Leukonychia is a condition where white lines or dots appear on your finger or toenails. This is a very common issue and entirely harmless. Many healthy adults have these spots at some point in their lives, so developing them is likely not a sign of a serious medical condition.For some people, the white spots may appear as tiny dots speckled across the nail. For others, the white spots may be larger and stretch across the entire nail. The spots may affect one nail or several.
The most common cause of leukonychia is injury to the nail bed. These injuries can occur if you pinch or strike your nail or finger.Frequent manicures and pedicures or the use of gel or acrylic nails can also damage nail beds. Several other causes may be responsible for the unusual spots on the nails.
White spots or dots on your nails are common. Several issues can cause them. Possible causes include:
- allergic reaction
- fungal infection
- nail injury
- mineral deficiency
An allergy to a nail polish, gloss, hardener, or nail polish remover may cause white spots on your nails. The use of acrylic or gel nails can also badly damage your nails and may cause these white spots.
A common nail fungus called white superficial psychoneurosis can appear on the toenails. The first sign of the infection may be a few small white dots on the nails.
The infection can grow and spread to the nail bed. Toenails may appear flaky and then become thick and brittle.
