Your body has a way of telling you when something is not going well and that there is a cause for concern, and your nails are no exception. Their shape, texture, color and overall condition can clue you in on what's happening with your health. Your skin and nails can often provide the first sign of systemic diseases like diabetes or psoriasis. Here are eight common nail conditions, and what to do about them.

o Weak, brittle or splitting nails
What it looks like: The nail is soft; you can break or bend your nails easily, peel them off or they constantly split.
What it means: Brittle nails can be related to advancing age, or a sign that they've been over processed due to harsh manicures, pedicures, acrylic nails or gel wraps. You may also be deficient in vitamin A (which helps your body make protein and is a key ingredient in your nails), vitamin C, or biotin, a B vitamin that can help strengthen nails and speed their growth.
What to do about it: It is best to take a break from processing the toenails. Give your nails time to rest and heal and stay out of the salon for a while. Avoid putting acrylic nails or gel wraps on the nail for a while, and be sure to moisturize your feet with lotion and nail conditioner. Take your vitamins -- especially vitamins A, B and C, they will help strengthen the nail as it grows. If that doesn't help, it may be time to see your podiatrist or dermatologist to see if there are other causes for the weak brittle nails.

o Yellow nails
What it looks like: Your nails may have a light yellow or very dark yellow tinge.
What it means: A number of conditions such as nail fungus, psoriasis or stains from smoking can cause this. Even dark nail polish can stain the nail, especially if they stay on for long periods.
What to do about it: If your nails are stained, try a home remedy first to see if it is superficial. Soak nails in denture cleaner mixed with water. If the yellowing does not go away, gets worse or is accompanied by pain, it could be a fungal infection since this is very common and about 50 percent of all nail discoloration is caused by nail fungus. Yellowing can also be seen in persons with psoriasis; it can be a side effect of certain medications, and a result of a rare condition called yellow nails syndrome. If you notice a change in your nail color, see your podiatrist, as you may need pills and or medications to put on the nails.

o White dots
What it looks like: Small white dot(s) that appear to be on the surface, but when you try to buff them away, they won't budge.
What it means: White dots on the nails are usually due to some type of trauma -- even something as simple as hitting the toe, dropping something on the toe or a too-aggressive cuticle trim.
What to do about it: Give the nail some time to grow out and fade. After several months, as the nail grows out, it should start to grow out too. But if they aren't going away, see your podiatrist to check it out.

o Dark vertical bands
What it looks like: Dark lines of color running top to bottom, possibly darker at the base of your nail.
What it means: Pigmented/dark vertical bands are common in dark-skinned people and they can also be benign moles in the nail bed. If there is a single new or changing black band on the nail bed this can be a malignant melanoma -- a type of skin cancer.
What to do about it: If they are regular and not changing just watch it, if the bands change or get darker or start to hurt, see a podiatrist as soon as possible.

o Spoon nails
What it looks like: Nails look scooped out or like a bowl. An easy test -- squeeze one or two drops of water from an eye drop onto the center of your nail. If the water sits on top rather than sliding off, you have spoon nails.
What it means: Spoon nails indicate iron deficiency anemia. When you have spoon nails, the blood supply doesn't reach the middle of your nail to make it grow. In some cases, spoon nails can be a sign of heart disease or hypothyroidism.
What to do about it: You need to see your doctor and get the appropriate blood work done to figure out what kind of deficiency is causing this. In some cases, iron supplements may be prescribed. If your thyroid is not functioning well you may need medications for that too.

o Horizontal depressions
What it looks like: Deep depressions or dips that run across the nail bed.
What it means: These depressions, called Beau's lines, could be a sign of something serious, such as uncontrolled diabetes, circulatory diseases or any illness associated with a high fever (like pneumonia or mumps). Trauma to your nail, like slamming it in a door can also cause these lines.
What to do about it: If you don't have any history of trauma see your podiatrist or primary doctor sooner rather than later.

o Nail beading
What it looks like: Vertical beaded ridges resembling a candle's wax drippings.
What it means: This can be cause by hormonal changes, thyroid issues, stress or diabetes.
What to do about it: Talk to your podiatrist to have the toe nails checked and discuss with your primary doctor any signs of these other diseases.

o Nail raised off the nail bed
What it looks like: The nail itself can be separated from the nail bed so there is space between them or the nail and the bed under it is raised making the nail high.
What it means: If the nail is separated from the nail bed it can be the result of trauma or it can be a bacterial or fungal infection under the nail. If the nail and the bed is raised, it can be the result of a tumor or growth under the nail, or it can be that the bone at the tip of the toe and under the nail has grown high in the toe and is pushing the nail up.
What to do about it: If the nail is raised, with or without pain you need to see a podiatrist, and have the doctor find out why the nail is raised and growing in this abnormal manner. It may require treatment.

o For more information email foothealth242@gmail.com or visit www.apma.org. To see a podiatrist visit Bahamas Foot Centre on Rosetta Street, telephone 325-2996 or Bahamas Surgical Associates Centre, Albury Lane, telephone 394-5820, or Lucayan Medical Centre on East Sunrise Highway, Freeport Grand Bahama, telephone 373-7400.

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