How do I get rid of vertical ridges on my nails?

Here's what dermatologists recommend:
  1. How to get rid of ridges in fingernails.
  2. Moisturize your nails regularly.
  3. Keep your nails neat.
  4. Don't pick at or bite your nails.
  5. Buff them gently.
  6. Don't mess with your cuticle.
  7. Reduce water exposure.
  8. Maintain a healthy diet.


Can ridges of fingernails be reversed?

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.

What vitamin deficiency causes vertical lines in fingernails?

Our nails naturally develop slight vertical ridges as we age. However, severe and raised ridges can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin B12 or keratin can result in fingernail ridges.

What causes fingernails to develop vertical ridges?

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.

How do you cure ridges in nails?

How do I get rid of ridges on my fingernails?
  1. Take a multivitamin. If your nail ridges are due to vitamin deficiency, Dr. ...
  2. Drink water. Water is baaasically the answer to 99 percent of beauty questions, and this is no different. ...
  3. Moisturize. ...
  4. See a doctor.


10 Ways To Get Rid of Vertical Ridges On Nails as Per Dermatologist



What vitamins should I take for ridges in nails?

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.

What age do nail ridges appear?

By the way, you don't need to be that old to get them. They can show up announced on your nails as early as in your '30s. But it's after 50 that they multiply.

Do thyroid problems cause nail ridges?

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. Check with your doctor if you see horizontal ridges on your nails; they may indicate a more serious problem. Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician?

How do you treat Beau lines at home?

There isn't a treatment for Beau's lines. But treating the underlying cause can keep them from coming back once they grow out. Your healthcare provider may recommend you: Apply creams or moisturizers for eczema or psoriasis.

Does magnesium deficiency cause nail ridges?

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.

What does ridges in nails indicate?

"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 ...

What do Beau lines look like?

What do Beau's lines look like? Beau's lines are horizontal indentations, or ridges, that develop across the nails. They usually run straight across the nail. A person may develop one or more Beau's lines on any nail, or across multiple nails.

Should I worry about Beau lines?

Fingernails: Possible problems

Conditions associated with Beau's lines include uncontrolled diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as illnesses associated with a high fever, such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps and pneumonia. Beau's lines can also be a sign of zinc deficiency.

Can Beau lines be cured?

“Doctors need to see the lines to determine how long ago the matrix was affected and whether the lines could be because of an injury, for example,” says McCormick, who once developed Beau's lines herself due to a thyroid condition. There's no specific treatment for Beau's lines; most often, they grow out on their own.

What do your nails look like if you have a thyroid problem?

Curved nails with swollen fingertip

A swollen fingertip, curved nail, and thickening skin above a nail are often signs of thyroid disease.

What do your nails look like with hypothyroidism?

One of the thyroid symptoms that too often goes unrecognized is brittle nails. Brittle nails may be indicative of hypothyroidism, which can impact the overall shape of the nail and cause it to grow in a flat, spoon-like shape.

What are early warning signs of thyroid problems?

7 Early Warning Signs of Thyroid Issues
  • Fatigue.
  • Weight gain.
  • Weight loss.
  • Slowed heart rate.
  • Increased heart rate.
  • Sensitivity to heat.
  • Sensitivity to cold.


Can vitamin D deficiency cause nails?

Fat-soluble vitamin deficiency (al. S. M., 2011) – Deficiencies specifically in vitamins A, D, E, and K typically will cause nails to be softer, termed hapalonychia. Yellow discoloration of the nails, not to be confused with onychomycosis, can occur with vitamin E deficiencies.

Can b12 deficiency affect your nails?

2 Nail changes in vitamin B12 deficiency present as hyperpigmentation of nails like bluish discoloration of nails, blue-black pigmentation with dark longitudinal streaks, and longitudinal and reticulate darkened streaks. The nail pigmentation associated with B12 deficiency is more frequent in patients with dark skin.

Are bananas good for nails?

Bananas are full of potassium, mineral silica – which is thought to improve the look of your nails and zinc – which strengthens your nails. Bananas also contain vitamin B6 which also contributes to health nails.

What medications cause nail ridges?

Drugs that temporarily interrupt nail growth include:
  • Sulfonamides, cloxacillin and other antibiotics.
  • Chemotherapy drugs, especially taxanes, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine.
  • Dapsone.
  • Itraconazole.
  • Lithium.
  • Carbamazepine and other anticonvulsant drugs.
  • Metoprolol.
  • Retinoids: isotretinoin, acitretin.


What do Beau's lines in fingernails look like?

Overview. Beau's lines are horizontal (transverse) depressions in the nail plate that run parallel to the shape of the white, moon-shaped portion of the nail bed (lunula) seen at the nail's origin. They result from a sudden interruption of nail keratin synthesis and grow distally with the nail plate.

What deficiency causes Beau's lines?

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.

What are Mees lines?

Mees' lines (also known as Aldrich or Reynolds' lines) are transverse white bands on the nail plate laid down during periods of stress. Common associations are poisioning (arsenic, thallium, fluorosis), severe infection, renal disease, cardiac failure, and malignant disease.

What is longitudinal ridging?

Longitudinal ridging refers to the vertical raised lines present on the nails. There may also be discoloration and thickening of the nails along with the ridging. A certain number of lines are typically found on all fingernails due to the basic aging process.