Why Are Nails White at The End? Reasons+ Solutions!

You just found out your nails to be white. You haven’t looked at them this way before. But now something feels off. Because they’re whiter than before. 

And it’s drawing your attention. So you’re looking for why are nails white at the end

Well, they are white because of dead keratin. Or the blood flow is less due to lack of iron. As the veins don’t carry much blood. And the nails above it look whiter. Health issues or injury can be the reason as well.

To have a better insight, why not go through the details. You’ll find the root of your problem. And to your surprise, we’ve discussed how to cure it. So don’t miss this chance and dig in. 

How Do You Know If It’s Too White?

Nails are naturally white at the end. And that white half-moon-shaped thing is lunula. That actually represents the moon. 

To be more specific, this part is attached to the cuticle. And goes all the way down to the eponychium.

It’s mostly visible on the thumb. But can be seen on other nails as well. The nail has naturally a clear and pinkish color. But this part is a bit whiter naturally. That white doesn’t look abnormal if you look at them.

But if you feel like they’re too white, you need to be sure. Compare all the nails. And see if it’s visible in all the nails. 

Normally, it doesn’t show up on all the nails. For most people, only the thumb has the lunula. And for some people, both the thumb and index finger have the lunula.

Maybe all of your nails got it. And that’s three shades whiter than your actual nail color. Then consider it as too white. To check, you can use nail palettes. Buy one with the natural colors. 

Then put your nail beside the nail palette which has different shades. Just find your natural one. Then find a shade three shades whiter. If that matches with the color of your lunula, it’s too white.

While checking, remember that if your cuticles might grow too fast. Then you won’t be able to assess the lunula. 

An overgrown cuticle will hide half of the lunula. In that case, treat your cuticles first. Then carry on from here. 

But you might not have the cuticle problem. And your only problem is the white end. Now you’ve found it too white. So let’s clear out the reasons why.

Why are They White Anyways?  -7 Reasons!

Cuticles can be whiter than natural for some reasons. So we’ll start with the basic to the uncommon reasons. Just go through them with us.

Dead Keratin

The end of the nail near the proximal nail fold is a place. It’s where dead keratin lives. Our nails start to grow from the closed edges. And they keep spreading to the open end.

But the end that’s attached to the cuticle becomes dead. And the dead part contains keratin. The color of this dead keratin is white. So that’s the reason why this part is white. 

And there can be a lot of dead keratin crowding in that area. So that particular area looks a lot whiter. But there’s nothing to be worried about.

Because it goes away naturally. As you might know, our skin rejuvenates once in a while. So the dead skin cells drop, so does the dead keratin. 

Thus, fresh new skin is rejuvenated. When new cells are born, the extra whitish look will be gone.

Lack of Iron

Our nails are mainly white and clear. But you’ll disagree with this. Because you can see pink nails. So let’s tell you why it looks pink.

Under the nail, it’s the skin that’s attached to it. And blood flows underneath it. So what seems pink to you is the blood flow.

It would have looked red. But the skin and nail lighten the color. So we see it as pink. 

But when your body lacks iron, the blood flow decreases.  As a result, blood won’t be flowing as it used to be. So the veins will carry less blood.

And the pink color will fade and look whitish. The lunula itself is white. When blood flow is less, it reflects the white color. So half of the nail at first will look white.

If the lack of iron remains in your body, the whole nail will look pale. But it’s not that serious of a problem. 

Vitamin Flow

Vitamin flows are needed to have a healthy blood flow. Mainly, through the veins, it flows with blood. So when this process works perfectly, the blood flow remains normal. And the lunula is in its actual color.

But if you’ve recently been skipping vitamin intakes, that can be the cause. Or maybe you’re avoiding fruits and vegetables that are enriched in vitamins.

As a result, the vitamin flow isn’t normal. So, you’ll see white nails at the end.

This can be an indication of various problems.  Mostly, related to what’s going inside the body. To warn you, the skin underneath nails or outer parts of the body show signs.

And when it comes to lack of vitamin, you’ll know by looking at the nails. 

But there are other health factors that cause white ends. Check them out.

Health Issues

Serious health issues like a heart problem can cause white ends to the nail. After that, the whole nail will eventually turn white. Due to heart issues, there can be heart blockage. In that case, the blood can be blocked around the heart.

And the nails are just trying to point you towards the issue.

The same thing can happen in the case of kidney failure. The nails start to become pale. And your tongue will also look pale. If both of these happen at the same time, consider it as a kidney problem. 

Liver issues, like jaundice, can also have an effect on the nails. When you press near the lunula, the white part extends. And you’ll see a yellowish tint all over the nail. In this case, the skin will also have a yellowish tint. 

Then assume that it’s a liver problem or jaundice. 

