I was going to post asking if anyone knows what fingernail changes mean, what health conditions the changes reflect. I decided to Google it, thought I'd share a few links I found.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nails/WO00055
This has slides of some conditions. Nothing better than a picture to compare your own nails against.

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-a...s-about-health
This two-page article starts with tips for keeping your nails healthy, then has a chart on changes caused by different health conditions.

My nails definitely reflect a couple of my health conditions, though you have to look closely to see it. Which I guess means my conditions aren't too bad... yet.

Please share any advice or knowledge you have, or just your personal experience.

I have always had soft nails and could not grow them much passed the fingertips before they would tear off. I read in a Dr.'s column to buy colorless (sometimes called white) iodine. Ask the pharmacist for it. Apply it to the nails every day for 10 days then once a week thereafter to help harden them. I use a q-tip to do this. IT WORKS!!! My nails grow longer and I have to file them now to keep them shaped up. Of course it is not instant but keep doing this , they definitely get alot strongerer and harder. The only draw back is , do not put your hands in clorox water for a couple days after using the iodine or the nails will turn orange. I did it but it did scrub off. If using clorox or bleach just wear rubber gloves, probably better for your hands anyway. I have been doing it for over a year and my nails are really nice and hard now. Ruth

My dad had clubbed fingers ... he died from emphyzema. Ever since I found out that clubbed fingers is a sign of repiratory problems I always notice other peoples fingers.

When I quit taking daily calicum, fingernails got soft. Now I'm back on calicum.

Mine have some ridges from my longstanding iron-deficiency anemia. They also show another condition I have, which is supposed to be very mild. My guess is, if it shows in my fingernails, the condition isn't that mild. <sigh>

Iodine does help nails. I once had a horse that came from a previous owner with some hoof problems. The farrier had me mix glycerin and iodine together and paint the hooves every day for a few weeks and they toughened up and were very strong without cracking. After that I applied it about once a week or so for maintenance.

Once when I was a teenager, the optometrist looked into my eyes, then pinched my fingernail and nailbed with his fingers and told my mother I was anemic and to take me to my regular doc for a blood test. I was very anemic and put on iron supplements. Nail health is indicitive of overall health!! Pay attention to them :-)