What are holes on nails? Large and small holes on the fingernails: health implications

What do the holes on our nails mean, is their appearance related to health, and why can nail holes disappear? Let's figure it out together.

Taking care of our health, many of us tend to closely monitor our own bodies in order to identify certain problems. Of course, taking good care of your health will ensure the prevention and timely treatment of many diseases. The appearance of our nails can reveal some signs of disease development.

What are holes on nails?

If you look closely at the fingernails, you can see lighter areas in the form of crescents at the base of the growth, called holes or lunules.

The holes can be of different sizes and not located on every nail, as well as stand out or almost blend in color with the rest of the nail.
Sometimes there are no holes at all, and some people notice that with age they have decreased in size or disappeared.
It is believed that nail holes or their absence can indicate health problems and serve as one of the visual diagnostic tools that allows one to suspect a particular disease.

Nail holes - white crescents at the base of the nail

Choice of color and coating

For a lunar manicure, two contrasting colors are selected. Glossy and matte versions of the same shade are often used.

Best combinations:

An example of a combination of contrasting colors in a moon manicure

pink/turquoise/blue + white; blue/red + transparent; purple/black + silver; fuchsia + dark brown; red + gold; white + black.

Also often used for everyday and soft moon manicure are varnishes in delicate pastel colors, such as beige, pink, in combination with white or with each other.

To make your manicure look brighter, you can use glitter polish to create a hole. And by combining the lunar one with the French one, you can get an original design that is suitable for any event.

As a coating, you can choose regular varnish or shellac. But the most suitable would be gel polish. It lasts a long time and gives your nails shine.

Should there be holes on the nails - white semicircles at the base of the nail?

To understand this issue, you should pay attention to the physiological structure of the nail plate.

According to the structure of a healthy nail, there should be holes.

The white color of the nail hole is a consequence of reduced blood circulation and weaker capillary nutrition as a result of the pressure of the growing nail.

Anemia

Anemia is a common blood disorder.

This disease occurs when the blood cells that carry iron-rich hemoglobin do not work properly or when the body does not produce enough blood cells. This causes a lack of oxygen, which can lead to paleness, which can cause the white arches on the nails to become invisible.

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia, which usually occurs when a person has lost blood, such as after a hemorrhage or during childbirth.

Deficiency can also occur when the body does not absorb iron properly or a person does not consume enough iron-rich foods.

Other diseases that can cause anemia include sickle cell disease, exposure to toxic chemicals, and kidney failure.

How are the holes in the fingernails related to health?

By carefully examining the nail holes, you can identify whether the patient has some problems in the functioning of body systems or the development of serious diseases. Such diagnostic methods were widely used by ancient Tibetan and Chinese healers.

Research conducted by modern specialists does not refute methods for diagnosing diseases based on the condition of the nail plates, but taking into account genetic aspects.
Sometimes the appearance and shape of the nail holes may indicate not an existing disease, but a predisposition to it, and also identify the most vulnerable areas.
If you pay attention to this in time, effective prevention will help you avoid serious health problems.

The connection between the nail holes and the entire body.

Large holes on all nails of both hands indicate good health, excellent blood supply, a healthy endocrine system and good vitality. Small holes or their absence indicate health problems or a predisposition to diseases, which will be discussed below.

Holes on the big toe of the nail: indicate the functioning of the brain and lungs.
The holes on the index finger of the nail: inform about the condition of the colon, gastrointestinal tract, and pelvic organs.
Holes on the middle finger: indicate the health or pathology of the blood supply to the vascular system.
Holes on the ring finger: indicate the health of the endocrine and lymphatic systems, kidneys.
Holes on the little finger: talk about bowel function.

By looking at the holes in the nails, you can determine the presence of certain health problems or a predisposition to diseases

Execution examples with step-by-step instructions

Since you don’t always get a beautiful and neat moon manicure the first time, before you start creating, you need to understand the technology and features of applying nail decor. To ensure that the result does not disappoint you, you do not need to start with complex types of decoration; it is better to give preference to the classic style.