Injury

You might see sudden whitening at the nail end. Then it might have happened from a recent injury. Maybe you’ve bumped into something. Or you might have fallen. 

That’s why the outer nail got damaged. And you’re able to see white spots. Because blood is not flowing there.

After that the spots or the nail end with a purplish look. That’s what happens when there’s less or no blood circulation. Then the purple nail turns to black. After some days, the nail might come off.

Then a new nail will come up. That will be all fine and fresh. 

Or the damaged part will grow and come towards the open end. Then you can cut it off normally.

Sometimes while nail filing, you might hurt the nail. Then you’ll have itchy cuticles. And the lunula might look extra white.

Dehydration

Another reason is dehydration. It simply happens because you’re not having enough water.

You might have heard a lot of benefits of drinking water. But you may not know that water helps with blood flow. If you’re not drinking water properly, then the blood flow might get slower.

As a result, your veins will have slower blood flows. So the lunula or half to the full nail can look dehydrated. 

And when the skin gets dehydrated, it passes to the nails as well. Lunula is the closest part to the skin. So first, the cuticles get dry. And then the lunula and other parts get white and dry.

You may use too many products on nails. Like acetone removers, acrylic glues, and so on makes nails dehydrated. But still, you don’t care to moisturize. That’s why nails can become dry and white.

Nail Designing

You may go through the manicure session every month. Or maybe you design your nails at home. But when you do, there are a lot of products involved. 

First, you remove nail polish with a remover. Or you take out the acrylic nails. Then the glue that attaches acrylic to nails, was naturally white. If you don’t wipe them off, they’ll make the nail look whiter. 

You may be wearing shellac. And you didn’t keep nails under the UV for enough time. So the nails keep adjusting color. And at some point, they might look whiter than usual. 

How to Take Care of Nails With White Ends?

The only way to solve this problem is to take care of the nails. But according to the problem, the solution will differ. Also, the solutions are somehow long-term.

Thus, you need to be patient when it comes to nail care. So let’s give you a ride to the solutions. 

Maintain Healthy Food Habits

First of all, you’ll have to maintain healthy food habits. Maintain a proper diet that includes potassium, vitamin, and iron.

For example, include spinach, kale, tomato, beet, and mushroom in your diet. They’re a good source of vitamins, iron, and potassium.

You can make salad or soup. You can even try smoothies. That will help your body to have the nutrients in need to solve your problem.

Because there’s no alternative to a healthy diet to solve health issues. It’ll ensure that the body has enough vitamins and iron. So that it can have regular blood flow. And nails look normal and natural.

Consult A Doctor

In case, your symptoms are severe, consult a doctor. Remember we mentioned heart disease, kidney failure, and liver problems. If you think the signs indicate those severe issues, it’s better to consult a doctor.

The doctor will test based on the symptoms. And then she/he will suggest necessary treatment and medication.

According to the health issue, you’ll have a proper diet. So you’ll have to follow the instructions and diet. Then the health issue will be solved.

And with it, your nail end will come to its natural form and color.

Take Proper Care Of Nails

Now it’s a long-term process. You‘ll need to maintain proper nail care. So that the nail doesn’t get dry.

Between the nail designing, give the nail time to breathe. Don’t just wear off one nail design and go for another. Instead, let the nails be as they are for 2-3 days. Then apply any products to it.

While designing, try to follow proper instructions for using the product. Like how much time you should put nails under UV. Or how to remove gel polish.

You need to know these basics in order to avoid white nails. And be careful with the removing process. So that the nails don’t get hurt. Another thing you should do is moisturize the nails every day.

It will help to keep nails from getting dry and white. As a moisturizer, we prefer using nail creams. And these ones have been constant in our vanity.

hard as hoof nail strengthening cream

Hard As Hoof Nail Strengthening Cream

kerasal multi-purpose nail repair

Kerasal Multi-Purpose Nail Repair

We hope you enjoy using these creams and get benefitted. Finally, you’ll be free of nails with white ends.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are white nail tips considered healthy?

Yes white nail tips are considered healthy. Mainly they’re transparent. But it can be a bit whitish depending on your skin tone. But if it’s too much then it can be due to dryness.

Can I use homemade nail packs to reduce dryness from nails?

Yes, you can. You need to mix any moisturizing agent with a binding one to make a paste. For example, bananas and honey. Then make a mask and apply it to the nails.

Should the nail end be clear or white at the end?

The nail can be both clear and white. If you have an iron deficiency it will be whitish. Otherwise, it will be clear. But the blood flow underneath makes it look pink.

Bottomline

You know exactly why are nails white at the end. Hope the article gave you the information you’ve been looking for. Now you can share this knowledge with your mates as well.

But you may still need our advice. In that case, we’re just a comment away.

Adios!

Katharyn Riedel

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