Liam Carter
Ridges in your nails can be a sign of a current or past illness or injury. They can also be caused by a nutrient deficiency or a problem with the nail matrix, which is responsible for making your nails grow. While ridges are often harmless, it's important to talk to a doctor to find out the cause and how to treat it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause | Health condition, previous injury, or ageing |
| Direction | Vertical or horizontal |
| Treatment | Treating the underlying cause, home nail care |
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What You'll Learn
Ridges in nails can be a sign of a health condition
Ridges in your fingernails or toenails can be a sign of a current or past illness. The ridges may run vertically (up and down) or horizontally (across) your nail. Vertical ridges on your fingernails are called onychorrhexis and are often a result of aging. As you get older, your nails can naturally become ridged, dry, brittle, or thick. However, onychorrhexis can also be a symptom of a health condition.
If you have nail ridges, don’t ignore them. Talk to your provider so you can find out the cause and how to treat it, if necessary. With time and treatment, you may see new, smoother nails grow in. A doctor should examine changes in your nails.
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Ridges in nails can be a sign of a previous injury
If you have nail ridges, it is important to talk to your doctor to find out the cause and how to treat it. With time and treatment, you may see new, smoother nails grow in. Ridges may also be caused by issues with making skin cells and a skin protein called keratin, which can change how your nails grow. This is known as onychorrhexis and can cause vertical ridges on your fingernails. It often happens with ageing but can also be a symptom of a health condition.
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Ridges in nails can be harmless
If you have nail ridges, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor or healthcare provider so that they can help you determine the cause and how to treat it, if necessary. With time and treatment, you may see new, smoother nails grow in.
If your nail ridges aren’t due to a health condition or deficiency, home nail care may help.
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Ridges in nails can be caused by a nutrient deficiency
If you have nail ridges, it’s important not to ignore them. Talk to your doctor so you can find out the cause and how to treat it, if necessary. With time and treatment, you may see new, smoother nails grow in.
If your nail ridges aren’t due to a health condition or deficiency, home nail care may help. As you get older, your nails can naturally become ridged, dry, brittle, or thick.
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Ridges in nails can be caused by issues with making skin cells and a skin protein called keratin
Ridges in nails can be a sign of a current or past illness or injury. They can also be caused by a nutrient deficiency. In some cases, they are harmless.
Ridges can be caused by issues with making skin cells and a skin protein called keratin, which can change how your nails grow. This is called onychorrhexis and causes vertical ridges on your fingernails. It often happens with ageing but can also be a symptom of a health condition.
Onychorrhexis is usually just a cosmetic annoyance, but it can be a sign of another health problem. Conditions that can cause onychorrhexis include ageing, as nails can naturally become ridged, dry, brittle or thick.
If you have nail ridges, it is recommended that you talk to a doctor so you can find out the cause and how to treat it, if necessary.
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Frequently asked questions
It could be a sign of a current or past illness, a nutrient deficiency, or a previous injury to your nail. However, sometimes it's harmless.
You should talk to your doctor to find out the cause and how to treat it.
Yes, they can be a sign of a current health condition, but they can also be harmless.
They are called onychorrhexis.
Yes, with time and treatment, you may see new, smoother nails grow in.
