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by CuriousGTime on June 7th, 2005

CuriousGTime

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What are the small white marks that sometimes appear on fingernails?

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  • by jenniferprofitt on June 8th, 2005

    jenniferprofitt

    Medically speaking, those little white marks that sometimes appear as dots or lines on the fingernail are known as leukonychia. There are several possible causes for the discoloration, but the most common are mild trauma, a fungal infection, skin conditions, or nutritional deficiencies.

    An old wives' tale fingers another suspect: your diet. In folklore, the most commonly cited cause for those white marks (and probably something your mom warned you about) is a deficiency of certain minerals in your body, such as zinc and calcium. Adding nutritional supplements or foods containing these minerals to your diet could clear up your white flecks in a few months.


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