Isla Bennett
Ridges in your nails are usually harmless, but they can sometimes be a sign of a more serious medical condition. Vertical ridges are often a sign of ageing, while horizontal ridges can point to issues like malnutrition, serious nail injury, or Beau's lines. Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your fingernails or toenails, and they're a sign that an illness, injury, or skin condition interrupted your nail growth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vertical ridges | Sign of ageing, vitamin deficiencies, or diabetes |
| Horizontal ridges | Sign of malnutrition, serious nail injury, Beau's lines, or other medical conditions |
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What You'll Learn
- Beau's lines: horizontal ridges that can be a sign of an underlying illness, injury or skin condition
- Ageing: vertical ridges are a common sign of ageing
- Vitamin deficiencies: ridges can be a sign of nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of iron, zinc, vitamins A, C and D
- Diabetes: ridges may be a sign of diabetes
- Kidney disease: ridges could be a symptom of kidney disease
Beau's lines: horizontal ridges that can be a sign of an underlying illness, injury or skin condition
Deep horizontal nail ridges are known as Beau's lines. They are a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition interrupted your nail growth. Beau's lines can affect all your nails or just a few, such as your thumbs and big toes. Multiple Beau's lines on each nail may mean that an illness or trauma happened more than once. Thicker Beau's lines may be a sign that an illness or trauma lasted a longer time. Treating the underlying cause will allow new, smooth nails to grow again.
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Ageing: vertical ridges are a common sign of ageing
Vertical ridges in the fingernails are a common sign of ageing. Slight vertical ridges commonly develop in older adults. While these ridges are usually harmless, they can sometimes be a sign of health problems like vitamin deficiencies or diabetes.
Vertical ridges are often a result of ageing, but they can also be caused by improper nail care, nail trauma, or vitamin deficiencies. Certain nutritional deficiencies can affect your nails. For example, iron deficiency may cause vertical ridges in your nails. Other vitamins that can contribute to nail health include zinc and vitamins A, C, and D. According to 2018 research, biotin is also highly recommended to aid in nail health, but more research is needed to understand the full extent of its benefits.
Horizontal ridges, also known as Beau's lines, can point to more serious issues. Beau's lines are sideways (horizontal) dents in your fingernails or toenails. They can affect all your nails or just a few, such as your thumbs and big toes. Beau's lines are a sign that an illness, injury, or skin condition interrupted your nail growth. Thicker Beau's lines may indicate that an illness or trauma lasted a longer time.
If you experience nail changes outside of an injury, it is important to get evaluated by a doctor. Your doctor will examine your nails and ask about any other symptoms you are experiencing. They may order urine and blood tests if they suspect kidney disease, diabetes, or nutritional deficiencies. If the cause of your fingernail ridges is unclear, a dermatologist may take some fingernail clippings to have them analysed in a lab for signs of infection.
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Vitamin deficiencies: ridges can be a sign of nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of iron, zinc, vitamins A, C and D
Ridges in your nails are usually harmless and are often a sign of ageing. However, they can also be a sign of vitamin deficiencies, such as a lack of iron, zinc, or vitamins A, C and D. In some cases, ridges may be a sign of malnutrition, serious nail injury, Beau's lines, diabetes, or another medical condition. Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your fingernails or toenails. They're a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition interrupted your nail growth. Thicker Beau's lines may be a sign that an illness or trauma lasted a longer time.
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Diabetes: ridges may be a sign of diabetes
Ridges in your nails are usually harmless and are often a sign of ageing. However, they can sometimes be a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as diabetes.
Deep horizontal ridges, known as Beau's lines, can be a sign of an underlying illness or injury. Beau's lines are sideways (horizontal) dents in your fingernails or toenails. They can affect all your nails or just a few, such as your thumbs and big toes. Beau's lines are a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition interrupted your nail growth.
If you have diabetes, it is important to keep your blood sugar under control to prevent Beau's lines from forming. Treating the underlying cause of Beau's lines will allow new, smooth nails to grow again.
If you experience nail changes outside of an injury, it is important to get evaluated by a doctor. Your doctor may order urine and blood tests if they suspect kidney disease, diabetes, or nutritional deficiencies.
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Kidney disease: ridges could be a symptom of kidney disease
Ridges in your nails are usually harmless and are often a sign of ageing. However, they can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious medical condition, such as kidney disease.
Deep horizontal ridges, known as Beau's lines, can be a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition has interrupted your nail growth. Beau's lines can affect all your nails or just a few, such as your thumbs and big toes. If you have multiple Beau's lines on each nail, this may mean that an illness or trauma happened more than once. Thicker Beau's lines could indicate that an illness or trauma lasted a long time.
If you are experiencing nail changes outside of an injury, it is important to get evaluated by a doctor. They will examine your nails and ask about any other symptoms you are experiencing. If they suspect kidney disease, they may order urine and blood tests. Treating the underlying cause of your nail ridges will allow new, smooth nails to grow again.
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Frequently asked questions
Deep nail ridges can be a sign of ageing, but they can also indicate a vitamin deficiency, diabetes, or a more serious medical condition.
Beau's lines are deep horizontal ridges that can appear on one or more fingernails or toenails. They are a sign that an illness, injury, or skin condition has interrupted nail growth.
If you have Beau's lines, it's important to see a doctor to determine the underlying cause. Treating the underlying cause will allow new, smooth nails to grow.
Yes, nail ridges can be prevented by practising proper nail care and maintaining a healthy diet with adequate vitamins and minerals.
