A WINDOW ON HEALTH

The nails can reveal much about a person's overall health. Many diseases and serious conditions can be detected by changes in the nails. This is why doctors often check the nails carefully during a physical examination. The most common health conditions that the nails may be revealing are:

Condition	Nail Appearance
Liver Diseases	White nails
Kidney Diseases	Half of nail is pink, half is white
Heart Conditions	Nail bed is red
Lung Diseases	Yellowing and thickening of the nail, slowed growth rate
Anemia	Pale nail beds
Diabetes	Yellowish nails, with a slight blush at the base

A dermatologist is a physician who specializes in treating the medical, surgical and cosmetic conditions of the skin, hair and nails. To learn more about nail fungus and nail health, log onto www.aad.org or call toll free (888) 462-DERM (3376) to find a dermatologist in your area.