Beauty professionals spend more time looking at people's skin, scalp, and nails than just about anyone. While their job is to deliver amazing hair, glass complexions, bomb manicures, and more, they should also know that some physical changes point to issues no product, treatment, or technique can fix.
That's because the skin, scalp, and nails can reveal a lot about what's happening inside the body. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jessica Weiser of Weiser Skin MD in New York, what looks like a cosmetic concern can sometimes be an early sign of an underlying health issue, even before other symptoms appear.
Most of the time, these changes are harmless. But occasionally, they're worth a closer look. Here are five things beauty professionals may spot on the job — and what they could be trying to tell you.
1. A breakout that comes out of nowhere.
Pimples aren’t always about the what you’re putting on your skin. In fact, “most sudden bouts of acne indicate an acute internal change,” says Dr. Weiser.
Hormonal fluctuations, stress, illness, sleep loss, travel, and even a change in routine can tip the body toward inflammation, and the skin is often where it first shows up.
2. Dry skin that won’t quit.
When skin and scalp still feel parched despite slathering on moisturizer, a compromised skin barrier is often to blame. When that protective barrier isn’t functioning properly, skin has a harder time staying quenched.
Frequent culprits: eczema, psoriasis, over-exfoliation, harsh products, and environmental stress.
3. Dark circles, even after a good night’s sleep.
Less-than-adequate sleep often comes with telltale under-eye circles, but that’s just one cause out of many, Dr. Weiser says.
Thin skin can make blood vessels more visible; natural volume loss can create shadows; and seasonal allergies can worsen discoloration through inflammation and frequent rubbing.
4. Redness that lingers.
Temporary flushing after a workout or on a hot day: Normal. Redness that sticks around: Different story.
Rosacea is one of the most common causes and can be aggravated by factors such as alcohol, spicy food, hot beverages, and more. The key is figuring out what's triggering it before deciding how to treat it, Dr. Wisner says.
5. Nails that suddenly look different.
Most changes aren’t cause for alarm, but new or persistent changes are worth mentioning to your client. For instance:
- Deep, horizontal grooves known as "Beau’s lines" that run across the nail plate often appear after a significant illness or period of physical stress.
- Green discoloration may point to a bacterial infection.
- “Half-and-half” or “Lindsey’s nails” — where the bottom half of the nail near the cuticle turns white and the top half turns red, pink, or brown — are frequently linked to kidney disease.
“We often think of skin, hair, and nails as cosmetic, but they're also incredibly informative,” Dr. Weiser says.
“While most changes turn out to be benign, persistent or unexplained symptoms are worth paying attention to, because they can occasionally point to something happening beneath the surface.”