They appear as noticeable horizontal lines, at times with a slight yellow discolouration like in fungal nail infections. Beau's lines also trigger soreness and pain in certain instances at the fingertips, from discomfort due to the abnormally-shaped nails. Beau's lines can also arise in the toenails.
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. Treating the underlying cause will allow new, smooth nails to grow again.
Causes of Beau's lines include high fevers caused by infection, severe cutaneous inflammatory diseases such as Stevens–Johnson syndrome or Kawasaki disease, a reaction to medications, and acrodermatitis enteropathica. Beau's lines may occur in infants, 4–10 weeks of age, as a result of the stress of delivery.
There's no specific treatment for Beau's lines; most often, they grow out on their own. “It's common to find them, and they'll go away if the factors affecting the condition are managed,” says Hodges.
Beau's lines
They can appear when nail growth temporarily stops due to injury or illness. Beau's lines may be caused by: Infections. Diabetes that is not well controlled.
Beau lines can result from Raynaud phenomenon, which can be a paraneoplastic manifestation of lymphoma and an early sign of recurrent lymphoma.
Zinc deficiency can cause Beau's lines and white spots on your nails. Iron deficiency can cause vertical nail ridges and koilonychia (spoon nails). Spoon nails have a depression in the middle, like the center of your nail was scooped out.
Beau's lines harbingers variety of medical disorders (benign and malignant). A cause should be searched and once removed it resolves completely.
Infections, severe medical illnesses, major surgery/anesthesia, medication side effects, and autoimmune disease can produce Beau lines and onychomadesis.
But if something disturbs the smooth process, it could sustain a linear groove amidst the plat. People with acute kidney disease often develop Beau's lines.
Though many seniors develop vertical ridges on their nails due to aging, horizontal ridges, also known as Beau's lines, can be the result of a health problem.
People with MS may occasionally experience Beau's lines after a flare-up, though they should get checked for these other conditions, as well.
"White/yellow/greenish discolouration and thickening at the end of the nail spreads gradually to involve the whole nail which may be thick and brittle," said Practical Diabetes. It added: "The distorted nail can become sharp or break off, and can dig into neighbouring toes."
Beau's lines are among the most common of nail signs of nutritional deficiencies, including protein defi- ciency and the general malnourished state associated with chronic alcohol- ism.
Koilonychia is indented nails. Instead of growing straight, your nails look concave, like spoons. In many people, koilonychia is a sign of iron deficiency. Usually, you can get rid of spoon nails by treating the underlying cause.
Some medical conditions that have been associated with the development of Beau's Lines include: coronary thrombosis, myocarditis, hypopituitarism, hyperthyroidism, gout, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, epilepsy, renal failure, and glomerulonephritis.
Nail changes
These are most common in people who have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Some people develop a nail infection, which can cause splitting or crumbling nails and discoloration (A), or swollen skin and discoloration around the nails (B). Sometimes, visible blood vessels appear around the nails.
Split, cracked, or brittle nails may be due to thyroid disease, psoriasis, frequent hand washing, or medications. When this symptom is accompanied by yellowness it can also indicate a fungal infection. Healthy nails should be smooth and have a consistent color.
Other less frequent nail abnormalities associated with systemic lupus erythematosus include splinter hemorrhage, pincer nail deformity, leukonychia and Beau's lines. Systemic lupus erythematosus-associated nail disorders frequently occur in patients who also have Raynaud's phenomenon and mucous membrane ulcerations.
If the nail matrix becomes infected, transverse depressions (Beau's lines) may appear in the nail plate and the persistent infection turns the nail convex, irregular, rough and finally dystrophic. Candida granuloma (incidence of <1% of onychomycosis cases).
With age, vertical nail ridges may become more numerous or prominent because of changes in cell turnover within the nail. If your fingernails change color or you develop horizontal nail ridges, consult your health care provider. These changes could indicate an underlying health condition.
Some sytemic entities that have been associated with the development of Beau's lines include coronary thrombosis, myocarditis, hypopituitarism, hyperthyroidism, gout, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, epilepsy, renal failure, and glomerulonephritis.
Autoimmune diseases can affect your nails in various ways. If you have alopecia or Hashimoto's disease, your nails can become shaped like a spoon in a concave position. Alopecia can also cause your nails to become weak and crumbly. With Hashiomoto's, your nails may start splitting easily.