{"id":14512,"date":"2020-03-31T07:39:11","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T07:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=14512"},"modified":"2022-01-07T16:38:22","modified_gmt":"2022-01-07T16:38:22","slug":"14-common-causes-of-vertical-lines-on-nails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-common-causes-of-vertical-lines-on-nails\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Common Causes of Vertical Lines on Nails"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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If you notice that your fingernails start to develop vertical otherwise known as longitudinal ridges, it might be cause for concern. The ridges take the appearance of tiny lines that give the impression of raised bumps running up and down the fingernail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a variety of reasons why ridging can occur on your nails. They can arise from natural issues such as aging, or they could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Onychorrhexis refers to the medical term used to describe the condition, and it’s challenging for physicians to identify the cause of the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s essential that affected individuals do not confuse these longitudinal originals with Beau’s lines, which are traverse depressions in the fingernail. These horizontal ridges are a sign of a severe underlying medical problem that requires immediate assistance and attention from a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll look at the 14 common causes of vertical lines on your nails.
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1.     An Unhealthy Diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you discover ridging on your fingernails, it could be due to several issues. Ridging occurs due to a lack of vitamins <\/a>and minerals in your bloodstream. Most individuals that need a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet won’t have issues with mineral or vitamin deficiencies as they get everything they need from their diet and supplement regiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, individuals that eat plenty of fast food and drink sugary soda are not doing their health any favors. These types of foods have little to no nutritional value and or just excess calories that lead to obesity and other health issues. Even though these individuals are eating plenty of food, they’re not getting the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of their poor dietary choices, these individuals may start to notice the onset of vertical lines appearing on their nails. If the individual cleans up their diet and starts eating a variety of healthy foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, healthy carbs, and lean proteins, the lines will begin to disappear.
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2.     Poor Lifestyle Choices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Individuals that find vertical lines appearing on the fingernails might also be dealing with poor lifestyle <\/a>choices that cause them to develop this condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies show that drinking alcohol in moderation is good for your health. However, moderation is key, and drinking more than one alcoholic beverage per day, will end up damaging your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drinking to access, or alcoholism has a severe effect on internal organs such as the kidneys, liver, and digestive system. Ridging on the fingernails is also another sign of an underlying health issue. Your body is struggling to cope with processing alcohol and other toxins out of the body, and it could be a sign of drinking too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smoking is also a terrible lifestyle choice that can end up producing life-threatening diseases in smoking-related illnesses such as lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and COPD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smoking does untold damage to the body as the smoke contains a cocktail of over 7,000 poisonous chemicals. The chemical additives in cigarettes also cause ridging of the fingernails if you quit smoking, you’ll notice that your nails quickly return to health.
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3.     Vitamin Deficiencies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The body relies on vitamins and minerals for a variety of functions that help the body maintain homeostasis<\/a>. Vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin D are essential for the health of your hair and fingernails. However, many people do not get enough of these specific three types of vitamins, resulting in a thinning of the hair, and possible hair loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you start to notice ridging on your fingernails combined with hair loss or any other adverse skin symptoms such as it your dry skin visit your doctor for a blood test. Your doctor will draw a blood sample and send it to a lab for analysis. A few days later, the doctor will receive the results of your test, and they will be able to tell if you have any vitamin deficiencies that are leading to ridging in your nails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do discover nutrient deficiencies, then you can bring these levels back up to par using a multivitamin supplement designed to increase levels of these micronutrients in your bloodstream.
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4.     Surgery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Individuals that undergo surgical procedures may experience a severe impact on the body from the experience. Invasive surgical procedures and operations take a considerable toll on the body’s nervous system. As a result of the stress on the body induced by invasive surgery<\/a>, the individual may find that they start to develop other signs of stress, such as ridging in the fingernails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are to undergo any surgical procedure, check your fingernails before you go into the theater for any signs of ridging. If they’re smooth before the surgery, and then you discover ridging afterward, then it’s a chance that the stress of the operation started the ridging process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the recovery process, after the surgery, the physician may require you to take numerous drugs to recover from the effects of the operation. These drugs may also harm your physiology producing side effects such as ridging of the fingernails.
