When Beauty Goes Beyond Skin Deep
Beautiful hair, skin and nails represent more than just outer beauty – they indicate great overall health. While we often brush off common pet peeves like dry hair or brittle nails as mere annoyances, they can sometimes signal a range of health conditions. Not all beauty issues are cause for alarm – many can be tied back to products, beauty routines like heat styling or bleaching, genetics or aging – but it is important to be aware of any changes that occur, especially if they are sudden or progress rapidly, and have them assessed by a doctor.
While an underlying issue could take weeks to be addressed in most traditional healthcare practices, MDVIP-affiliated physicians understand that internal issues can affect your appearance and need to be managed quickly. Always available with same-day or next-day appointments, your personal doctor will take as much time as needed to assess your concerns and, if necessary, work with you to develop a proactive solution tailored to your lifestyle.
Learn what your skin, nails, hair and mouth may reveal about your health. If you feel a symptom might apply to you, consult with your physician to determine the best course of action for your unique needs.
Hair health symptoms
- Excessive thinning: Thyroid disease, diabetes or psoriasis
- Excessive loss: Nutrient deficiency, thyroid disease, hair product allergy, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis or diabetes
- Brittle, dry and/or coarse: Thyroid disease or polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Patchy: Fungal infection, alopecia
- Premature greying: Thyroid disease, anemia or vitamin B-12 deficiency
Skin health symptoms
- Dry: Thyroid disease, celiac disease or Sjogrem’s syndrome
- Itchy: Blood, kidney or liver disease
- Blistering: Diabetes or celiac disease
- White patches: Vitiligo or psoriasis
- Scaly patches: Scleroderma, diabetes or psoriasis
- Rash: Celiac disease or allergies
- Red-blue fingertips: Raynaud’s syndrome
Nails health symptoms
- White: Liver or kidney disease, thyroid conditions, diabetes, congestive heart failure or nutrient deficiency
- White spots: Zinc, protein and/or calcium deficiency
- Spooned: Anemia
- Yellow or hardened: Lung disease or peripheral vascular disease
- Pitted: Psoriasis or inflammatory arthritis
- Red: Heart disease
- Blue: Pneumonia or lung infection
- Dark lines: Fungal infection, heart valve malfunction, melanoma or nutrient deficiency
- Horizontal dents: Heart attack, circulation problems, diabetes, nutrient deficiency, pneumonia or high fever
- Vertical ridges: Often common with aging; but may indicate anemia, kidney disease or arthritis
Nutrition and appearance
Sometimes, adjusting your diet can be effective in reversing unwanted changes in your appearance. Your MDVIP-affiliated physician may recommend adding some or all of the following foods and nutrients to your comprehensive wellness plan:
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamins: A, B-12, C and/or biotin
- Minerals: Iron, calcium, zinc and/or selenium
- Proteins: Casein
- Beans
- Carrots
- Dark green vegetables
- Low-fat dairy
- Whole grains
- Skin
- Whole grains
- Citrus fruits and juices
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes
- Fatty fish
- Orange, green and red vegetables
- Nails
- Vitamins: A, B and/or C
- Minerals: Iron, calcium and/or zinc
- Protein
Oral Health
Bad breath happens to all of us, but if you notice frequent bad breath soon after brushing your teeth, it could be a sign of a deeper health issue like types of cancer, diabetes, ulcers, GERD, kidney or liver failure, a sinus infection or periodontal disease.
Just because you have a bad hair day or notice your skin is drier than usual does not necessarily mean an underlying health issue is the culprit. However, any changes in your appearance should be checked by your MDVIP physician. Should there be a health-related cause to your symptoms, you and your doctor will work together to manage the condition at the source in a way that works for you. Connect with an MDVIP-affiliated physician today and secure a partner in beautiful, vibrant health for life.