*Changes in your fingernails or toenails might seem purely cosmetic, but sometimes they can offer clues that something else is happening with your health — including complications associated with diabetes.
Researchers have linked yellowing, thickening, brittleness and other nail abnormalities to conditions that occur more frequently among people with diabetes. However, spotting one of these changes does not mean you have the disease, and doctors cannot diagnose diabetes by examining your nails alone.
WalesOnline highlighted several nail changes that researchers have discussed in connection with diabetes, including discoloration and inflammation around the nail. The important distinction is what may be causing those changes.
Why Diabetes Can Affect Your Nails
People with diabetes have an increased risk of infections, particularly when blood sugar is high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that bacterial infections can occur around the fingernails and that fungal infections are also more common among people with diabetes.
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Fungal nail infections can leave nails discolored, thick, fragile, or cracked. Diabetes can also affect circulation and nerves in the feet, making seemingly minor foot problems more important to address.
The CDC advises people with diabetes to contact a doctor or foot specialist about issues including thickened yellow toenails, fungal infections, ingrown toenails, sores, and changes in the color or temperature of the feet.
That doesn’t make a yellow toenail a secret diabetes test. Nail discoloration and changes in thickness or texture can have numerous causes, including fungal infection and previous injuries.
Look Beyond Your Fingernails
If you’re concerned about diabetes, watch for established symptoms — not changes in your nails.
According to the CDC, common symptoms include frequent urination, increased thirst or hunger, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and blurry vision. People with Type 2 diabetes may also develop slow-healing wounds, darkened patches of skin, and numbness or tingling in their hands or feet.
Complicating matters, type 2 diabetes can develop gradually, and some people experience few or no noticeable symptoms.
A Blood Test Provides the Answer
Ultimately, looking at your nails can’t tell you whether you have diabetes.
The CDC says a blood sugar test is necessary to determine whether someone has prediabetes or diabetes. Testing options include the A1C test, which measures average blood sugar over roughly two to three months, as well as fasting and other blood glucose tests.
So while an unexplained change in your nails may be worth mentioning to a healthcare professional — particularly if it persists or accompanies other symptoms — consider it a reason to pay attention, not a diagnosis.
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