The half-moon shape at the base of your fingernail is known as a lunula. Lunulae cover the bottom of your nail, just above your cuticle.Lunulae are part of your nail matrix. The matrix refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. It contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels. It also produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate, which is what you see.Although everyone has a nail matrix,
not everyone will see or have a lunula on each nail. Those who do have a lunula may notice that they vary in appearance across each nail.Read on to learn more about what these half-moons look like,
when their appearance could be cause for concern, and when to see your doctor.Healthy lunulae are usually a whitish color and take up a small portion of the bottom of your nail.
They’re usually most visible on your thumb.You may notice that they appear smaller on your pointer finger, gradually shrinking in size until you reach your pinkie where they may be barely visible.
