Ridges. 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.
Beau's lines are deep grooved lines that run from side to side on the fingernail or the toenail. They may look like indentations or ridges in the nail plate. This condition of the nail was named by a French physician, Joseph Honoré Simon Beau (1806–1865), who first described it in 1846.
To keep your fingernails looking their best:
- Keep fingernails dry and clean. This prevents bacteria from growing under your fingernails.
- Practice good nail hygiene. Use a sharp manicure scissors or clippers.
- Use moisturizer.
- Apply a protective layer.
- Ask your doctor about biotin.
Curved nails with swollen fingertipA swollen fingertip, curved nail, and thickening skin above a nail are often signs of thyroid disease.
Another option is to use phototherapy or light therapy on the affected nails. Some doctors may recommend taking vitamin D3 supplements. Immunosuppressant medications, such as cyclosporine (Neoral) and methotrexate (Trexall), are also options. However, they typically aren't recommended if you only have nail pitting.
In a word – stress. While everyone knows that stress can take a toll on a person physically and psychologically, it also can lead to dermatologic problems, such as acne, brittle nails or even hair loss.
Spoon nails look like the center of your nail is scooped out. The nail becomes thin and the outer edges turn up. Your nail may crack, and the outer part may come out of the nail bed. Some infants are born with spoon nails, but they eventually grow out of it.
Additional symptoms to watch out for
| Nail health | Possible cause |
|---|
| soft or weak | overexposure to moisture or chemicals |
| yellow | thyroid conditions, psoriasis, or diabetes |
| black lines | psoriasis, endocarditis, nail melanoma |
| ridges | iron deficiency anemia (vertical) or kidney disease (horizontal) |
The half moons at the base of your nails are a reflection on your nail health. This crescent-shaped whitish area of the bed of nail is called the lunula and doesn't reflect anything to do with your health.
Plenty of nutrients in food can help your nails, taking them from dry and brittle to healthy and strong. Foods that can improve your nails include fruits, lean meats, salmon, leafy greens, beans, eggs, nuts, and whole grains.
They are made up of layers of the protein keratin and grow from beneath the base of the nail under your cuticle. As new cells grow, older cells become hard and compacted and are eventually pushed out toward your fingertips. Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges, grooves, spots or discoloration.
Half-and-half nails, absence of lunula, and splinter hemorrhage are the most frequent nail alterations in patients with chronic renal failure. Half-and-half nails, or Lindsay's nails, are characterized by a red, pink, or brown discoloration of the distal nail bed occupying 20%-60% of the nail length.
The cuticle is a layer of clear skin located along the bottom edge of your finger or toe. This area is known as the nail bed. The cuticle function is to protect new nails from bacteria when they grow out from the nail root. Read on to learn more about the cuticle and what you can do to care for this area.
You might see a yellow-red patch in the nail bed. It looks like a drop of oil under your nail plate, which is where it gets its name: oil-drop spot. Your toenails or fingernails can also turn a yellow-brown color. Crumbling nails often turn white.
How to repair damaged nails
- Keep them covered.
- Rehydrate them.
- Keep them well oiled.
- Protect them from water.
- Don't avoid gel nails.
- Choose a quick, efficient remover.
- Be careful about over-rubbing.
- Invest in a salon treatment.
Healthy nails are even in colour, free of any pits or grooves, and feel smooth to the touch. But if they become dry, brittle or change colour, something may be wrong with your nails or your overall health.
Background: Onychomycosis is the most common nail disorder, affecting 2%-13% of Americans. The prevalence of this disease is higher in men and in elderly, diabetic, and immunocompromised patients.
Nail shape is important because it helps to showcase your style and personality. It's been said for many years by nail gurus around the world that your nail shape can tell a lot about the type of person you are. Your choice in nail shape can tell others whether you are bold and daring, or reserved and laid-back.
