Eyes, nails, tongue… everything our body reveals about our state of health

Our body never stops sending us messages. When it comes to pain, fever or bleeding, we have no doubt: these alert us to a problem. Stress and emotions also manifest themselves through physical symptoms. But there are visible signals (or identifiable by the other senses), strange ones, which we don’t know what to do with. We notice them by looking in the mirror, or sometimes it’s our loved ones who tell us about them. THE white of the eye who blushes, a strange-smelling urineof the brittle nailsA deposit on the tongueA cracking knee…How can we decipher these manifestations? “Our body is a fascinating human machine, our primary capital. Knowing it better allows us to detect anomalies,” says Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris and author of the book. Deyrolle. Anatomy lessons (ed. Albin Michel, 2023). We take stock – not exhaustive – of frequent signals. And if in doubt… we consult!

The eyes: very talkative messengers!

“The first impression comes from the look. Tired, with dark circles or bags, it can reflect poor shape, lack of sleep or stress” indicates Damien Gatinel, head of the ophthalmology department at the Rothschild Foundation hospital (Paris ). Carefully observing the eyes opens a window into our health.

A change in color of the white of the eye

THE white of the eye may turn red – sign of fatigue, allergy, drought… – or sometimes yellow, a symptom of jaundice. This then shows an excess of bilirubin, a pigment that the liver is no longer able to evacuate. Furthermore, if a red spot well-demarcated appears in the white of the eye, it is generally a benign hemorrhagea sign of a little shock.

A white ring in the eye

This lipid deposit forms an arc around the iris. Common among seniors – hence its name “gerontoxon” –, it does not affect vision but “can signal a high level of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) in the blood, especially if it occurs young,” points out the ophthalmologist.

Prominent globes

We talk aboutprotruding eyes (Or exophthalmos) when the globes seem to come out of the orbit and the white of the eye is seen above the iris. This symptom often marks the beginning of hyperthyroidism. A thyroid hormone test is carried out to check this.

THE pterygium : surfer’s disease

We thus call the pterygium, reddish membrane growing in the inner corner of the eye. This benign lesion is explained by an excess of sun and wind causing a dry eye.

Nails: notice of small hassles

As the matrix of the nail, with its nerves and vessels, is connected to the rest of the body, “diseases sometimes affect these appendages. chronic sinusitis may be associated with the syndrome of yellow nails (which thicken and no longer grow)”, explains Sophie Goettmann, dermatologist specializing in nail pathologies and author of Your nails, a whole world (ed. Actes Sud, 2020). But most often, the changes affecting these keratin plaques are benign. This is demonstrated by the following examples of signs spotted on the hands.

Longitudinal striations on the nail

They appear around 40-50 years old. Weakened, the nails break or split. “A normal development. However, in case of doubt, the doctor will be able to distinguish them from streaks linked to an illness (psoriasis, lichen).” Great fragility can also be due to iron deficiency, anorexia or an unbalanced vegan diet.

Nail peeling

“We think we’re doing the right thing by cleaning our nails, but using a file helps them peeling off.” The latter is sometimes caused by repeated contact with water, skin diseases (psoriasis) or microbial infections. The solution: cut your nails short and keep your hands dry.

A black line on the nail

Although it is generally a benign pigmentation, in rare cases it is the beginning of a melanoma. Go to the dermatologist.

White spots on the nail

No, it is not a lack of calcium, but a keratinization problem following small shocks on the matrix.

Urine: smell and scent, warning signs

The kidney filters the blood to extract waste and balance the body in water and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, etc.). It thus produces urine, a liquid containing nitrogen molecules (urea), mineral salts, etc. “Its color is a good indicator of body hydration,” notes emergency doctor Gérald Kierzek.

Dark-colored urine

You probably aren’t drinking enough water. In this case, the body evacuates less, it struggles to get rid of excess substances and functions less well. This can lead to a urinary infection. A light yellow color (due to urobilin, a pigment resulting from the breakdown of hemoglobin) is a sign of good hydration.

