指甲纹路有玄机

文/安迪·希尔 译/刘伟

身体好不好，指甲先知道。指甲异常，比如指甲上有白点或者竖纹和横纹，可能表明缺乏矿物质，血液循环有问题，甚或有潜在的疾病。人的指甲如同树干，可记录下指甲生命周期中的点点滴滴。

2最常见的指甲纹路是竖纹。这类纹路从指甲板的根部延伸到顶部，一般都是平行的。从指甲的解剖结构可以看出，这类纹路的形成是指甲板沿着甲床向前生长的结果。指甲板和甲床中的水分和油脂含量会随着年龄增长而降低，从而导致竖纹更加明显。使用化学清洁产品也会让竖纹变得更明显，因为这些产品会降低指甲板中的油脂含量。这类纹路通常并不是健康状况不佳或有潜在疾病的迹象，通过在指甲根部的外皮和指甲板上涂抹维生素E 油就可以减少这类纹路。

3横纹可能表明有潜在健康问题，但也可能是创伤引起的。饮食变化、身体创伤（如撞击创伤或其他甲床损伤）或严重的情绪压力导致指甲板生长中断，继而可能产生横纹。这类横纹被称为博氏线。指甲板上的这类横沟也可能在患病期间出现，也许会在身体康复后消失。

4其他类型的指甲异常包括米尔克线和米氏线。米尔克线是成对的白色平行锯齿线，横穿指甲。它们不会沿着指甲生长的方向延伸，也不会随着时间推移向指尖移动。米尔克线可能暗示肾脏疾病、肝脏疾病和各种形式的营养不良。米氏线是一种罕见的指甲纹路，通常是砷中毒的征兆。与米尔克线不同，米氏线随着指甲板的生长沿着甲床移动。出现任何指甲横纹都要就医，因为它们是潜在健康问题的关键指标。□

The fingernails can be a good indicator of potential anomalies in the body. Nail abnormalities, such as white spots or vertical and horizontal fingernail ridges, can be indicators of mineral deficiencies, circulatory problems, or even underlying diseases. The fingernails are similar to the trunk of a tree in that they can document occurrences in the lifespan of the nail.

2The most common form of fingernail ridges are vertical ridges; these ridges run from the base of the nail plate to the tip and are generally parallel. Due to the fingernail anatomy, these ridges are formed by the nail plate moving forward on the nail bed. Moisture and oil levels present in the nail plate and bed can reduce with age, which in turn, leads to an increased prominence of vertical ridges. The use of chemical cleaning products can also increase their prominence as these products reduce oil levels in the nail plate. These ridges are not usually a sign of poor health or underlying disease, and they can be reduced through the application of vitamin E oil to the cuticle and nail plate.

3Horizontal fingernail ridges can indicate underlying health issues but may also be caused by trauma. Some horizontal ridges can be caused through interruptions to the nail plate growth following dietary change, from physical trauma—such as impact trauma or other nail bed injuries—or severe emotional stress. They are known as Beau’s lines.These depressions in the nail plate can also be caused during illness and may disappear following a recovery period.

4Other kinds of nail abnormalities are Muehrcke’s lines and Mee’s lines. Muehrcke’s lines are parallel pairs of white, indented lines that run transversely across the nail. They do not follow the path of the nail growth and do not move toward the tip of the nail over time. Muehrcke’s lines can indicate kidney disease, liver disease, and forms of malnutrition.Mee’s lines are a rare form of fnigernail ridge and are normally an indicator of arsenic poisoning; unlike Muehrcke’s lines, Mee’s lines travel along the nail bed as the nail plate grows. Medical consultation is recommended following the development of any kind of horizontal nail ridges, as they are a key indicator of underlying health issues. ■