Have you ever noticed a half moon shape on your nail? In fact, it is a very important and sensitive part of the nail, which requires taking a good care of.
That half-moon is named lunula (in Latin meaning little moon) and it is extremely sensitive. That lunula is the crescent-shaped whitish area of the bed of a fingernail or toenail. The lunula is the visible part of the root of the nail.
It is located at the end of the nail (that is closest to the skin of the finger), but it still lies under the nail. It is not actually white but only appears so when it is seen through the nail. Outlining the nail matrix, the lunula is a very delicate part of the nail structure. If one damages the lunula, the nail will be permanently deformed. Even when the totality of the nail is removed, the lunula remains in place and is similar in appearance to another smaller fingernail embedded in the nail bed.
The lunula is most visible on the thumb but not everyone’s lunula is visible. In some cases, the eponychium, the thickened layer of skin surrounding fingernails and toenails, may partially or completely cover the lunula.
According to traditional medicine, the lunula holds some very important information about a person’s overall health. According to traditional Chinese medicine a lack of lunula is linked to anemia and malnutrition while a pale or bluish lunula indicates possible diabetes. If your lunula has reddish smudges you may experience cardiovascular problems.
A lack of lunula or a really small lunula usually indicates indigestion as a result of a slow metabolism and toxin overload in the body.
Medical experts believe that healthy individuals have 7 or 8 lunula on their nails. In case you such structure on your thumb only, it can be a sign of a kidney failure.
To sum up, the lunula is considered a sign of how healthy you are. Therefore, any change should be taken seriously and get checked.
Source: supertastyrecipes
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