At the base, where it attaches to the finger and cuticle, the average human fingernail has a little white half-moon shape. Although some people are born deaf to the half-moon, or lunula, shape on their nails, the lack of this design element on your nails might be a sign of a vitamin deficiency or another serious health problem.
Nails grow in a specific area under the skin called the matrix. The matrix may be used to generate more cells. Cells begin to aggregate and expel themselves from the skin at this point. Many different issues could be signaled by a white half-moon at the base of a nail, called a lunula. Due to the fifth basal elastin layer being concealed underneath the blood cells, this portion of the nail appears white.
Typically, the thumb is the nail where the Lunula is most prominent, covering about a fourth of the nail. A whiter Lunula is also considered a sign of good health by medical professionals. Diet, level of physical activity, and environmental factors are some of the elements that might affect Lunula development. If any of these problems are present, the Lunula may alter size, become less prominent, or disappear completely.
