Why do some people have crescents on their nails and others don't? scientific explanation
Have you ever seen a white semi-ellipse on your nails? Some people call it "Crescent Moon". In fact, its scientific name is "A Half Moon" or "Half Moon Mark", which is actually a natural phenomenon in the process of nail growth.
Some people think that the white "crescents" on the nails are nutritional circles. The more crescents, the healthier they will be. Is this true?
Why are there crescents on human fingernails?
On our fingernails, we can see a white semi-ellipse more or less, some people call it like a "little sun", and some people call it "crescent moon", the scientific name of this white area is "a half moon" or "half moon" Marks" are actually a natural phenomenon in the process of nail growth.
Human nails are translucent and are produced by keratinocytes in the methyl group. The methyl group grows from the root, and the newly produced keratinocytes are round and white, and they will push the old cells to grow outward, so the nails we usually cut off are those old cells that have become hard.
So why is it crescent-shaped?
The growth rate of methyl groups decreases to both sides, and the time for keratinocytes to become translucent is fixed, thus forming the arc-shaped white and translucent junction.
Why can't some people see the crescent moon on their fingernails?
It is normal to have no crescents on human nails, but it is necessary to observe whether there are pathological changes. The white crescent on the nail represents the nail matrix, that is, the nail germinal center. Part of the nail matrix is covered by the skin and partially exposed. The usually observed nail matrix is commonly known as the crescent, also known as the nail half moon.
The absence of a half moon on the nails of some patients does not actually mean that there is a disease in the body, but in some cases, the disease may lead to abnormal nail half moon.
When patients have diseases such as psoriasis or alopecia areata, the nail half moon will appear red or red spots, and some patients with onychomycosis will repeatedly pull the nail skin, which will cause the nail half moon to lengthen.
However, such skin diseases are not directly related to the inside of the body, so the presence or absence of a half moon does not mean that there is a disease in the body, the key is whether the patient has morbid problems or morbid changes.
The more crescents on the nails, the healthier the body is?
The formation of nail crescent is a process of nail growth. The scientific name is "a half-moon" or "half-moon scar". The whiter the crescent moon represents the newly grown nail, which has not become hard. Therefore, the number of crescents is not directly related to physical health.
As we age, the stratum corneum cells on the fingers become more and more mature, and the keratinocytes divide less and less, which will cause the previously clearly visible crescents to gradually become smaller or even disappear.
If the nail mother is in front or the nail grows fast, the crescent area will be large, otherwise it will be small. There are individual differences in the size of each person's crescent moon, and it is not that the larger the crescent moon, the healthier it is.
If the lunula has abnormal performance for a long time, you should pay attention
【When the crescent of a finger changes】
Usually, the crescent on the little finger goes unnoticed or disappears completely. It is involved in the work of the kidneys, small intestine and heart. Elevated crescents may be the cause of high blood pressure.
The ring finger is responsible for the work of the reproductive and lymphatic systems, a barely visible crescent suggests digestive problems; the middle finger is associated with the work of the brain and cardiovascular system; the absence of a crescent may indicate vascular problems and high blood pressure; due to intestinal, pancreas or chronic ENT The disease does not function properly, and the index finger half moon will disappear or become quite small.
The crescent on the thumb reflects the work of the lungs and spleen. It is the most visible of all nails and should not exceed 25% of the entire nail. People who smoke will have significantly smaller crescents, while those with high blood pressure will get bigger.
【Oversized crescent moon】
A crescent is considered oversized when it occupies one-third (or more) of the nail. They indicate a problem with the cardiovascular system. Large crescents are common in athletes and people who are physically active. If a person does not exercise, high-intensity stress may cause the crescent moon to increase.
【Little crescent moon】
Small crescents, barely visible behind the stratum corneum, indicate hypotension and circulatory disturbances. This could be a sign of a weakened immune system, poor metabolism, or a lack of iron and B12.
If there is a clear horizontal separation between the crescent moon and the rest of the nail, it indicates that there is a problem with the blood sugar level and may develop into diabetes.
【Crescent moon can't be seen at all】
Don't panic if you don't find a crescent on your or your child's nails. They don't usually show up on a child's nails, but rather develop over time. In some people, they do not appear at all due to the physiology of the nail structure.
However, the sudden disappearance of the crescent moon is considered by modern medicine as one of the symptoms of circulatory disorders. This study shows that a lack of crescents is associated with thyroid disease and deficiencies in vitamin B12 and iron.