fingernail damage from cold weather riding?

[kmac]

is it just me, or does this happen to other folks? it seems that if i end up spending a bit too long outside on a bit too cold of a day, i seem to develop white discolorations in my fingernails. they grow out over time (much like the rings in a tree) so i can look at them and see a history of times i probably should have worn warmer gloves, or just gone inside earlier.

there isn't significant discomfort associated with the nails after getting the hands thawed up again, but usually on the "trauma days", they had gotten pretty numb. basically, the weather outplayed the gloves i had chosen.

it's not ruining my life or keeping me indoors or anything like that... just trying to figure out if i just have lousy hands (i do have raynaud's), or this is more common to winter cyclists than i realize, or it's totally unrelated to cold exposure and perhaps i should seek some medical advice :)

[Tickdoc]

Leukonychia....not from riding, I get them too, and was always told it was from an iron deficiency.

[thwart]

it seems that if i end up spending a bit too long outside on a bit too cold of a day, i seem to develop white discolorations in my fingernails...

(i do have raynaud's)

...perhaps i should seek some medical advice :)

Bingo.

... and in the meantime, get some warmer gloves and/or hand warmers.

[Hank Scorpio]

As an aside my wife has raynauds and I am pretty sure our daughter does too but she is too young to diagnose. Did you ever try a calcium channel blocker for it? Or yours isn’t severe enough to warrant treatment?