Dark Lines on Nails, Could Be a Sign of High Cholesterol

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Unusual looking fingernails can be a sign of trouble cholesterol. For those who are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, it is very important to control meat consumption.

Although not all cholesterol is harmful, the type dubbed bad cholesterol can be harmful to health. That is why it is important to keep the levels under control. While it is difficult to identify cholesterol because it is not associated with many symptoms, there is one sign that may help.

Monika Wassermann, medical director at Olio Lusso, said high cholesterol or bad cholesterol (LDL) has no specific symptoms so these symptoms can only be detected by doing a blood test. However, Wassermann said there are signs that can be seen in the body when cholesterol is very high. The mark can be seen from the nails.

“High cholesterol levels lead to clogged arteries. This is the problem, extra cholesterol is deposited in the arteries, forming plaque. Plaque will make the arteries narrow,” he explained, as quoted from Express.

He revealed narrow or blocked arteries will restrict blood flow to various parts of the body, including the nails. This can cause dark lines on the nails.

“Dark lines under the nails are one way to spot symptoms of high cholesterol,” adds Wassermann.

This sign is also sometimes referred to as a splinter hemorrhage. Medline Plus described it as a thin, red, to reddish-brown line under the nail. These lines also usually lead to where the nail grows.

Even so, rather than guessing, health experts strongly recommend doing a blood test. This sign may indicate high cholesterol but the best way to find out the level is to do a blood test.

You can take blood from the arm or a puncture in the finger. If the condition is confirmed, the doctor will choose the best course of action to control cholesterol.

Read also: Facts About Cholesterol You Need to Know

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