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5.     Trauma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some individuals may experience trauma <\/a>to the hands or arms or other parts of the body due to a vehicle accident or a workplace accident. Any sort of injury to the body can have adverse health repercussions to other regions of your physiology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fingernails rely on a steady flow of blood that moves through the hands and around the fingers. Disruptions to the circulatory supply of blood moving around the fingers may result in the ridging of your fingernails. Therefore, if you experience any sort of trauma that may disrupt blood flow or circulation to your hands and fingers, you can expect ridging to occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is the case for you, visit a physiotherapist to learn how to stretch out your hands and fingers and massage your forearms. These techniques will help improve circulation to your hands and fingers, reducing ridging in your fingernails. It may take a few weeks or months for the circulation to improve and reduce the ridging effect.
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6.     Nail Solvents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Individuals that enjoy painting their nails require the use of solvents such as acetone to remove the nail paint. Unfortunately, treating your nails with acetone and nail paints weakens the fibrous structure of the nails, turning them soft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the individual does not stop painting their nails, they run the risk of developing ridging as the nails and nailbed struggle with frequent chemical exposure. If you do paint your nails, it’s advisable to do it no more than once a month, as increasing the frequency may lead to ridges developing in your nails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using artificial fingernail extensions may also cause ridging in your fingernails. The adhesive and fingernail coating don’t allow the nail or nail bit to get any air, resulting in weak fingernails and damage to nailbeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, if you do enjoy painting your fingernails, or you use artificial nails for cosmetic <\/a>purposes, make sure that you only treat with fingernails once a month. Any more than this will result in your fingernails going soft, and ridging developing on your nails.
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7.     Eczema<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Eczema <\/a>is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakes healthy skin cells for invading pathogens. As a result, the brain mobilizes the immune system to fend off the supposed attack, killing or disrupting regular cell activity in the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals who are dealing with eczema outbreaks find that they develop large patches of red and inflamed skin that feel itchy. As the condition progresses, the skin may start to flake and turn white around the edges of the inflamed area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical science is still unable to provide a reason for the cause of eczema, and there is no known cure for the condition. However, you can take steps to mitigate the onset of eczema outbreaks. Eczema frequently occurs on the hands and fingers of affected individuals and can result in the ridging of the fingernails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals who are dealing with the onset of eczema may use moisturizing creams to support the skin and the nails, boosting recovery and preventing further outbreaks of skin disorder.
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8.     Surgery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those individuals who are going into the theater for operation, are at risk of developing a host of complications, during and after the procedure. Invasive surgery is always a risk for the individual as they have exposure to bacteria <\/a>and pathogens in the environment, and their immune system is in a very vulnerable state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surgery can have a very dramatic effect on the body and results in numerous complications that can cause adverse health reactions in the patient. One of the more insignificant complications of invasive surgery includes the development of ridging in the fingernails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the weeks following your surgery, you may notice that your fingernails start to develop ridges. Surgery can deplete the body with vitamins and minerals very quickly as it uses all available resources to recover from the procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, ask your doctor or surgeon about vitamins and minerals you can take post-surgery to improve your recovery. Never take any supplement or vitamin complex after surgery without consulting with your doctor beforehand.
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9.     Medications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some medications <\/a>may also cause the development of ridging on your fingernails. Cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy practices to recover from the effects of cancer or prevent cancer from spreading in the body or are likely to develop ridging in the fingernails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, these individuals do not have any choice in the matter, and they must continue the protocol using the medicine to help them cure themselves of the effects of the disease. Chemotherapy drugs are incredibly potent medicines, and they have a host of side effects on the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially you are dosing yourself with radiation internally, and the medicines will cause numerous adverse reactions in the body. Chemotherapy patients often lose their hair, and since the fingernails are majority made up of hair, they also take a hit from the effects of the drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are undergoing chemotherapy treatment, speak to your doctor about steps you can take to mitigate hair loss and ridging in your fingernails. There may be some vitamins and minerals you can take to minimize the effects of medication on your physiology.