Step-by-step instructions for performing Hollywood nail decor using a set of stencils:

To prepare your nails for nail art, you need to use a file to give them the desired shape and then remove the cuticle. The surface of the nails should be sanded to remove excess moisture, which may hinder the application of polish.
To protect against color pigments and other harmful substances contained in the varnish, the nail plates must be degreased. To do this, use a special base coat, such as Soak-Off Gel Base.
Dry your nails under a UV lamp for a minute, 40-50 seconds on each hand.
Using tweezers, separate the round self-adhesive stencils from the base and glue them at the base of the nail so that the holes are the desired width.
We cover the exposed parts of the nail plate with gel polish of the main color. To make it more saturated, you can apply it in several layers.
Peel off the stencils and dry the painted nails under a UV lamp. Drying time for each hand is 2 minutes.
Cover the unpainted area of the nail in the form of a hole with transparent varnish or base.
We have created a classic Hollywood French look that is ideal for a business meeting or a romantic date.

If you easily coped with the first option, and want to create an original and sophisticated manicure for a special occasion, I suggest you combine lunar nail art with a classic French manicure.

Step-by-step instructions for the most beautiful moon jacket:

We trim and degrease the nail plates using a base coat

Dry your nails under a UV lamp for about two minutes.

Apply a basic pink shade of polish to the entire area of the nail. If necessary, repeat the procedure.

Dry the applied layer of gel polish under a UV lamp for 2 minutes.
Using a thin brush and white polish, draw a thin arc along the edge of the nail.

Dip the brush into white polish and mark the boundaries of the arc near the base of the nail plate. Then paint the hole completely. At this step you need to be especially careful and careful. The holes on all nails should be the same width, and their edges should be perfectly smooth.

At the final stage, coat the nails with Topcoat finishing varnish and dry each hand under the lamp for 2 minutes.

Holes on the nails: meaning in palmistry and Tibetan medicine

Nails in palmistry are important in determining the health and character of a person and the condition of the holes too.

An experienced specialist specializing in this field of medicine will help determine the patient’s condition using the lunula using Tibetan medicine methods.

According to the experience of Tibetan healers, there is no cause for concern when the lunulae are located on each nail, are distinguished by a white-pink tint, and the nails themselves have a color that matches the color of the skin and a smooth, even surface.

The reduction in size of the holes or complete disappearance does not occur simultaneously, but gradually - in a certain pattern due to inevitable age-related changes in the functioning of the organs and systems of the body.
First, the lunula of the little finger contracts and disappears, then the ring, middle and, lastly, the index fingers.
The nail hole on the big toe is most pronounced and, as a rule, does not disappear at all. By its appearance one can judge the functioning of the lungs and the activity of the brain and their blood supply.

The lunula on the thumb can significantly decrease in people suffering from pulmonary diseases, long-term smokers and patients with mental and mental disorders.
A decrease in the lunula on the index finger indicates pathologies of the digestive system, large intestine, pancreas and liver, inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract and genitourinary system, which become chronic, as well as problems in the reproductive system.
The nail hole on the middle finger can become smaller due to diseases of the cardiovascular and circulatory system - hypertension, heart rhythm disturbances, vasoconstriction.
The lunula on the ring finger is often almost invisible, which indicates problems with the function of the lymphatic and endocrine systems, the thyroid gland, kidney failure, and slow metabolism.
The hole on the little finger is an indicator of malfunction of the small intestine and cardiac dysfunction.

The reduction of the holes occurs gradually and is associated with age-related and physiological disorders in the functioning of organs.
The color of the nail holes also indicates health problems :

If the lunula has a yellowish tint, you should pay attention to the functioning of the liver
If the holes have a bluish tint, acute heart failure can be suspected
The red color of the lunula indicates an increase in the level of red blood cells in the blood
If the sockets appear transparent, this indicates a decrease in hemoglobin levels

In palmistry, it is believed that lunulas can tell about relationships with the opposite sex.

If there are no nail holes on a man’s hands, this may indicate a preference for loose relationships, a refusal to enter into a marriage, and a fear of a serious relationship.
The absence of lunulae on a woman’s nails indicates problems in the personal sphere - an unsuccessful marriage, the absence of a permanent partner, or short-term romances.

