Summary Adequate magnesium intake is crucial to prevent vertical ridges in your nails. This mineral also helps with protein synthesis and the formation of new nails.
- A deficiency in B-complex vitamins, especially biotin, will produce ridges along the nail bed.
Some dermatologists suggest you can gently buff nails to remove ridges. However, it's recommended to stick with moisturizing your nails, keeping them trimmed, and checking with a dermatologist for further consideration.
Consider supplements
“Vitamin A, vitamin B, biotin, iron and zinc are needed for normal growth of nails, but moderation of these vitamins is key,” says Dr. Kim. “Too much of one or more vitamins can lead to serious health issues.
"Horizontal nail ridges, or Beau's lines, may be the result of a physiologic stressor, or something systemic such as diabetes, thyroid abnormalities, or kidney disease," Gohara says, adding that sometimes physical trauma like hitting your hand or fingers against something as well as a lack of nutrients due to a ...
Horizontal ridges run from side to side on your nails and are often referred to as Beau's lines. Horizontal ridges can be caused by trauma to the nail and may be deep or discolored. The can also indicate malnutrition, psoriasis or a thyroid problem.
Typically, you may develop vertical ridges from the cuticle to the tip of your nail on one or two fingers, but ridges are likely to occur on all of your nails as you get older. Ridges can appear on someone's fingers as early as in their 30s, but it is more common to begin when someone is in their 50s or 60s.
Changes in texture are also linked to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, or magnesium deficiencies can cause vertical ridges on the nail beds. While vitamins A and C deficiencies can cause nails to crumble or break easily.
Nail ridges might mean a vitamin B12 deficiency
Ridges in your nails can also be warning signs of a vitamin B12 problem. Diet, age, and medications are all common culprits behind a B12 deficiency.
Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium, which maintains healthy bones. If your nails are peeling, brittle, or have vertical ridges, you may be vitamin D deficient.
Koilonychia is an abnormal shape of the fingernail. The nail has raised ridges and is thin and curved inward. This disorder is associated with iron deficiency anemia.
Beau's lines are grooves that run horizontally across the fingernails. They develop when there is a disruption to the area where nail growth starts. Zinc deficiency is not the only cause of Beau's lines, but it is a common one.
Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft nails that look scooped out. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.
RA may even lead to changes in your nails, such as the development of vertical ridges or a yellowing and thickening. Changes to your nails can be signs of RA or other systemic conditions and should be diagnosed by a doctor.
Vertical nail ridges are fairly common and nothing to worry about. Vertical nail ridges extend from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. With age, vertical nail ridges may become more numerous or prominent because of changes in cell turnover within the nail.
Curved nails with swollen fingertip
A swollen fingertip, curved nail, and thickening skin above a nail are often signs of thyroid disease.
Thyroid hormones also influence the quality of your skin in a variety of ways. With hyperthyroidism, you may notice itchy and dry patches of skin. Your face may feel softer and swollen. You may even notice swelling around your fingertips.
One of the most common nutrient deficiencies to show up in nails is a zinc deficiency. More prevalent in school-age children, this deficiency can present as scattered white spots. Usually, people can take a zinc supplement for a short amount of time to clear up these white marks.
When your body lacks calcium, your nails become thinner, weaker, and brittle. You may notice that they break easily and just don't look as healthy as they used to. Although nails and bones are made up of different substances, they're similar enough that poor nail health may be an early marker of bone density problems.
People with lupus often have excessively thick or rough nail folds and cuticles with spots or hyperpigmentation. Since lupus affects different parts of your life, it is important to work closely with your primary physician and dermatologist to help direct your personalized treatments and care.
"If you suffer with dry skin, your nail ridges are most likely due to dehydration. In this case, it is best to use a penetrating moisturiser treatment at the base of the nail to instantly revive the nail plate and help protect from further development of ridges – Mavala's Mavaflex is perfect for this," she said.
A deficiency in vitamin A, or the minerals calcium and zinc may cause ridges to appear on your nails. Some conditions unrelated to vitamin deficiency cause nail abnormalities, so discuss your concerns with your health care provider.