3 Reasons Your Nails Are Naturally Dark

If you're a vegan, vegetarian or just prefer fruits and vegetables to meat most of the time, you may face a challenge getting enough protein into your diet. Animal products contain all the amino acids the body needs to maintain itself. Relying on other sources like nuts, grains, seeds and vegetables for nutrients is doable, but without some know-how and judicious monitoring, forgoing animal protein on a regular basis can lead to deficits.

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient present in animal products, but it's often harder to find in sufficient quantities from other sources. A B12 deficiency can cause dark nails or nails that tend to curve. It can also cause tiredness, light headedness, bleeding gums, constipation and other symptoms. Although gray or brownish nails are an indication of vitamin B12 deficiency, the dark coloration can also be a symptom of illness, particularly if the condition is recent or presents with thickened nails, concave nails or nails that are lifting from the nail bed. Yellowish nails can also be a symptom of a zinc or iron deficiency, too.

If you've been smoking for a while, you may be used to seeing yellow tobacco stains on your fingers. The yellow discoloration that occurs on your fingernails is something a little different. Some of the yellow may be coming from cigarette smoke wafting up your fingers from the ciggy in your hand. There's a more ominous cause, though. That yellow tint you see on your nails after months, years or even decades of smoking is the effect of reduced blood flow from inhaling cigarette smoke. The color is unsightly, but it's also an indication that your nails aren't receiving proper nutrition, which leaves them vulnerable to fungal infection.

Just because you've had quirky, colorful nails for a while doesn't mean that bluish, brown, yellow or two-toned darkening is biologically normal for you. What you've come to expect as the regular appearance of your nails may actually be a subtle indication that you have a medical problem that needs attention. In fact, doctors will often inspect a patient's nails for symptoms of disease. It's true that a recent change in the appearance of your nails is a potential warning sign you should discuss with your doctor, but darkening that's been present for a long time can still be significant.

If you have a doctor's appointment coming up, avoid applying polish to your nails for a while, and ask your doctor to have a look at your naked nails. We don't want to alarm you here. Nail coloration (shape and density) can suggest illness, but one symptom, like nail color, can occur across a number of conditions, some minor and others major. If you think your nails may be trying to tell you something, listen to your digits and get a professional assessment.