Are white spots on fingernails a concern in children?

White spot on fingernails is a fairly common phenomenon in young children. This is usually harmless, so you don't need to worry if you encounter these white spots on your baby's fingernails.

Nails can reveal a lot about a child's health. Pink and glossy nails are often a sign of good health. Discolored fingernails, white lines or white spots, brittle nails ... are often signs that the child is suffering from a certain disease. White spots on nails, also known as leukonychia, are common and not serious. aFamilyToday Health will share with you more information about this situation.

What do white spots on children's fingernails show?

White spots on fingernails can indicate a lack of zinc, magnesium or calcium. Sometimes this can be a sign that a nail has been injured in the past. For these reasons, white spots are usually temporary and are likely to disappear after about 8–9 months. However, a white streak on the nail can also be a sign that the child has a fungal, viral infection or chronic diseases related to the liver, kidneys or heart.

Classification of white spots on nails

There are many different types of white spots on nails:

1. Completely white spot

This condition may be hereditary. With this type of white spot, the entire nail can turn completely white.

2. Partial white spots

Manifestations are tiny white dots like polka dots with three variations:

Pattern: White spots on the nails often appear as horizontal lines, parallel stripes.

Spotting acne form: tiny white spots that grow all over the nail. This is the most common and common form in young children.

Vertical shape: small white vertical lines appear along the nail length. This is less common.

The reason why a child's nails have white spots

White streaks and spots on the nails are usually caused by the following causes:

1. Injury to the nail

White spots can be the result of certain nail injuries such as banging the nail on something, cutting the nails frequently, biting the nails, etc.

2. Allergic reactions

Another possible cause of white spots on nails is an allergic reaction caused by the nail exposure to certain chemicals found in nail polishes, cleansers, etc.

3. Fungal infections cause the child's nails to have white streaks

The appearance of white spots on a child's fingernails is sometimes caused by a fungal infection. If left untreated, the fungal infection can spread to a child's nails.

4. Lack of substance

White spots on nails can be caused by deficiencies of certain minerals such as zinc, protein, calcium ...

5. Drug side effects

White streaks on the nail can also be caused by some medications the child is taking.

6. Other causes of white spots on the nails

White spots on nails also come from specific causes such as:

CKD

Cardiovascular disease

Eczema or psoriasis

Arsenic or lead poisoning

Pneumonia

Cirrhosis

Stress

Ulcerative colitis

Treat your nails with white spots

The treatment for white spots on the nails will depend on the cause. A doctor may recommend a nail biopsy or blood test to determine if your baby has some underlying medical condition. Some of the treatments that your doctor may use:

If the cause is a fungal infection, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal and topical antifungal creams.

In the event of an allergy, your doctor may recommend that you stop giving your child all nail products and give medication to treat the allergy.

Most nail wounds usually heal over time. You can remove the damaged nail.

Home remedies to get rid of white spots on nails that you can try:

1. Tea tree oil

Add olive oil to tea tree oil, then apply the mixture to your nails that have white streaks. Continuous use of this mixture can show a positive result.

2. Use baking soda

You can prepare a mixture of 1/2 cup baking soda, some Epsom salt, 1/4 cup peroxide, and 4 cups warm water. Dip your child's nails in this solution for a while to reduce white spots.

3. Orange essential oil treats white nails

Place a drop of orange oil on a cotton ball and apply it to your fingernail with white spots. This has been shown to help remove white spots on your child's nails

4. White vinegar

To overcome this, you should soak your child's nails in a mixture of white vinegar and warm water for about 10 minutes a day to remove the white spots.

5. Use a slice of lemon

Rub lemon slices on your child's nails to help remove white spots.

When to consult a pediatrician?

You may need the help of a pediatrician in the following situations:

If all of the child's fingernails turn completely white

If white spots appear clearly on all the nails

If your child's nails are half brown and half white

White spots appearing on a child's nails are not a worrying situation. Usually, you do not need to intervene with medical measures. However, if your child's fingernails regularly have white spots, you should have your child get a checkup to rule out any potentially serious complications.