LUNULA – What is it and what does it say about your health?

Ever wonder what the white area is at the base of your nail.  It’s your lunula.  The lunula can vary in size, shape and color and those variations can be a window into your health.  

First, a little review of the parts of your nail.

Nail plate – this is the hard part that is traditionally referred to a the “nail”.

Nail bed – the soft skin under the nail plate

Distal Nail Fold – the junction of the skin and the nail at the base of your nail, where your cuticle is located.

Nail Matrix – the “root” of the nail that sits under the cuticle. 

So, now that you are an expert, let’s learn about the lunula.  The lunula is actual the visible portion of the nail matrix.  It most often appears white because the skin underneath the nail plate is thicker that the other parts of the nail bed.  It can be seen both on the fingernail and the toenail. 

The lunula can be more or less visible in different people.  Overall, it is most visible on the thumb and great toes, and the size of the lunula generally decreases with age.   The normal shape of the lunula is a half-moon shape.  Alterations in lunula shape , size, and color can be signs of health changes, medications and much more.   I have seen mainstream videos and articles suggesting that each nail on your finger tells something unique about different parts of your body.  Those things are not really supported by actual science. 

Macrolunula is the term for an enlarged white lunula, it can also be seen as a marker of thyroid problems.  Two particular variants of macrolunula are Lindsay’s Half and Half nails from kidney dysfunction and Terry’s Nails which can be a sign of liver disease, congestive heart failure, and diabetes just to name a few.  

Microlunula is the term for a small lunula.  It can be a sign of heart disease, thyroid disease, iron deficient anemia, COPD lung disease, and rheumatoid arthritis just to name a few. 

Colored lunula is most commonly associated with certain drugs, most commonly chemotherapeutic drugs.  

If you are concerned about changes in your lunula, document the change with a digital photograph, and see your regular doctor for a routine physical and blood work.  Changes in your lunula are never an urgency, but something you may want to point out to your physician if you notice changes.

There is absolutely nothing to do to change the shape and size of your lunula except addressing any underlying health problems.  For instance, diagnosing and treating a thyroid problem may allow normalization of your lunula over 6-12 months.  Never mess with your cuticles in attempts to make your lunula more visible.   To learn more about your cuticles, see our previous article.

Here are my references in case you want to learn more.  

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