thumb fingernails are turning white ... why?
 

I noticed something kind of strange, my thumb fingernails are turning white where they should be pink. Not the moon part, but the rest of the nail. One more than the other. It’s not a fungus. It’s weird. RSD has been moving into my hands for a while, and now this.

Any ideas or just part of the gig? :confused:

Lack of blood flow/oxygen??
What happens if you press it for awhile and release it, does color change?

on the right hand (it's worse in that it's more white) no color change just stays white when I push on it. On the left it does get a bit more white when I push on it. It is most bizarre. It almost looks like white nail polish. Not rough or ridged. But like I mentioned my hands and forearms have become much more riddled with CRPS as of late. But my toes haven't done anything like this and that's where mine started (toes, feet, ankle, leg). I will have to ask the doc I guess when I go back in June. Just strikes me as odd. Thanks for your response!

Hi Vrae,

I had a large white patch that came up on one of my fingernails, it's in the process of moving down towards the tip, and the rest of the nail seems to be ok. I know fingernails can allegedly tell a lot about your health in terms of their condition, it might be due to a mineral deficiency or something like that.

Is it the nail itself, or the flesh under the nail (nailbed) that is white? If its the nailbed then I think it's probably a blood flow thing (I have patches on my toes where the blood flow is crap and it does look odd), if it's the nail itself then I'd ask your docs opinion.

Sorry I can't really help! Good luck :)

Bram.

Thanks Bram, I've heard that too about nails telling a lot about your health, but I don't know much more than that. I've ask the Google Gods and didn't get much that made sense for me. I can't really tell if its the nail or the flesh. I guess if it starts to grow out then it's the nail, but it's odd like that. It starts to be white just after where the moon is, and then stops just before where the nail has is growing out over flesh. clear as mud? To me also! lol <sigh> just one more unknown for now I guess. I showed it to my daughter tonight and said, doesn't it look like I'm wearing white polish? She agreed.

Thanks for the feedback!

I've just been doing some research lol, and white areas on your nails seem to be generally regarded as being caused by stress :rolleyes: or a zinc deficiency. Have a chat to a chemist re adding a zinc supplement into your meds, but it's got to be worth a try - its very common apparently....

Quoted from Fitday site...
"Eating a diet rich in zinc foods is a necessary part of maintaining your dietary health. Zinc contributes to many aspects of your general health. It contributes to quality of eyesight, taste, smell, hair and skin. It is also linked to the production of testosterone in men and the lessening of PMS symptoms in women. It even boosts the health of pre-natal babies as a necessary component of healthy birth weight.
But, perhaps the most widely known benefits of proper zinc intake is a fortified immune system. Zinc aids in the building of 100 different enzymes, and helps protect the body against sickness and decay."

That seems to prod some very interesting buttons....immune system (yep that's crap with CRPS), various benefits to skin (which of course is the focus for so much of the symptoms). Might add a supplement of it myself!!!

Foods with good zinc content include:
Meat, shellfish, nuts and seeds, milk, cheese, bread, cereal (those last two are no good for me, being a coeliac!).

Hope this helps a bit, and thanks for prompting me to research it. Sounds like its worth adding something into my own diet. I'm going to add vitamin C and zinc now, maybe even a general supplement. I'll talk to my chemist!

Bram. :grouphug:

Well how awesome are you?! Thank you for your help Bram! How nice of you. Very interesting indeed. I may have to try that. I had blood work done not long ago and found my b-12 to be very low. Apparently from the dose of Neurontin I take 3 x's daily and could never live without. I was nearly doing face plants at my desk from exhaustion in the afternoons. Once I started to take it daily it really reduces how tired I can get. I say tired but I mean like an overwhelming I must lay down right now kind of feeling! If I slip up and forget a couple of days to take the b-12 I always know because of how tired I will get. I am learning how important vitamins really are.

Thanks again hon!

You are very welcome :)

I will also be adding a B12 supplement lol.....thank YOU!!

Bram.