Holes on the nails can tell about relationships in the personal sphere

What disorders can be signaled by the condition of the lunula?

Here are some of the diseases that may be indicated by these lunula abnormalities.

Pale or bluish color of the lunula – possible diabetes mellitus
Turquoise or violet lunula is Wilson's disease, which is caused by a large amount of copper in the body.
Red lunula – heart failure, lupus, or systemic diseases
Brown or black lunulae and nails – excess fluoride in the body
Yellow lunula – caused by taking tetracycline medications
If the lunula disappears, anemia or malnutrition is possible
Lunula disappears and the nail turns yellow - rheumatoid arthritis or chronic sinusitis
The lunula of the nail disappears and the nail turns brown - kidney failure

If you notice any of these sudden changes, you should consult your doctor immediately.

Large holes on the fingernails: meaning

The size of the lunula also indicates health status.

If the nail holes are too large , you should pay close attention to the health of the cardiovascular system.
Enlarged sockets indicate irregular heart rhythms, rapid heartbeat and tachycardia, and low blood pressure.
Often, large, pronounced holes on the nails can be observed in athletes and people whose occupation involves heavy physical exertion.

Small holes on the fingernails: meaning

If the holes on the nails are small or barely noticeable under the cuticle, this may mean poor circulation, and as a result, poor supply to the organs and systems of the body.
Patients may also have a lack of vitamin B12 , problems with the thyroid gland and disruption of normal hormone production.
If it is noticeable that the lunulae are isolated by a transverse stripe from the rest of the nail plate, this indicates problems with blood sugar and the development of diabetes.

The absence of holes in the nails can be genetic and should not cause unreasonable fears

Structure

On three sides the nail plate is surrounded by skin ridges. The rollers on the sides are called lateral. The roller at the lower edge is called proximal (another name for eponychium), which means “located closer to the center,” since in reality the visible part of the plate is not the entire nail. The proximal roller has its own tasks and functions - it protects the root from the penetration of bacteria and foreign elements. The well-known cuticle is the dried part of the proximal ridge. There are people who develop pterygium - this is a phenomenon when the lower layer of the cuticle grows very actively, occupying almost half of the nail plate. It does not cause any harm, does not indicate any pathologies, but only violates the overall aesthetics.

The root is the lower part of the nail plate, protected by the proximal fold. However, still, part of the root looks out - it has a semicircular shape, has a lighter shade and is called “lunula” or simply “lune”.

In addition to the part that is under the skin layer, the nail has a free part. It starts from the “smile line” - a line that is a transition from that part of the nail plate that is connected to the skin and the free edge.

The upper part is called the hairline.

The nail plate has several layers:

1. The uppermost thin one, consisting of keratinized keratin, is called “Dorsal”. Has a protective function.
2. The middle layer is the thickest, consists of soft keratin and is called “intermediate”.
3. The last layer is called “ventral”.

Each of our fingers has a nail bed - a layer of connective tissue on which the nail plate is located, covered with a malpighian layer - a layer of the epidermis in which cell division constantly occurs due to this, the epidermis grows and regenerates. If you turn your finger with the inside facing you, you will be able to see a small part of the nail bed called the hyponychium on the back of the nail, at the base of the free edge.

At the bottom of the nail bed, under the root, there is a matrix - the place where the nail plate originates. The matrix consists of epithelial cells, in the middle layer of which there are onychoblast cells - they form the nail plates.

No holes on nails: reasons

Don't panic if you don't find holes on your nails or your child's nails.

Reduction or absence of lunulae is perceived by modern medicine as one of the symptoms of circulatory disorders.
Diagnosis of body functions only by the condition of the nails cannot be considered authoritative.
Any disease can be detected only after an appropriate examination by a specialist.
In some people, the absence of nail holes is a physiological feature of the structure of the nail plate and in no way indicates the development of a particular pathology.

Even if a person does not have a nail hole, this does not mean that it is necessary to begin self-medication.