What do horizontal ridges in nails mean?
Ridges in the fingernails are often normal signs of aging. Slight vertical ridges commonly develop in older adults. In some cases, they may be a sign of health problems like vitamin deficiencies or diabetes. Deep horizontal ridges, called Beau’s lines, may indicate a serious condition.
Why are my toenails ridgid?
The most common reason for the formation of the vertical or longitudinal ridges in the absence of actual disease is the lack of moisture and improper nutrition. As the nails age their capacity to absorb nutrients diminishes and this naturally affects their growth. The vertical ridges often form in aging nails.
What is the best shape for toenails?
flat across
The best nail shape for toenails is flat across. It’s important to avoid cutting the nails round or angled to prevent the formation of ingrown nails.
What does it mean to have a horizontal toe nail Ridge?
What horizontal toenail ridge means. This commonly indicates the presence of severe conditions that disrupt the growth plate of the nail, such as heart diseases, diabetes, malnutrition, infection, and mineral deficiency. Dented toenail ridges may be located along the nail plate, and you can probably have more than one dents on your toenail.
What to do if you have ridges in your toenails?
If you have ridges in toenails, the following measures can alleviate the problem. You, however, need to visit your podiatrist if the above-discussed symptoms accompany the ridges. If the ridges do not point to any serious problem, you need to: Hydrate : drink a lot of water.
What are the different types of nail ridges?
There are two types of nail ridges, according to various studies—the vertical and the horizontal ones. While vertical nail ridges are commonly harmless and triggered by aging, horizontal nail ridges may convey different messages.
When to see a podiatrist about your nail ridges?
If the ridges keep occurring as the nail forms, it could be a sign that there is a problem in creating the nail – a pointer to lung, liver, GI or kidney disease. If the following symptoms accompany horizontal ridges, you need to see your podiatrist urgently: Nail discoloration : making them look blue, white or yellow, more that they usually are.