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The Daily Insight

What are half and half nails?

Author

David Craig

Updated on April 02, 2026

Half and half nails or Lindsay’s nails is a systemic onychopathy, clinically characterized by a white coloring of the proximal half nail and a red-brown coloration of the distal half of all the nails.

Do half and half nails go away?

Furthermore, the half-and-half nail pattern is persistent, as there is no tendency of the bands to move with nail growth. Nonetheless, this phenomenon may reverse itself after successful renal transplantation, but not with hemodialysis or changes in hemoglobin or albumin levels.

Do Lindsay’s nails go away?

These nail findings are thought to be present in up to one third of patients starting haemodialysis. This sign may disappear completely after successful kidney transplantation but usually remains unchanged with haemodialysis.

What should healthy nails look like?

Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They’re uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age.

What healthy nails look like?

Why are my fingernails splitting?

A split nail is usually caused by physical stress, nutrient deficiency, or wear and tear. Split nails can be a problem, especially if you work with your hands. Although split nails are completely normal and sometimes unavoidable, there are ways you can prevent split nails in the future.

Is Terry nails serious?

While Terry’s nails aren’t harmful, they should be evaluated by your doctor, as they can be a sign of a more serious issue and may be associated with several underlying health issues. The condition is most common in people with liver disease and cirrhosis, or scarring, of the liver.

What are half-and-half nails?

Half-and-half nails, also known as Lindsay’s nails, was first described in 1967 and is one of the most characteristic (but not pathognomonic) onychopathies seen in chronic renal failure.

Can kidney disease cause half and half nails?

Half and half nails are seen in 20-50% of patients with chronic kidney disease (4), but may also occur in Crohn’s disease (5), Behçet’s disease (6), pellagra citrullinemia (7), Kawasaki disease, cirrhosis, and even in healthy persons (8).

Is half and half nails syndrome genetic?

The manifestation of half and half nails syndrome in healthy patients raises the possibility of a genetic susceptibility to the disease. Half and half nails is a condition commonly found in patients with chronic kidney disease, but it can also be found in the context of other diseases as well as in healthy individuals.

Does half and half nail pattern change after renal transplant?

Furthermore, the half-and-half nail pattern is persistent, as there is no tendency of the bands to move with nail growth. Nonetheless, this phenomenon may reverse itself after successful renal transplantation, but not with hemodialysis or changes in hemoglobin or albumin levels.