Causes of peeling on fingernails

There are many reasons for peeling on the edges of fingernails. It may be caused by the lack of certain trace elements, or it may be caused by bacterial infection because we have not paid attention to the cleanliness of our fingers for a long time in our lives. Therefore, we recommend that you should develop good living habits in your life and wash your hands frequently, so that you can better prevent the occurrence of peeling fingers.

Peeling around the fingernails is a sign of vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is a strong reducing agent that is reversibly oxidized and reduced in the body, thus playing a redox role in cells. It is involved in the metabolism of phenylalanine and tyrosine. As a reducing agent (along with oxygen, ferrous ions and 2-keto acids) vitamin C activates enzymes that hydroxylate procollagen proline and lysine to procollagen hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine. Animals with scurvy become increasingly deficient in the amino acid hydroxyproline in elastin. Vitamin C can protect folate reductase, an enzyme that converts folic acid into folinic acid and helps release free folic acid from folic acid complexes in food. Let's take a look at it today.

Cause: Lack of vitamin C.

1. Insufficient intake. If the mother has adequate nutrition, the child will have appropriate vitamin C reserves at birth. The vitamin C content in umbilical cord blood plasma is 2 to 4 times higher than that in maternal plasma, so infants under 3 months old are less likely to develop the disease. However, if the pregnant mother's diet lacks vitamin C, the newborn may also suffer from scurvy. Normal human milk contains about 40-70 mg/L (4-7 mg/dl) of vitamin C, which can meet the needs of general infants.

2. The need to increase When the metabolic rate increases, the need for vitamin C increases. During active growth, the vitamin C content of body tissues drops sharply. Premature infants grow and develop faster, and their vitamin C requirements are relatively greater than normal infants, so they should be supplemented with more.

3. Other factors, such as long-term intake of large amounts of vitamin C, increase its catabolism and renal excretion, thereby reducing plasma vitamin C concentrations. If you suddenly stop taking large amounts of vitamin C, scurvy may occur. If large amounts of vitamin C are used for a long time during pregnancy, the newborn may still suffer from scurvy even if he or she consumes normal amounts of vitamin C every day after birth.

Vitamin C deficiency can also lead to scurvy. Early symptoms are: bad temper, pale skin, indigestion, weakened resistance, etc. In the late stage, bones and capillaries are obviously damaged. In terms of bones, subperiosteal hemorrhage is the main cause.

1. Feeding history and clinical symptoms: Artificially fed infants do not receive complementary foods containing vitamin C, or the mother’s diet lacks fresh vegetables or fruits, or the mother is accustomed to eating only pickled vegetables, etc. The age at which scurvy is most common (3 to 18 months), combined with certain nonspecific symptoms and feeding history mentioned above, can provide clues for the early diagnosis of scurvy. If the disease has developed to a certain stage or late stage, it can be diagnosed based on symptoms such as swollen and painful limbs, frog-shaped legs, and bleeding in the gums and submucosal membranes.

2. X-ray examination: X-ray examination of the long bones of the limbs is extremely important for the diagnosis of this disease. X-rays are taken of the knee, ankle, and wrist.

Differential diagnosis of peeling around the nails:

1. Inward-pointing nail tips indicate abnormalities in the heart, liver, or respiratory system.

2. Brittle nails may indicate iron deficiency, thyroid problems, impaired kidney function, or blood circulation problems.

3. Brittle, soft and easily worn nails indicate a lack of nutrition and may indicate hyperthyroidism.

4. Black nails and/or thin, flat, spoon-shaped nails are signs of vitamin B12 deficiency or anemia. (Nails may also turn black or gray if hands come into contact with detergents or allergens).

5. Dark blue nails indicate lung obstruction, such as asthma or emphysema.

Diagnosis: Vitamin C deficiency can also lead to scurvy. Early symptoms are: bad temper, pale skin, indigestion, weakened resistance, etc. In the late stage, bones and capillaries are obviously damaged. In terms of bones, subperiosteal hemorrhage is the main cause.

Prevention: Experts recommend eating more fruits and vegetables and taking some vitamin B6 together.

1. The high vitamin C content in milk is one of the reasons why human breastfeeding is emphasized. The diet of pregnant women and nursing mothers should include foods rich in vitamin C, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, or they can take vitamin C tablets dissolved in water and added sugar orally. The required amount of vitamin C is about 80 to 100 mg or more per day, which can ensure that the fetus and infants get enough ascorbic acid. Zhu Futang (1936) conducted an experiment and found that as long as 0.5 kg of Chinese cabbage and white radish were consumed daily, the concentration of vitamin C in breast milk could reach as high as 60 mg/L (6 mg/dl).

2. Within 2 to 4 weeks after birth, the baby should be supplemented with food rich in vitamin C and digestible by the newborn, such as fresh orange juice, tomato juice, cabbage soup, radish juice, etc., and vegetable puree should be fed from 4 to 5 months. Artificially fed babies should supplement with an appropriate amount of vitamin C every day. The normal daily intake of vitamin C for infants is 30 mg, for young children it is 30-35 mg, for older children it is 40-60 mg, and for premature infants it is 100 mg per day, as recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society in 1988. When you are sick, you consume more vitamin C and should be given in larger doses.

According to the above statements, we may know that this may be due to a lack of vitamins or a lack of water. We may not pay much attention to it in normal times, but any changes in the body indicate that there is a problem in a certain part of our body, so we can’t ignore it too much, so we must also pay attention to our daily living habits. I hope the above suggestions can help you.