Why do white spots appear on nails?

It's a common myth that those spots are a sign of a calcium deficiency.

Most of the time, they're just evidence of a past, minor injury to the base of your nail. This is the area where the nail is formed. Think of bumping your hand on a counter or pressure from an aggressive manicure. You won’t see the white mark until weeks later as the nail grows out. By then, you’ve likely forgotten all about the bump!

The official term for this is leukonychia. It's a harmless disruption in the nail plate. It’s really nothing to worry about. The spot will simply grow out and disappear as you trim your nail over the next few months.