Horizontal Ridges
In most cases, horizontal ridges are often a sign of an underlying condition that needs treatment and diagnosis. In severe cases, the nails may stop growing until the condition has been effectively treated.
Beau’s lines might be a sign of:
- Diabetes
- Thyroid disease
- Telogen effluvium
- Raynaud’s disease [3]
- Acute kidney disease [4]
Beau’s lines may also appear in people who have recently undergone chemotherapy. People who have ever experienced syphilis or mumps may also get horizontal ridges in their fingernails and toenails.
If you have Beau’s lines from a previous disease, the line will gradually fade out after some time. However, if your Beau’s lines keep reappearing, this could be an indicator that you have an illness that keeps disrupting your nail growth.
It is important to contact your doctor immediately if you develop horizontal nail ridges for proper diagnosis as soon as possible.
Other causes and symptoms of mail ridges include:
- Digestive disorders: Digestive conditions that affect the absorption of nutrients may also influence the nails. For example, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease [5], and ulcerative colitis [6] are bowel diseases that affect the ability of the body to absorb nutrition from food.
- Skin conditions: Many people with psoriasis may develop ridges in their fingernails and other pro lends with their nail bed. Eczema may also lead to ridges and discoloration ridges and discoloration in the nail, along with other symptoms on the skin.
Also, it is important to note that if your body does not have the right building blocks to develop new cells, the skin and nails may suffer.
An accident like dropping a book on your fingernail can cause slight bruises to develop under the nail, and in some cases, temporarily change its shape. Bruising may also cause reddish-brown spots to develop underneath the nail, which will fade away gradually as your cells heal and the nail grows out.
If you experience discoloration without an accident or injury, it may mean you have a more severe condition. Dark brown, red, or purple spots underneath the nails may be a sign of a serious condition, such as endocarditis or melanoma.