Dark Fingernails

Or Fingernails Turning Purple

Dark fingernails can be a sign of a few different health warnings, especially if you find fingernails turning purple.

Your nails should be a nice soft pinkish color indicating a healthy body, if you have dark nails such as your fingernails turn purple, then read on for possible causes....

Purple nails can be due to lack of oxygen in the body, sometimes people who smoke can experience purple fingernails as smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

If you are a smoker, and your fingernails are purple it is because your body is needing more oxygen, and is taking this from other parts of your body such as your fingers. This is the usual reason why you have a change in fingernail color.

You will experience purple nails if you are anemic or perhaps just low in iron. Taking certain vitamins for fingernails such as omega 3 is a good idea.

In the case of purple fingernails it is best to take an iron supplement first thing in the morning, about an hour before breakfast and take it with a vitamin C supplement to help with absorption.

Sometimes dark nails can be contributed to circulatory problems, which will result in limited blood flow to your hands, legs and heart. Your blood vessels become blocked which obstructs the natural blood flow.

There are a couple of very powerful herbs you can take to help with your circulation, the first one is ginkgo biloba which has been used for centuries in helping improve circulation, and one which I take regularly is cayenne pepper.

I mix a small teaspoon of cayenne pepper in warm water, and drink it. It takes a bit of getting used to, but will definitely help you and if you are suffering from varicose or spider veins, it will help them too!

Exercise is another great way to help with circulatory problems, especially helping increase your oxygen intake.

People who suffer from anxiety can find their fingernails turn purple, along with anxiety can be dizziness and extreme shortness of breath.

Raynauds is a disease, able to cause your veins to block blood to hands and fingers, this will cause fingernails turning purple. It can be especially noticeable if you are feeling stressed or over exposed to the cold.

During an attack you can feel cold and numb from lack of blood flow, and your fingers and toes may throb and tingle, fingernails may go from white to bluish purple to red.

If you have not been diagnosed with Raynauds phenomenon, and feel your purple fingernails could be this health problem, then seek a medical opinion.

You may find it is just because of poor circulation which is making your fingernails turn purple, taking the above mentioned herbs and exercising may help to bring your dark nails back to normal.

If this does not work, you are best to see a doctor so he can diagnose why you have dark fingernails.


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