Blue fingernails are caused by a low level or lack of oxygen circulating in your red blood cells. This condition is known as cyanosis. It occurs when there isn't enough oxygen in your blood, making the skin or membrane below the skin turn a purplish-blue color.
How do you treat blue nails?
Depending on the cause of blue nails, treatments may include :
- surgery to correct congenital heart disease.
- supportive oxygen therapy.
- methylene blue for methemoglobinemia.
- medications to help the blood vessels relax, including antihypertensive drugs and erectile dysfunction drugs.
What do nails look like with anemia?
Anemia is a condition where your body lacks enough hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. While fatigue is the leading sign of anemia, this condition can also show itself through brittle or spoon-shaped nails — called koilonychia.
