Re: brown nails

In Reply to: brown nails posted by nicole on October 24, 2000 at 21:08:05:

: I have brown nails.I had them ever since I was a child.I used to be a chronic nail biter. Is there a problem? Also my nails are very thin.Paper thin. Am I missing some type of vitamin? thankz

Since you were a nail biter as a child, you very well may have sustained permanent damage to the nail matrix. There are 3 basic types of nail biters: nibblers, biters and cannibles. The cannible will bite at the free edge, the cuticles, the sidewalls, and sometimes the surface of the nail plate. The ncessant pressure applied to the nail plate can damage the matrix where the nail plate cells are developed. Any damage to the matrix is evident in the emerging nail plate and can never be reversed. The staining could possibly be a low grade bacterial infection that is present in the matrix, or could be from the damage sustained from all the biting. It could also signify some internal disorder. If they have been brown forever, it could be hereditary, or from the water in your area. Water that contains too much flouride can stain your teeth, and the same will hold true with the fingernails.