What is the nail health circle

The nail health circle is commonly known as the nail crescent among the people. Its scientific name is the nail half moon. It is a normal physiological structure formed during the growth process of the nail. It does not have absolute health direction.

We have been in the dermatology clinic for a long time, and almost every week we meet patients who come to see the doctor because of missing crescents. A while ago, a girl who was just in her third year of college came in in a hurry with her hands clenched. She said that the Internet said that healthy people must have at least 6 crescents, and she could only see a little bit of her two thumbs. During this period, I ate red dates and soaked astragalus every day, and tried all kinds of methods to replenish qi and blood, but the crescent moon still didn't grow. After a full physical examination, all indicators were normal. In fact, the natural position of the methyl group grew to the back, and the pale white keratin cells that were not completely keratinized were hidden under the nail bed and naturally could not be exposed.

Speaking of it, the methyl group can be regarded as the "production factory" of nails. It is constantly synthesizing new keratin cells to renew nails. The newly generated cells are light milky white and soft in texture. As the cells are pushed outward, they will gradually be keratinized into transparent and hard nails. The white crescent we can see is actually a cluster of new cells that have not yet had time to completely keratinize. Some people have methyl groups in the front and their nails grow quickly, with more exposed new cells, resulting in larger and more crescents. Others have methyl groups in the back and their nails grow slowly. Naturally, only the thumb can be seen occasionally, or even not at all. These are all normal individual differences and have no necessary connection with kidney deficiency, qi and blood deficiency.

Of course, many practitioners in the field of traditional Chinese medicine will use the status of the crescent moon as a reference item to judge the level of qi, blood circulation and metabolism. This view does have a certain basis in reality - if you have had 5 or 6 crescent moons before, in the past month or two, they have suddenly shrunk and become invisible, or have suddenly become invisible. A large change in weight is accompanied by inexplicable fatigue, increased hair loss, and significant weight fluctuations in a short period of time. You must be alert to whether there is an abnormality in thyroid function, or a recent disorder in work and rest, or insufficient nutritional intake that has slowed down metabolism. Such sudden changes in a short period of time are effective health tips that Crescent Moon can give.

To put it bluntly, crescent moons are like the "growth progress bar" that comes with nails. The natural size and number of crescent moons all depend on the individual's "factory settings." As long as they remain in a state you are familiar with, there is no need to worry. If you really feel uncomfortable, going to the hospital for a routine checkup is much more useful than speculating on the "crescent moon health standards" online.