How to Determine Your Health Through Palm Reading

Plus, other palm lines and features that represent your health

Co-authored by Miriam Weber and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: December 12, 2025 Fact Checked

What is a health line?

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Health Line Shape Meanings

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Length & Location Meanings

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Line Markings & Meanings

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Other Health-Related Features

Did you know your palm can tell you what kind of health problems you’ll have? Well, theoretically, at least. While not backed by science, in the practice of palmistry, the presence of a health line on your palm supposedly tells you what kind of health issues you may face. We spoke to palmist Miriam Weber to teach you all about the health line and its markings, as well as other palm lines and hand features that may give you insight into your physical well-being.

How do you read the health line on your palm?

Palmist Miriam Weber says that the health line, or Mercury line, represents how healthy you are. It typically slants in from the pinky and runs down toward the wrist. The shape and markings of the line supposedly tell you what kind of health problems you’ll have, but this isn’t backed by science.

Section 1 of 5:

What is a health line in palmistry?

The health line can indicate your physical and mental health. The health line (or line of Mercury) is a slanted, mostly vertical line that runs across your palm.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Miriam Weber
Palmistry Expert

Expert Interview} While it has no fixed starting point, it often slants in from the pinky and runs down toward the wrist. Weber explains that it represents how healthy you are. Unlike some palm lines, which have positive connotations, having a health line supposedly indicates that you’ll have some form of health problems in your life.
- The lack of a health line is a positive sign; in the practice of palmistry, this means you’re healthy. “This is actually the one line that, if you don’t have it, it’s considered good,” says Weber.
- Keep in mind that this is not backed by science. You may be perfectly healthy and have a prominent health line, or you may get sick often and have no health line at all. Still, it can be interesting to see if your health line accurately reflects your health!
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Miriam Weber is a palmist who founded Sister Palm in 2019. She does private palm readings online and in person.

Section 2 of 5:

Health Line Shapes & Their Meanings

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A wavy or broken health line may indicate digestive issues. If your health line is wavy instead of straight, or if it’s broken up into smaller lines, you may experience health problems related to your digestive system or a decline in liver or gall bladder function. If it’s bent into a big arc, you may lose strength or vigor. Weber adds that a broken or wavy line may also indicate a health problem that interrupts your daily life or causes issues throughout your life.
- Remember, palmistry is not backed by scientific evidence. You may have these markings and be perfectly healthy, or you may have a certain health issue but not the line that relates to it. If you’re concerned about your health, talk to your doctor.
Look at your health line and see if there are several smaller lines going across it. The presence of these lines often indicates poor health in general, or minor health issues and obstacles that affect your well-being, like injuries or accidents. External factors like stress, environmental influences, and dietary habits may impact your health.^{[2]
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Research source}
If your health line is very short or made up of multiple small lines, you may experience poor health in general. For example, you may be physically weak or get sick often.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Miriam Weber
Palmistry Expert

Expert Interview} However, some also interpret this line to mean you’re good at recovering from tough times.^{[4]
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Research source}

Section 3 of 5:

Health Line Lengths & Locations

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If the health line crosses the head line, you may have health problems later in life. The head line is a horizontal line that runs across the middle of the palm.^{[5]
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Research source} Those who have a long health line that crosses the head line may begin to have more health problems once they reach middle age. As a result, they often require more rest and care as they age.
- If your health line starts at the heart line and ends at the head line, you may develop brain lesions.
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A health line that extends to the Mount of Venus may indicate circulation issues. The Mount of Venus is the fleshy area located at the base of your thumb.^{[6]
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Research source} If your health line extends to this area, you may have problems with your circulatory system. There may also be a risk of heart disease or cerebral hemorrhage.
- Similarly, you may have a weak cardiovascular system and blood circulation issues if your health line reaches your life line.
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If your health line extends to the bracelet line, you may have chronic health issues. The bracelet line is a horizontal line where your palm and wrist connect.^{[7]
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Research source} If your health line extends to this area, you may suffer from health issues throughout your life. You may also become tired easily and have difficulty recovering.
- Similarly, if you have two intersecting health lines, you may suffer from long-term chronic disease and generally have low energy.

