Why are there horizontal ridges in my fingernails

This pushes the rest of the nail further out beyond the edge of the finger, and then we clip the old, overhanging parts when they start to bother us.

Now that we understand how a nail normally grows, we can move into explaining what exactly causes the horizontal ridges we sometimes see in nails.

The nail matrix that builds our nails is made up of special cells that are supplied by a rich number of blood vessels. Over time, the stressor on the body fades away, and the cells go back to making thick nails as before. This can be something falling onto the end of your finger, getting your finger trapped in a door, a very aggressive manicure that pushes vigorously on your nail cuticle etc.

This is a tough one. They result from a sudden interruption of nail keratin synthesis and grow distally with the nail plate. As the nail grows, the Beau's lines can disappear. Beau's lines can be caused by trauma or local disease involving the nail fold. They can vary based upon the width or depth of the depression, reflecting the duration or extent of the damage.

When Beau's lines are present in all nails at a similar location on the nail plate, they are likely to have a systemic cause. They may also result from metabolic, inflammatory, or traumatic influences. Sign Me Up. Print This Page Click to Print. Staying Healthy. Children's Health. Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!

Sign Up. Close Thanks for visiting. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

I want to get healthier. Close Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Close Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. The lining is called the endocardium. Often this swelling is the result of an infectious bacteria. Subungual melanoma is a type of melanoma affecting the nails that can disrupt nail growth at the nail matrix.

A common sign of subungual melanoma is discoloration of the nail — the nail may have a brown stripe or section. People with diabetes must be sure to monitor their blood sugar and dose themselves with insulin. If blood sugar rises too high, a person can experience various health complications, from nerve damage to heart disease. It can also interrupt nail growth. The sacs may fill with fluid or pus.

This leads to:. Scarlet fever is an illness that sometimes affects people who have strep throat. People who develop scarlet fever experience a bright red rash covering much of the body. It usually occurs along with a sore throat and high fever and often affects younger children and teens. If left untreated, it can cause major bodily problems affecting the heart, kidneys, and other body parts. Zinc is a mineral found in many foods in our diet, from oysters to beans.

A lack of zinc in the body may be caused by a poor diet or other factors. A black line on the nails is known as a splinter hemorrhage.