Have you been noticing white spots on your nails? What Do White Spots Mean? Should you be concerned?
Causes of white spots
Sometimes we get white spots on our nails and usually it’s no big deal. Just a simple calcium deficiency which can be easily rectified. But sometimes it’s more than that, sometimes it’s something completely different called leukonychia which is more common than you think. Usually these white spots are just a sign of previous trauma or injury to the nail matrix. It takes about six weeks or so from the incident for the white spots to full form on your nail once you’ve all but forgotten about it. Sometimes the injury or trauma can come from a manicure or from excessive pressure applied to the base of the nail. White spots on the nail can also be a sign of an allergic reaction to nail polish or lacquers. Rarely they are also signs of a mild infection.
Treatment for white spots
Whatever the cause or reason, white spots on your nails are no reason to freak out! They are temporary and will eventually grow out with the natural growth of your nails. However, nail growth is completely subjective and can take anywhere from 6 to 8 months for a nail to fully grow out so you might be stuck with them for a while. It’s not uncommon to be worried if you see white spots or a difference in nail color. A lot of the times our nails are good indicators to our health. A drastic change in your nail color can indicate an underlying health issue, but white spots aren’t anything to fret about so feel free to relax a little and get used to seeing a spot here or there for the near future!
Prevention
To prevent white spots from appearing on your nails, take the following steps:
- Avoid contact with poisonous substances.
- Avoid overusing nail polish, let your nails breathe in between color changes.
- Keep nails trimmed.
- Moisturize your nails to avoid over-drying.