Section 4 of 5:

Health Line Markings & Their Meanings

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Islands or chains on your health line represent liver problems. In palmistry, islands are small ovals that overlap the lines of your palm, and chains are a series of interconnected loops that resemble chain links. The presence of these markings may indicate that you’ll have diseases related to the liver.^{[8]
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Research source}
- Islands can also signal poor kidney function, issues with your gall bladder, or respiratory problems.
- In women, a large island may indicate mammary gland hyperplasia.
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A star may indicate fertility issues. A star is a small marking formed of three or more intersecting lines that resembles a star or asterisk. In women, a star on the health line may indicate infertility or difficulty giving birth. In men, a star may signify low sexual function or infertility.
- In general, a star on the health line also means you may not have support from family members.
- In women, if the star forms a black area, it may indicate mental distress or mental illness when giving birth.
- If your health line begins at the Mount of Mercury (at the base of the little finger) and a star appears at the starting point, you may have no children or suffer from kidney or gynecological problems.
If your health line features a small box or square, it may be a sign that you’ll have surgery, usually in relation to heart problems. In palmistry, squares are usually a sign of protection, so this could also mean you got medical treatment at the right time.
If you have small dots running across your health line, it may mean you’re about to get sick or that you’re prone to illness, though these are typically temporary health setbacks.^{[9]
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Research source} Red spots are often linked to fever and inflammation.
A cross resembles an ‘X’ on your palm. While a cross can have different implications depending on where it’s located, when it appears on your health line, it may mean you’re prone to accidents that will harm your health.
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A triangle can indicate mental health problems. If you notice a triangle-shaped marking on your health line, you may struggle with one or more mental illnesses throughout your life, including depression, anxiety, or other conditions. The triangle does not specify the type of illness, however.
- If your health line forms the lucky triangle with your head and life lines, however, this is an auspicious sign. The larger the triangle is, the more luck you’ll experience.

Section 5 of 5:

Other Hand Features That Reflect Health

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Your fingernails may reflect certain health issues. Palmist Miriam Weber says, “There are many signs [on] the hand that can give us health information. Part of that is assessing the lines, of course, but you can also look at your fingernails.”^{[10]
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Expert Source

Miriam Weber
Palmistry Expert

Expert Interview} The shape, length, and texture of your fingernails are sometimes believed to indicate certain diseases or health issues. Take a look at your nails and see which of the following descriptions they best fit:
- Long nails may indicate weakness of the lungs and respiratory problems.
- Short, flat nails that are raised at the edges may reflect throat and bronchial troubles.
- Thin, narrow nails may mean you’re prone to headaches and body aches.
- Triangular nails may indicate nervous disorders and paralysis.
- Circular nails with knob-like fingertips may indicate a weakness of the heart.
- Spoon-shaped nails may reflect malnutrition and glandular diseases.
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Lines other than the health line can also indicate health problems. Certain lines and markings on the palm are thought to indicate different diseases and health issues.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Miriam Weber
Palmistry Expert

Expert Interview} For example, Weber says that while the heart line usually reflects emotions, “It can also indicate things with the actual heart, [like] if somebody’s going to potentially have cardiovascular issues, in conjunction with the health line.” Remember, though, that there is no evidence behind this. Just because you have one of these markings doesn’t mean you have the illness associated with it. If you’re concerned for your health, talk to your doctor.
- Eye troubles: An island on your heart line or a circle under your ring finger may indicate eye weakness or blindness.
- Heart attack: If your heart line has breaks, it may mean you’re more likely to have a heart attack.
- Fatty heart: If your heart line is wide and has ridges below it, it may indicate an accumulation of fat in your heart’s valves, which may be closed.
- Teeth problems: If your heart line has fine vertical lines running through it under the middle finger, you may have problems relating to your gums and teeth.
- Headaches: If your head line features small dots, it often represents tension and headaches.
- Mental illness: Breaks and chains in the head line often reflect non-specified mental illnesses.
- Memory loss: An island on your head line may indicate memory loss or other mental tensions.
- Intestinal ulceration: If you have ridges and thin lines under the head line, it may indicate a bacterial infection in the intestines or intestinal ulcers.
- Menstrual problems: If you have a uterus, crossing or horizontal lines on the Mount of Moon may indicate menstrual problems or other issues with the uterus.
- Venereal diseases: A star at the junction of the head and health lines or an island on the lower portion of the Mount of Moon may indicate venereal diseases.
- Asthma: If the space between your head and heart line is narrow under the middle finger, or one or two lines starting from the Mount of Venus move towards the head line, it may be an indication of asthma.
- Kidney troubles: A grille or cross on the lower part of the Mount of Moon may represent kidney troubles.
- Cancer: If you notice a malformation of ridges below the ring finger under the head or heart line, or cobweb-like formations of thin lines across the palm, it may indicate cancer.