No. 184Health3 minviews 93
Published by GK Library Annex
Are white spots on your nails a sign of calcium deficiency?
They are often called a sign of low calcium, but most are traces of a small knock the nail root took a few weeks earlier
The small white spots that appear on fingernails mostly have nothing to do with a lack of calcium. Dermatology research points to a minor knock to the root of the nail as the most common cause.
Where the white spots form
A nail is made at the nail root, hidden from view just behind the cuticle. There, new nail cells harden and are pushed forward.
If this root area is pressed or bumped, some of the cells made at that moment fail to harden properly. That part does not let light through evenly, so it looks white, and as the nail grows it moves forward as a spot. The medical term is punctate leukonychia.
Why you don't remember bumping it
Nails grow slowly, so it takes a few weeks after the root is knocked for the white spot to become noticeable. By then you have already forgotten catching your finger in a door or tapping a nail on a desk, and you only see the spot.
Nail biting, pushing hard during a manicure, and shoes that are too small can also be causes. The spots are seen more often on fingernails than toenails, and more in children than adults, which is thought to be because those are the hands that get bumped more.
The calcium deficiency myth
It is common to hear that white spots mean you are short of calcium or zinc. But a 2022 review of leukonychia in the international journal American Journal of Clinical Dermatology concluded that these dot-like white spots are not related to the calcium or iron content of the nail.
A European dermatology patient leaflet also explains that when people with white spots were studied, they did not have calcium or zinc deficiency. Some experts, however, think there is not yet enough research to rule out any link with specific nutrient deficiencies entirely.
How long they take to go and when to look closer
Spots caused by a knock need no treatment; they grow out with the nail. According to the Cleveland Clinic in the United States, it takes about 6 to 9 months for fingernails, and about 12 to 18 months for toenails, for the spot to be pushed out far enough to be clipped off.
A few spots that come and go are common. But if a whole nail turns white, or spots keep appearing on several nails along with grooves or splitting, it may be due to a skin condition or another health issue, so it is a good idea to see a doctor.
Small white spots on nails are mostly traces of a knock the nail root took a few weeks earlier, and they disappear on their own as the nail grows.
Notes and references · Am J Clin Dermatol "What Can White Nails Tell Us?" (2022). Concludes punctate leukonychia is usually due to trauma and unrelated to calcium or iron. Grow-out times per the Cleveland Clinic. Some say research on deficiency links is limited
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