Fluorescent colored urine

This is surprising but is not abnormal if you take vitamin supplements, especially B2 (riboflavin) which is bright yellow in color. The body eliminates the surplus via urine, hence this curious color.

Urine with a strange smell

Have you eaten asparagus, cabbage or garlic? These foods can “perfume” the urine. The smell imparted by asparagus comes from sulfur compounds made by the body from asparagusic acid, a molecule in the vegetable. Please note: strong-smelling urine is sometimes a sign of dehydration orinfection.

The tongue: sticking it out is good for your health

If the doctor makes the tongue stick out, it is not for nothing: “It is the mirror of oral health,” reveals speech therapist Catherine Thibault, author of Language. The private life of a very discreet organ (ed. l’Archipel, 2024). A little glimpse of his quirks.

A white deposit on the tongue

A whitish mass of cellular debris, food remains and microbes may appear on its upper surface. “White tongue” is common in cases of dehydration, poor hygiene or infection by a fungus (candidiasis). In babies, it is often explained by a deposit of milk, but sometimes it is also candidiasis, called “Lily of the valley“.

Dips on the edges of the tongue

You have to stick out your tongue to notice on its sides, “a sort of crenellated or jagged border, sign of a scalloped tongue, describes the speech therapist. Having the mark of the teeth in this way is very common.” In question, the fact of clenching the jaws or even grinding the teeth, an involuntary phenomenon linked to stress. “Noticing these dips allows you to become aware of them and learn to release the pressure.”

A diamond mark on the tongue

If this red shape appears, don’t panic, it’s probably a infection without seriousness due to a fungus. But as with any lesion, you should not hesitate to consult if it persists.

A geographical language

Do red and white areas make the tongue look like a map? This condition with unknown causes is benign.

White hair: it often happens sooner than expected

At what age do we start to have white hair?

It varies greatly from one person to another. Environmental and hereditary factors come into play, including origins. Graying appears around 35 years of age in Caucasians and 45 years of age in the African population. Globally, it is considered that at the age of 50, 50% of humans have half-white hair.

Is white hair caused by stress?

Whitening is first of all a natural phenomenon with advancing age: the population of melanocytes decreases and plays its role less well. But a stressful period can also turn hair gray, according to recent work from Columbia University, published in 2021: the cells then stop synthesizing proteins necessary for the production of pigments. Good news, this process is reversible.

Can white hair be a sign of illness?

Yes, such as vitiligo, a benign depigmentation of the skin, hair and body hair – from which former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe suffers in particular. Another condition, diffuse alopecia areata, which is characterized by sudden loss of pigmented hair. Not white people. This could explain the legend according to which Marie-Antoinette’s hair turned white the night before her execution.

What if we pull out a white hair?

No, it won’t grow back lots of them, but just one, also white. Each hair resides within a cavity called a “hair follicle”, which can only contain one.

A crease on the top of the nose

Do you notice a horizontal fold in the skin above the tip of your interlocutor’s nose? He is probably prone to allergic rhinitis. This disease causes itching. By rubbing your nose a lot, a wrinkle forms. It’s the “salvation of the allergy sufferer”.

A crease on the ear

In some people, both lobes are crossed by a diagonal furrow. More frequent with age, these marks called “Frank’s sign” (named after their discoverer, in 1973) are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

A cracking knee

Do your knees “squeak”? Don’t worry, it’s not your bones rubbing against each other. In the joint, they are protected by a capsule filled with lubricant, the synovium. When you stretch, the pressure drops in this envelope and gas bubbles form. These burst when the bones come together and the pressure rises, hence these cracking noises. “And contrary to popular belief, cracking your fingers has no consequences,” adds Dr. Kierzek. No study proves that it promotes osteoarthritis. “On the other hand, it is better to consult if your bones start to crack after a trauma (fall, etc.).”

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