Discolored nails and nail beds, or fingertips will make your fingers look unnatural. While a color like light yellow is easy to mask, a purple one is quite serious and dark – and very noticeable.
What causes purple nail beds? What do they mean?
Here are the possible causes and cures for purple discolored nail beds and fingertips.
Some illnesses cause specific characteristics, marks, or colors to appear on the fingernails. Purple nail beds are often an indication of different illnesses, including lack of enough oxygen in the body.
Cyanosis is the medical term used to describe the bluish hue that appears underneath the fingernails. The condition can be because of hypoxemia, which indicates the presence of a low amount of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin, which is normally found within your red blood cells.
Traditionally, the arterial blood should be flush with the oxygenated cells, and this makes the blood to appear bright red. But, when there is a decline in the oxygen levels, the blood ends up having very few red blood cells, and will thus begin to turn blue-red.
Given that the skin is a combination of the color of blood as well as skin pigmentation, cyanosis, is, therefore, an indicator that there is a deficiency of oxygenated cells, leading to the purple nail beds.
When the temperatures are very cold, they can temporarily slow your blood flow to the various parts of the skin, and this will lead to the bluish color, which should go away when you become warm. As explained above, purple nail beds can be an indication that you have certain disorders, hence the need to seek medical attention.
For Raynaud’s disease, your toes and fingers will blanch and then turn blue before they become painful or numb upon being exposed to cold temperatures.
In this case, the major problem is the oversensitivity of the nerves that are controlling the flow of blood through the various arteries supplying blood to the peripheral parts of your body such as the nose, fingers, and toes.
When chronic cyanosis occurs, it could be an indication that a person has specific lung problems such as asthma and pulmonary embolism. High altitudes, heart problems, and reactions to particular medication like minocycline, relied upon when treating bacterial infections, as well as some sedatives.
You need to be aware that ingesting colloidal silver may also lead to the skin becoming slate-blue colors as well as causing purple nail beds.
If you realize that the bluish nails have not been caused by a reaction to the cold temperatures, it is recommended that you see your physician for a comprehensive medical checkup, which will assist in determining the cause.
The physician may perform a rapid blood-gas analysis, which is meant to measure the amount of oxygen that is present in the blood. A series of tests may also be conducted to check the condition of your lungs and heart.
Why are my nail beds purple? Anemia, diabetes, simple discolorations, and even smoking can cause your nail beds to turn purple or change their color.
In some people, nail beds change color as well as fingertips. You may also get purple fingers with this problem. Here are the causes.
Poor circulation is one of the known causes of purple nail beds. If you notice that the nails are purple and tingly at the same time, there is a chance that they are not getting enough blood.
When your blood contains lots of oxygen, it will be bright red. Dark blood is the blood that is not receiving enough oxygen.
When a person is described as being anemic, it implies that their blood has very low amounts of iron. If this is the case, there is a very high probability that such a person will develop purple nail beds within no time.
It is something that comes about because the blood is not oxygenated, as it should. You can address this problem by taking vitamin C and iron supplements each morning, which assists with the absorption of the required iron.
It is normal for nails to appear pale, but with a bluish hue around the nail beds when your body is unable to metabolize sugars as is required of it. The problem can be attributed to diabetes, which is characterized by the deficiency of insulin in the body.
When a person has diabetes, there is always the possibility that their pancreas and liver will start to malfunction, and this means that they will stop producing the enzymes that are relied upon by the body to assist in regulating the blood glucose levels.
Your physician may need to perform a series of tests just to be sure of this, but in the meantime, it is recommended that you consider reducing your sugar intake.
Individuals suffering from an eating disorder will often be very secretive on matters of their thoughts as well as behaviors. However, certain physical signs will start to become evident with time if a person has an eating disorder that is affecting their overall wellbeing.
Unfortunately, when the physical signs start becoming obvious, it implies that the individual in question has already placed their health at risk. Even though many anorexics are not able to see it, these people require medical attention and should be encouraged to seek it immediately.
