# white spots on fingernails **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537 "2003-10-09T20:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/1 "2003-10-09T20:54:08Z")
You know those white marks you sometimes have under your fingernail. They grow out with the nail and eventually are cut off. What they heck are they? I’ve heard they are bruises from when you’ve banged your finger and injured the nail, especially before it’s totally formed (still under the cuticle). I’ve also heard it’s from a nutritional deficiency. What’s the real story? ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/2 "2003-10-09T20:58:56Z")
Zinc deficiency [http://www.drlera.com/health\_beauty/nutrition\_information/zinc.htm](http://www.drlera.com/health_beauty/nutrition_information/zinc.htm) ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/3 "2003-10-09T21:13:02Z")
[Not a zinc deficiency](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/dec97/874911283.Me.r.html) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/4 "2003-10-09T21:33:05Z")
I get these more than most people seem to Maybe my nails are just weaker of dont grow properly. Anyone I once read that it was zinc deficiancy so I got these chalated zinc tablets and took them for a few months and it didnt really make much difference. Funny think is just recently I’ve noticed that for the first time in my life all the nails on my left hand are fine, they dont have any white bits. Probably just a fluke. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/5 "2003-10-09T21:51:02Z")
Or maybe you’re right handed, so your left hand is less prone to being banged around? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/6 "2003-10-09T21:55:14Z")
If they become noticeable only when you have been very ill otherwise, they can be one of the signs of arsenic poisoning. Tea anyone? ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/7 "2003-10-09T23:19:51Z")
Minor trauma to the nail. Oh **x-rays** link says the same - so I second that. I read a medical text on fingernails which said there was no evidence spots (punctate leukonichia) had anything to do with deficiencies. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/8 "2003-10-10T01:21:40Z")
[Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=176088&highlight=Khadaji) an old thread about this. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-spots-on-fingernails/206537/9 "2003-10-10T01:47:56Z")
:smack: [Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_035.html)