Your fingernails can say a lot about the quality of your health. Problems like stress to kidney and thyroid disease can cause show signs through your nails. One common change is the appearance of our nails. Ridges that can run vertical or horizontal. Many different health conditions can cause changes in the nails and nail bed, including shaping ridges in the nails. Most of the time these ridges are harmless. But there are times when these ridges could be a sign of an underlying condition, especially if the ridges are horizontal.
1: Beau’s lines
Beau’s lines are deep grooved lines, that look like indentations or ridges in the nail plate. They run horizontally, from side to side on the fingernail or the toenail. These ridges are often deep, and multiple lines may appear across the nail.
Beau’s lines could be a sign of:
kidney disease
diabetes
thyroid disease
2: Vitamin Deficiencies.
Iron deficiency can cause ridges in the fingernails usually accompanied with white spots. Vitamin B-12 of the B vitamin complex strengthens nail growth; therefore, a deficiency in B vitamins may cause fingernail ridges. Vitamin C, zinc and calcium are other vitamins and minerals that cause nail abnormalities.
3: Nail Trauma
Nails can sustain horizontal dents or ridges from physical trauma to the nail bed. If you discover horizontal ridges on your fingernails, consider any recent trauma as the cause. These grooves are typically temporary and will grow out with the nail.
Your fingernails are the window to your health. It’s important to pay attention to fingernail ridges and other nail changes. These might be the first signs of a serious medical problem. Fingernail ridges that appear suddenly or appear with any other symptoms should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible. If you have vertical lines and want to know more about their causes read more here.