Welcome to EmpowHER. I am glad you reached out to our community with your concern about your fingernails turning brown. Please contact your primary care physician today. You might be referred to a dermatologist.
Brown nails can sometimes be caused by thyroid disease, pregnancy, malnutrition and frequent use of nail varnish.
Fingernails that are half white and half brown (brown near the tips) can be a sign of kidney failure, where the kidneys stop working properly. The link is not fully understood, but one theory is that kidney failure causes chemical changes in the blood that encourage melanin (a skin pigment) to be released into the nail bed. It's also possible that kidney failure causes an increase in the number of tiny blood vessels in the nail bed.
It's estimated up to 40% of people with kidney failure have "half-and-half" fingernails.
Half-and-half nails have also been seen in some people with AIDS and can be seen following chemotherapy.
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Hello Anonymous,
Welcome to EmpowHER. I am glad you reached out to our community with your concern about your fingernails turning brown. Please contact your primary care physician today. You might be referred to a dermatologist.
Brown nails can sometimes be caused by thyroid disease, pregnancy, malnutrition and frequent use of nail varnish.
Fingernails that are half white and half brown (brown near the tips) can be a sign of kidney failure, where the kidneys stop working properly. The link is not fully understood, but one theory is that kidney failure causes chemical changes in the blood that encourage melanin (a skin pigment) to be released into the nail bed. It's also possible that kidney failure causes an increase in the number of tiny blood vessels in the nail bed.
It's estimated up to 40% of people with kidney failure have "half-and-half" fingernails.
Half-and-half nails have also been seen in some people with AIDS and can be seen following chemotherapy.
Keep us updated,
November 18, 2016 - 7:56amMaryann
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