A person suffering from this condition often runs the risk of starving him or herself. Studies have shown that those suffering from severe anorexia often see to welcome the state that their body is in, meaning that the health risks of this condition are similar to starvation.
In some cases, anorexics may begin sprouting white hairs, which are often referred to as lanugo. The white hairs sprout because their bodies are attempting to insulate themselves, given that there is no fat in the body.
Damage to the kidneys, liver, and heart may also come about when a person has a severe case of anorexia, and this may ultimately lead to their demise.
For people who smoke regularly, do not be surprised to find yourself having purple nail beds.
The purple color on the nail beds comes about when your body becomes deprived of any oxygen, and therefore starts taking it from other areas of the body such as the fingers.
If you happen to notice that only a single fingernail has become discolored, then it could mean that you have a broken blood vessel, or have recently sustained an injury on your fingernail.
Such an injury will prevent the blood from flowing as it normally does, and the resulting condition is called a subungual hematoma.
Even though this condition sounds serious, you should not get worried as this only mean that there is a bruise under the fingernail. You can make a small hole on your nail, and this will assist in relieving any pressure that is present. However, it is not recommended that you do this as it could expose your fingernail to numerous infections.
Many people suffer from the problems associated with having purple nails. The condition is common among both men and women and can be a significant source of embarrassment.
Some of the factors known to cause this condition include smoking, poor lifestyle habits, as well as fungal infections. You can use the following home remedies to deal with the purple nail beds.
Naturally, lemon is a bleaching agent, which can be used to deal with discoloration occurring on your nails. Additionally, lemon has been known to work as a great astringent.
Hydrogen peroxide comes with important whitening properties, which are known to work wonders on purple nail beds. However, you have to ensure that you only use a solution that has a three percent concentration.
Important to note: Hydrogen peroxide is capable of dehydrating the nails, and as such, it will be essential to make sure that a moisturizing lotion is used on your fingers as soon as possible.
Baking soda is utilized on purple nail beds due to its exfoliating and bleaching properties, which assist in removing even the most stubborn stains.
The same toothpaste that you use each morning to whiten your teeth will also come in handy when you want to get rid of the purple nail beds.
If the discoloration is not too much, it is recommended that you use mild toothpaste, which contains a whitening ingredient, and which contains hydrogen peroxide.
Denture cleaning tablets come in handy when dealing with nails that have been discolored, as well as purple nail beds.
Citric acid and sodium bicarbonate are the two ingredients that are commonly found in the denture cleaning tablets, and which you can use when you want to remove stains from your fingers.
If a fungus is the cause of the nail beds becoming purple, you have to make sure that you try tea tree oil, as it is the best remedy for this kind of problem.
Naturally, tea tree oil is a fungicide that contains antimicrobial and antiseptic properties, which you can use to fight infections, as well as restore the natural colors of the nails.
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ACV contains acetic and malic acids, which assist in eliminating the discoloration that is forming on your nail beds. Additionally, it also comes with critical antifungal properties, which are known to treat all kinds of nail infections that may lead to discoloration taking place.
Apple cider vinegar can also help in strengthening and stimulating the growth of your nails.
It is an excellent remedy that you can use to deal with discolored nail beds, where the discoloration has been brought about by a fungal infection.
Listerine comes with important ingredients such as thymol, menthol, and methyl salicylate, all of which contain vital antifungal properties.
Orange peels contain high amounts of vitamin C, which will come handy when dealing with discolored nail beds.
Traditionally, juniper berries have always acted as a strong disinfected that was relied upon to deal with discolored nails, which were as a result of fungal infections.
Once you have used these remedies, you will be ready to flaunt your beautiful and natural-looking fingernails within no time. In case you do not see any change after a few weeks, you should visit your doctor.
The purple looking nail beds could have been caused by an underlying medical condition, hence the need to have a doctor check you out.
If the purple color has been brought about by an injury, you can have surgery to remedy its condition.
Known as nail bed repair, the process involves removing foreign materials present in the area that is affected, tissue preservation, and taking proper care of the wound to ensure that it will not become infected, or start splitting.