How To Get Rid Of White Spots On Your Nails

If you know what to look for, our nails can actually reveal a lot about our health. Soft nails? You might be iron deficient. Ridges? Perhaps you’ve got an underlying thyroid problem. Brittle or broken? You might be lacking collagen or are in dire need of a good-quality nail strengthener.

Just as none of these common nail conditions should be ignored or overlooked, neither should those pesky white spots that come and go without (what seems like) any rhyme or reason.

Though it’s tempting to just hide them under a coat of nail polish and move on, it’s important to understand where these white spots on your nails come from, what they mean and how you can prevent them from reappearing.

What causes white spots on your nails?

White spots on fingernails, or leukonychia, are most commonly caused by a fungal infection or injury to the nail bed. They can occur as a result of manicures, picking, and biting, or from injury after banging your nail against something.

Because these markings on our fingernails work much like bruises, it’s often difficult to ascertain exactly what moment you may have injured the nail bed – as they start to show up days after the actual incident has occurred.

Are white spots on our nails permanent?

Generally, no. If the white spots on your nails are a result of trauma, they will potentially stick around until it has grown out with the nail. This can be anywhere from 12 weeks to a year.

How long do white spots take to disappear?

The lifespan of your white spots will depend on the level of trauma experienced by the nail. On our fingers, white spots can last up to six months, whereas our toenail spots might linger for up to a year.

How do we get rid of white spots on our nails?

Unfortunately, the best form of treatment is patience. Much like a bruise, you need to wait it out and let the white spots heal and disappear in their own time. If you regularly wear false nails and have noticed a repeated occurrence of white spots, it may be a sign that your artificial nails are causing trauma to your nail bed and it’s time to take a break.

FAQs

Are white spots caused by a calcium or vitamin deficiency?

A well-publicised myth is that white spots on our nails occur as a result of a deficiency in zinc or calcium. In actual fact, this is possible but extremely rare. If you are experiencing a vitamin deficiency — though your nails will be impacted — you’ll likely start to experience side effects like changes in your skin and hair.

How can we prevent them from forming?

Keep white spots away by adhering to proper nail care practices. Avoid biting, picking, and ripping false nails off and where possible, try to avoid banging your nails against hard surfaces.