmaceutic compagnies present 'anti-stress pills... with ZINC'? EDIT: I guess... now we UNDERSTAND why!!

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) Omnivit_2122_925310

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) Omnivit_2122_925310

**asif amin** Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:57 am

Dear Martijin

I would like to post another topic " fungus on nail ( Onychomycosis )" because I had suffered from that disease for 3 years ago. Please suggest me to start it with new post or add with this topic. If you want to start this new topic, you are welcome.
Thumbs up!

**Martijn (admin)** Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:14 am

Hi Asif,

Nail fungus is a different topic, so it would be much better if you post your ideas about that topic in a new discussion.

wave

PS. Please create the topic in the brand new forum section: 'IIIg - Fingernails'

**Martijn (admin)** Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:57 pm

Martijn (admin) wrote:[color=darkred]...
Maybe it would be interesting to search for stuff how 'stress', 'confusion', 'lethargy', and 'drowsiness' ... relate to zinc!

Why?

Well... the following study presents awesome results on the last three issues that I mentioned!:
http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1990/pdf/1990-v05n04-p198.pdf

... by the way, this 1990 study e.g. pointed out that among a group of 494 university students - about 65% reported to have 'white spots' on one or more fingers (more often in males).

And the 'white spots' on fingernails were more frequently observed in those students who:
- ... very often confuse left with right;
- ... experience more drowsiness;
- ... sleep more hours (9 or more hours).

Interesting?

**Lynn** Fri Oct 08, 2010 2:44 am

Thanks for finding these correlations Martijn. Seems like we maybe getting somewhere with regard to bringing together various observations of stress/nutrition...
zinc could be the link (oh! I am a poet, and I didn't know it!)
Too late now for me to read the pdf file, but in Uni students I expect to see after first term white spots mainly on apollo finger, final year on index finger.

**Martijn (admin)** Fri Oct 08, 2010 5:42 pm

Yes Lynn, zinc could be the link - anyway, it is for sure a study to remember.

Unfortunately, the students were confronted with only 3 questions - and none of them requested info about which finger(s) display the white spots.

PS. The role of 'stress' is also menitoned in the article (page 200):

"According to Pfeiffer (1978, p. 17) more zinc may be required in the pubertal development of the male than in the pubertal development of the female. Attention should be directed to some of the factors that might decrease intake or availability of zinc for this group. One such factor might be attempts at weight reduction which involve reduced consumption of meat and other sources of zinc. Other factors include high consumption of processed foods where processing reduces zinc, high intake of cereal foods containing phytates which reduce zinc absorption, consumption of alcohol, stress, fitness activities such as jogging which result in loss of zinc through sweating and, for females, the use of oral contraceptives which reduce the availability of zinc. It has also been suggested that masturbation in males is a possible cause of loss of zinc, since semen and prostatic fluid are rich in zinc"

**asif amin** Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:16 pm

Martijn (admin) wrote:PS. The role of 'stress' is also menitoned in the article (page 200):

"... fitness activities such as jogging which result in loss of zinc through sweating and, for females, the use of oral contraceptives which reduce the availability of zinc. It has also been suggested that masturbation in males is a possible cause of loss of zinc, since semen and prostatic fluid are rich in zinc"

Dear Martijin,

Please suggest, fitness exercise such as jogging is necessary now a days, only some person affects with weakness. What you advice after work out one should take some juices or mineral foods? And another question is after marriage every one is indulging in sexual relationship, is this relationship decrease zinc? masturbation and sexual relationship both decrease the fluid of human.

**Martijn (admin)** Thu Jun 30, 2011 12:59 am

Hi Asif,

(Sorry, I hadn't noticed your question so far)

Since zinc is an essential mineral, I think the simple answer to your question should be...that all these actvities should best be combined with a (natural) balanced food intake - such as e.g. oysters, cacao, seeds, germs, and meat like: liver & lamb (see the video below!).

PS. Seriously,... ( lol!

) ... it is not coincidence that some of these foods are sometimes associated with 'erotic-food' (oysters & cacao)...!

**Martijn (admin)** Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:01 am

PS. Earlier today I wrote a summary-article about this excellent topic, see:
http://palmreadingperspectives.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/the-truth-about-white-spots-on-the-fingernail-trauma-stress-zinc-deficiency/

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White-spots-fingernail-leukonychia-punctata

White spots on Nails (leukonychia) White-spots-fingernail-leukonychia-punctata

**asif amin** Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:16 pm

Martijin, Thanks for sharing great information.

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