What do YOUR fingernails say about your health? NHS doctor reveals the subtle signs you need to look out for – from a dark streak linked to cancer to yellow stains suggesting a fungal infection
- Dr Karan Rajan is a surgical doctor, as well as a lecturer at Sunderland University
- The NHS doctor shares medical information to his 4.2million followers on TikTok
- In a recent clip, he shared what the appearance of your nails could be hinting at
An NHS doctor has revealed how changes in your fingernails can signal underlying health problems.
Dr Karan Rajan, a surgical doctor, as well as a lecturer at Sunderland University, informed his 4.2million TikTok followers on how the texture and appearance of a person’s nails could be hinting at various conditions.
In a recent video, which has been viewed close to eight million times, he explained that a dark streak could be linked to cancer, yellow stains suggest a fungal infection and cracked fingernails indicate nutritional deficiencies.
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An NHS doctor has revealed how changes in your fingernails can signal underlying health problems (pictured)
Dr Karan Rajan (pictured), a surgical doctor, as well as a lecturer at Sunderland University, informed his 4.2million TikTok followers on how the texture and appearance of a person’s nails could be hinting at various conditions
Starting his clip, he said: ‘If you’ve noticed these cloud-like white spots on your nail – they’re common and usually normal. It can also be caused by physical injury to the nail.’
However, he cautioned viewers about a dark streak on their nails that has been there for a while and seems to be growing in size.
What do YOUR fingernails say about your health?
Dr Karan Rajan revealed how the texture and appearance of a person’s nails could be hinting at various conditions:
1. Dark streak could be linked to cancer
2. Yellow stains suggest a fungal infection
3. Cracked fingernails indicate nutritional deficiencies
4. Cloud-like white spots likely to be caused by a physical injury
5. Little craters are ‘usually caused by psoriasis, arthritis, or eczema’
If it hasn’t been caused by an injury, it could be a rare type of cancer known as subungual melanoma, which is a serious type of skin cancer that occurs in the skin under your nails.
He moved on to talk about little craters that sometimes appear on nails and look like ‘someone’s taken an ice pick to them.’
‘This is called pitting, and is usually caused by psoriasis, arthritis, or eczema,’ he said.
He also explained why your nails might be yellowing, suggesting it could either be a fungal infection known as onychomycosis, or tobacco from smoking.
If your nails are cracking and flaking, they could be brittle nails, which Dr Rangrajan attributed to a number of nutritional deficiencies and urged viewers to follow a varied diet.
Since the video was posted, it has garnered more than 760,000 likes and comments from users saying they weren’t aware of these issues.
However, many have pointed out that a dark line running through your nails is a common occurrence in people with a dark complexion.
One person said: ‘I have the second one but my doctor said it was melanonychia (a brown or black pigmentation of the nail unit), which is extremely common with people of darker skin tone.’
In a recent video, which has been viewed close to eight million times, the doctor (pictured) explained that a dark streak could be linked to cancer, yellow stains suggest a fungal infection and cracked fingernails indicate nutritional deficiencies
Another one added: ‘He forgot to mention that black line is pretty common in Asian and African people and it’s usually harmless.’
Many were afraid they could be suffering from a rare form of skin cancer, with one adding: ‘No don’t scare me I have that black thing down my thumbnail and it’s been there for a long time.’
Another one joked: ‘I’ve had a black line on my nail for years. We’ll see you at my funeral.’
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