What Causes White Spots On Finger Nails?

Posted on Sat, 17 Jan 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 17 Jan 2015 Answered on

Mon, 16 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : my sons finger nails are white spots and very split and not a normal finger nail

Answered by Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
keep pictures please

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks for posting your query on HCM.
There can be innumerable possibilities of nail abnormalities related with diseases, and many nail abnormalities can be due to normal process of nail growth.
For best suggestion and diagnosis, i would request you to keep pictures of the nails from top and side angles.
This will help us in diagnosing correctly.
Thank you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (3 hours later)

Short of being able to get pictures, is there a area that this would lend itself toward ? Heart etc. Or vitamin defiency ?

Answered by Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
multivitamin

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
whitish lines on the nails are common with any preceding illnesses, like viral infection, stress etc which transiently retards the nail growth causing a relic in the form of a line.in such case it needs no treatment.
on the other hand, similar patterns of nail abnormalities can happen with the deficiencies like zinc, phosphorus vitamin D and calcium. In this case, he can be given supportive treatment with multivitamin tablets
I would also recommend to check for any skin disease or joint disease which can also bring out such nail lesions.
whatever is the cause nail lesions take a long time to patch up..
At the outset i would suggest him to take multivitamin tablet which includes calcium and zinc.
Hope this helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad