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The symptoms of iron deficiency can appear in several body areas, and the indicators are typically noticeable in your skin, hair, and nails. The vital dietary mineral iron serves a variety of purposes for the body’s growth and development. Making myoglobin, which carries oxygen to the muscles and is necessary for the creation of several hormones, requires the development of hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that distributes oxygen from the lungs to all areas of the body. Fatigue, weakness, chest pain, numbness in the hands, and pain or soreness in the tongue are symptoms of low iron.
When the body lacks enough iron to function properly, an iron shortage develops. It is a typical condition that affects more women than males. Around 50% of pregnant women experience iron deficiency, putting them at an increased risk for the condition.
Indicators of iron insufficiency in the skin, hair, and nails include:
1. Damaged and dry hair
A day’s worth of hair loss is normal, but if you find more hair than usual in your brush or on your pillow, it may be a clue that something is wrong. A lack of iron could be indicated by dry, damaged hair. When your body lacks iron, it lowers the amount of hemoglobin in your blood, which prevents the hair cells from getting enough oxygen and inhibits hair growth. Skin and hair become brittle and dry when they don’t get enough oxygen.
2. Hair loss
Haemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen to every area of the body, is produced in large part thanks to iron. Iron deficiency makes it more difficult for the body to get oxygen to the cells that promote the growth of your hair and nails. Your hair starts to thin down and fall out as a result of this. According to research, hair loss brought on by an iron shortage may affect mostly females who are fertile.
Iron deficiency can produce hair loss that resembles hormonal hair loss, with thinning around the hairline, crown, and middle of the head. If you have a severe iron deficiency, you may experience increased hair loss and observe more of your scalp when your hair is wet or when you’re in a brightly illuminated environment.
3. Exceptionally light skin
The red blood cells’ haemoglobin gives the blood its red color. Therefore, when the body lacks iron, the blood becomes less red, which makes the skin appear paler than usual or lose its warmth.
4. Paler eyelid lining
Normally, the lower eyelids’ inside are bright red to the touch. However, iron insufficiency results in a pale appearance on the inner of the lower eyelids. It frequently occurs in mild to severe iron deficient patients. In fact, it is one of the first symptoms of iron deficiency that specialists will check for. It might be the sole location where iron insufficiency is apparent in those with dark skin.
5. Nails that are fragile
Koilonychia, often known as brittle or spoon-shaped fingernails, is a rather uncommon sign of iron insufficiency. Usually, it starts with weak nails that break easily. When iron deficiency is left untreated for a long time, it can eventually result in spoon-shaped nails, which are rounded and have a curve with a dip in the middle and raised edges. It only appears in extreme situations of iron shortage and is a rare sign.
