Liam Carter
Horizontal ridges or dents in your toenails are known as Beau's lines. They can be a sign of an injury, illness or skin condition that has interrupted your nail growth. Beau's lines can appear on one nail or several, and they can be thick or thin. They may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as brown-black lines (longitudinal melanonychia), red lines (longitudinal erythronychia) or white lines (leukonychia striata).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Brown-black, red, or white |
| Cause | Illness, injury, stress, skin condition, trauma, bacterial, fungal, or viral infection, drug reaction, endocrine disorders, exogenous pigmentation, excess melanin production, nevi, or melanoma |
| Treatment | Treating the underlying cause will allow new, smooth nails to grow again |
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What You'll Learn
- Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your toenails
- White lines, or Mees lines, are associated with acute systemic stress, such as heart failure or breast cancer
- Brown-black lines, or longitudinal melanonychia, may represent blood from trauma or a bacterial, fungal or viral infection
- Red lines, or longitudinal erythronychia, can be caused by a number of factors, including drug reaction or endocrine disorders
- Melanonychia is the name for dark lines on your toenails. They are usually brown or black and can occur naturally if you have a dark complexion
Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your toenails
Treating the underlying cause will allow new, smooth nails to grow again. Your healthcare provider may recommend applying creams or moisturisers for eczema or psoriasis.
Dark lines on your toenails are called melanonychia and are usually brown or black. They can occur naturally if you have a dark complexion. Brown-black nail lines may also represent blood from trauma, bacterial, fungal or viral infection, drug reaction, endocrine disorders, exogenous pigmentation, excess melanin production within the nail matrix, nevi or melanoma.
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White lines, or Mees lines, are associated with acute systemic stress, such as heart failure or breast cancer
Horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your toenails are known as Beau's lines. They can be a sign of an injury, illness or skin condition that interrupted your nail growth. Thicker Beau's lines may be a sign that an illness or trauma lasted a longer time.
Treating the underlying cause of Beau's lines or Mees lines will allow new, smooth nails to grow again. For example, your healthcare provider may recommend applying creams or moisturisers for eczema or psoriasis.
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Brown-black lines, or longitudinal melanonychia, may represent blood from trauma or a bacterial, fungal or viral infection
Brown-black lines on the toenails, or longitudinal melanonychia, may be the result of trauma, a bacterial, fungal or viral infection, a drug reaction, endocrine disorders, exogenous pigmentation, excess melanin production within the nail matrix, nevi, or melanoma. These lines can occur naturally if you have a dark complexion.
Longitudinal melanonychia is a type of nail line, which can be identified by its colour and shape. Nail lines are a common presenting finding, and an understanding of basic nail anatomy and familiarity with several basic types of nail line can enable the clinician to diagnose and treat nail disorders and to recognise underlying systemic diseases. Each type of nail line has a particular differential diagnosis. For example, white lines, or leukonychia striata, can be associated with acute systemic stress, such as from acute renal failure, heart failure, ulcerative colitis, breast cancer, infection (measles, tuberculosis), and systemic lupus erythematosus, and with exposure to toxic metals such as thallium.
Horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your toenails are known as Beau's lines. They're a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition interrupted your nail growth. A single Beau’s line on one nail may indicate an injury that affected only one toe. Beau’s lines on all of your nails can mean that an illness or stress caused them. 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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Red lines, or longitudinal erythronychia, can be caused by a number of factors, including drug reaction or endocrine disorders
Red lines on the nails, or longitudinal erythronychia, can be caused by a number of factors. These include drug reactions or endocrine disorders. Endocrine disorders are conditions that affect the endocrine system, which is responsible for producing and regulating hormones in the body.
Longitudinal erythronychia is characterised by red lines that run along the length of the nail. These lines can appear on one or more nails and may be a sign of an underlying condition or disorder.
If you notice red lines on your nails, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment. A thorough inspection of the nails is often necessary to determine the underlying cause. Treating the underlying cause will allow new, healthy nails to grow.
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Melanonychia is the name for dark lines on your toenails. They are usually brown or black and can occur naturally if you have a dark complexion
Dark lines on your toenails are called melanonychia. These lines are usually brown or black and can occur naturally if you have a dark complexion. Melanonychia may appear in one nail or several. The lines usually look like a stripe that begins at the bottom of your nail bed and continues to the top.
Melanonychia is not the only cause of lines on your toenails. Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your toenails. They are a sign that an illness, injury or skin condition interrupted your nail growth. A single Beau's line on one nail may indicate an injury that affected only one toe. Beau's lines on all of your nails can mean that an illness or stress caused them. 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.
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Frequently asked questions
Beau's lines are horizontal ridges or dents in one or more of your toenails. They are a sign that an injury, illness or skin condition interrupted your nail growth.
These lines are called melanonychia. They can occur naturally if you have a dark complexion, but they can also be a sign of blood from trauma, bacterial, fungal or viral infection, drug reaction, endocrine disorders, exogenous pigmentation, excess melanin production within the nail matrix, nevi or melanoma.
White lines on your toenails are called leukonychia striata. They have been associated with acute systemic stress, such as from acute renal failure, heart failure, ulcerative colitis, breast cancer, infection (measles, tuberculosis), and systemic lupus erythematosus, and with exposure to toxic metals such as thallium.
