High cholesterol does not always manifest itself visibly. But that is why it is key that the symptoms that do show their face are correctly identified. And one of them has to do with the hands, specifically with nails.
Monika Wassermann, medical director of Olio Lusso, highlights that “high cholesterol attacks silently, making it difficult to notice its symptoms. However, this does not mean that we cannot identify high cholesterol levels in our body.”
“A warning sign may appear on the nails,” says Wassermann in statements collected by the Mirror. In particular, it draws attention to the concern of having pale nails.
“If you didn’t know, high cholesterol causes plaque to form in your blood vessels. The plaque then affects blood circulationwhich results in pale nails,” says the expert.
It is also a possible symptom of high cholesterol levels have brittle, slow-growing toenails, which can lead to peripheral artery disease (PAD).
This condition, which occurs when cholesterol clogs the arteries, prevents blood flow primarily to the legs. PAD symptoms usually appear slowly and it is essential to seek medical attention immediately upon noticing them.