Hair, Skin & Nails

In the etiology of hair, skin, and nail conditions, three essential elements stand out in both Western and Eastern medical paradigms: collagen, cartilage, and bone marrow. Collagen constitutes approximately 33% of the human body's total protein and forms most of the skin's composition (Proksch et al., 2014, Skin Pharmacology and Physiology). These animal-based substances contain essential compounds and peptides crucial for skin, hair, nails, joints, and cartilage vitality. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) links nails to energy and blood circulation, hair to blood health, and skin to the functionality of the heart, lungs, and spleen (Xia et al., 2011, Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine). In TCM theory, the liver holds and distributes blood, facilitating the flow of Qi. Both TCM and Western medicine utilize the state of nails, skin, and hair as diagnostic markers for various conditions such as anemia, congestive heart failure, liver disease, malnutrition, diabetes, and thyroid issues (Gerkowicz et al., 2018, Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii).