The presence of a crescent moon is not important, the color change is what matters

Review expert: Zhang Yuhong, chief physician of the Department of Dermatology, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University

Recently, 25-year-old Beth from Australia shared her experience of hand infection caused by manicure on social media.

She said that she has been doing nail art for 11 years. Because she likes to bite her nails, she often uses manicures to cover up her bitten nails.

Source: Star Video

However, after trying a new nail salon before the lockdown, she now has lingering fears. She said that after a nail technician used the equipment without sterilizing it, Beth's nails began to turn red and painful the next day, accompanied by a fever. After being sent to the doctor for examination, she was diagnosed with paronychia.

Nails are one of the least conspicuous tissues in our human body, but their size, shape, color and other characteristics hide huge mysteries and are closely related to our physical health.

Source: pixabay

The nail is composed of the nail plate, nail root, nail bed and other structures. The main part of the nail is the nail plate, which is exposed, transparent and hard; the part of the nail plate that goes deep into the skin is called the nail root; the flat skin around the nail root is called the nail bed. The nail grows out from the nail root, most of the nail root is located under the nail bed, and a small part is located on the nail plate, which is the lunula. The lunula is the white area at the root of the nail, which looks like a half-moon, hence the name. Speaking of the lunula of nails, careful people will find that some people around you have lunula on their nails, while some do not. What is the reason?

Source: growmorehealth

1Why do some people have half-moons on their nails while others don’t?

Some people have half-moons on their nails, while others do not. This is mainly determined by genetic factors and pathological conditions. Some people's nail roots grow slowly by nature, so no half-moons are visible. In addition, the growth rate of nails is closely related to the existence and size of the nail roots. If the nails are trimmed or worn frequently, it will stimulate the growth of the nail roots, causing the half-moons to grow larger and larger.

The root of the nail is the foundation of the nail and also the newly grown nail. The newly grown nail is white and becomes transparent when mature, which is why the root of the nail is white. As for why it is in the shape of a crescent. The growth rate of the root of the nail decreases from the center to the sides, and the time it takes for keratin to become translucent does not change with different positions, so an arc-shaped boundary between white and translucent is formed. The nail is round, but the root is flat, so the translucent keratin at both ends is hidden in the flesh, while the keratin in the center is still exposed on the outside, which is why the nail is in the shape of a crescent.

2. Is the crescent related to health?

Some people regard the crescent shape as a sign of whether a person is healthy. Is this view correct? Let's take a brief look at it from the following aspects.

1) Big Crescent

When the lunula occupies 1/3 of the entire nail area, it is generally considered a large lunula. A large lunula may indicate cardiovascular problems, abnormal heart rate or low blood pressure. In addition, people who engage in heavy physical activities or are under great stress may also have a large lunula.

2) Small Crescent

If the lunula is not visible at all, or if it does not extend beyond the surface of the cuticle, it is generally considered to be too small. A small lunula may indicate low blood pressure, a slow metabolism, a weak immune system, and deficiencies in iron and vitamin B12. If the lunula is clearly separated from the rest of the nail by a horizontal line, it may indicate blood sugar problems or a risk of diabetes.

3) Missing crescent

Sometimes you can't see the half-moon on your nails, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. However, if the half-moon does disappear, it may indicate a problem with your blood circulation, a problem with your thyroid gland, or a lack of iron or vitamin B12.

4) Crescent color changes

If the crescent is gray instead of the normal white, it may indicate that the body needs rest, or it may be related to digestive problems and difficulty absorbing nutrients. If the crescent is more purple, it may be a sign of poor blood circulation and lack of oxygen in organs and tissues. If the crescent is black, it is likely a symptom of heavy metal poisoning. If this happens, it is recommended to seek medical attention in time. In addition, the shape of the crescent is also related to the body's growth rate, metabolism, and nutritional environment. Therefore, judging a person's health by the shape of the crescent should take into account the above factors.

Source: growmorehealth

3. Trim your nails correctly

The lunula is a signal light for good health. For the sake of good health, we must pay attention to the lunula in our lives and pay attention to it when trimming our nails. If we want to take good care of our nails, we must choose the correct trimming method.

Source: Nurse Key

If the nails are trimmed too short, the soft tissue is likely to be exposed, increasing the risk of infection and possibly causing the nails to grow inward. In addition, if the nails are cut into a round shape, it may also cause the nails to grow inward and even induce paronychia. Grinding the nails back and forth will also reduce the strength of the nails. Therefore, in order to better protect the fingers, it is necessary to correct the daily grinding habits. **The correct trimming method should be to first disinfect the nail scissors and grinding plate with alcohol cotton pads, and then soak the skin and nails of the fingers to soften them. When trimming, you should start from the middle of the nail and trim it flat. Be careful not to trim it too short at one time. Finally, moisturize it with hand cream. **I guess when you trim your nails and do manicures in your daily life, you don’t think that these small nails actually hide a lot of secrets, which require us to pay special attention and care.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that nails (especially the crescent shape on the nails) can reflect the health of our body to a certain extent. Therefore, when trimming nails and doing manicures in daily life, you need to master the correct maintenance methods. If you find any abnormalities in your nails, you should seek professional medical help in time.