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10.  Aging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As we age, the body starts to slow protein <\/a>synthesis. Protein synthesis describes the way the body converts energy and nutrients into proteins to fuel biological processes. As we age, protein synthesis declines, and that affects both our skin and our hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the normal aging process, individuals will start to develop lines and wrinkles in the face, and the skin begins to become loose. Individuals may also find that they start to lose their hair, and the skin around the lips and folds of the joints has less elasticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aging also sees calcium start to leak from the bones, causing a calcium deficiency and is slow production of collagen in the body. Collagen is another essential compound that maintains skin and hair health, and the lack of collagen in the body may cause ridging in the fingernails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seniors can slow the aging process by increasing protein and collagen intake in their diet. Collagen protein supplements may mitigate the effects of aging as well.
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11.  Brittle Nails<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

as mentioned, the aging process slows the production of collagen and protein in the body, causing the onset of hair loss and wrinkles <\/a>in the skin. However, individuals will notice the impact of aging in their fingernails as well, and they may see that they start to develop ridging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, brittle nails do not only occur because of the aging process. Brittle nails can occur due to a poor diet or bad lifestyle choices that reduce the presence of nutrients in the bloodstream. Brittle nails are weak, and they may crack, splinter, or fall off the affected individual experience any impact to the fingernail itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are young and you find that you have brittle fingernails with plenty of ridging, assess your diet. If your diet is good, then you may be lacking in critical nutrients such as vitamins A, D, K, and C. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, introducing a buffered multivitamin product to your diet protocol, and eating more fresh fruit and vegetables should stop the ridging effect.
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12.  Rheumatoid Arthritis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> is another autoimmune disease. Typically, rheumatoid arthritis occurs due to genetic conditions in the affected individual. With this disease, patients find that they experience the onset of pain in the joints, caused by the patient’s immune system attacking healthy bone cells in the affected joint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rheumatoid arthritis attacks may last for a few minutes or a few hours, and the frequency of the attacks depends on the individual’s case. Some patients experience severe attacks, while others experience mild symptoms of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This autoimmune disease also takes a toll on your hair and skin, causing the onset of ridging in the fingernails. Unfortunately, medical science is still unable to explain why rheumatoid arthritis occurs, and there is no known cure for the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, medicines used to control the effects of the disease in affected individuals may also cause the onset of ridging in the fingernails. Corticosteroids and powerful anti-inflammatories are common in the treatment of the disease, and these medications will also produce ridging in the nails.
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13.  Trachyonychia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Also known as, “twenty nail dystrophy,” trachyonychia is a condition where the fingernails and toenails become rough, grubby, and ridged with vertical lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affected individuals may notice that the ridging starts to split on their fingernails and turn white, giving the appearance of dandruff <\/a>on the nails. The affected person’s fingernails may also become brittle and easy to break and fracture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some individuals affected by this disorder may experience distortion of the nails as well as pitting and splitting, as the nails turned to a grayish-white appearance. Some individuals may also notice that the nail takes on a sandblasted appearance, losing its luster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moisturizing the nail doesn’t help the condition, and medical science is still unable to explain why it occurs in affected individuals. However, there are convincing links to suggest that autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and eczema are catalysts for the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affected individuals can increase vitamin intake, and make sure that they moisturize their hands and fingernails each day, to reduce the effects of twenty nail dystrophy.
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14.  Peripheral Vascular Disease<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Peripheral artery disease<\/a> is a circulatory problem when the blood flow to your limbs has trouble moving through narrowed arteries. The condition commonly occurs in the legs, but it can occur in the arms as well, causing a host of complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are living with peripheral vascular disease may also notice leg pain when walking, and they might feel tingling in the fingers and hands. PVD typically occurs due to issues such as smoking or high cholesterol, where plaques start to line the inside of the arteries, causing a reduction in circulation and blood flow to the extremities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lack of blood flow to the fingertips May also slow the growth of fingernails and toenails, as well as cause the ridging effect. Patients who are dealing with the signs of peripheral vascular disease should immediately consult with a physician. Typically, PVD only occurs in individuals over the age of 50 who have a history of smoking or diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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