Spots on my fingernail...

[gouda]

Every now and then, and mostly when I was a kid, I would notice little white spots on my fingernails. I still get them now, but with far less frequency.

What are those spots? Any reason why they show up when they do?

And how come I never noticed them on my toenails? (Answer: because I rarely looked at my toenails?)

[Mr. Duality]

Magnesium deficiency, iirc.

[femtosecond]

Remember to search (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/) Cecil's columns archive before posting: What causes white spots on your fingernails? (http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_035.html)

Here's a related thread: What are those white marks on your fingernails? (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=52571) and a New Scientist Last Word article: Why are fingernails often flecked with white? (http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/article.jsp?id=lw377) (it even mentions toenails :))

[gouda]

Remember to search Cecil's columns archive before posting

I shoulda thought of that - thanks all the same!