Ever notice small white marks on your nails? They can appear as single, horizontal brush strokes or even look like tiger stripes.
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These various “milk spots” actually fall under “Leukonychia,” the medical term for the discoloration.
According to the Business Insider video below, Leukonychia has four main types.
The most common type, Leukonychia punctata, happens when you injure the base of the nail. In this case, the spots usually disappear in about eight months.
Leukonychia striata, which has the appearance of white tiger stripes, happens when you “traumatize the nail matrix.” This type is common if you tend to get a lot of manicures, but the spots can also arise from diseases like herpes, measles, malaria or leprosy.
The other two: longitudinal Leukonychia and Leukonychia totalis are both rare. The former looks like a white stripe across the nail and is associated with a skin condition. The latter, which looks like the nail is fully covered in white, can be caused by antibiotics or certain genetic conditions.
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