Introduction

Muehrcke's lines,

Finger nail or toe nail abnormalities can tell you a lot about your health. They're often a sign of a fungal nail infection or injury, but can sometimes indicate amore serious underlying condition.

See your GP if your nails have changed in colour, texture, shape or thickness and you don't know why (for example, you haven't injured your nails or been biting them).

Below are the most likely reasons for the following nail problems:

  • Terry's nails
  • discoloured nails
  • white nails
  • thickened, overgrown nails
  • loose nails
  • indented spoon-shaped nails
  • pitting or dents on the nails
  • grooves going across the width of the nails
  • unusually curved fingertips and nails
  • white lines running across the nails
  • dark stripes running down the nail
  • red or brown little streaks under the nails
  • a destroyed nail
  • infected nail fold (painful, red and swollen skin next to the nail)
Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 29 Dec 2016