• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Vertical ridges on fingernails

Messages
2,565
Location
US
I have ridges and never knew what it meant. @Calathea asked about this in the lunules thread and I found this:

(attributed to Naturopathic doctor Tsu-Tsair Chi's book)

A person with vague vertical or horizontal ridges need not worry. Such markings are perfectly normal and commonly seen in patients over the age of forty. These ridges, especially if they are on the thumbs, can often be attributed to kidney problems. However, if the vertical or horizontal ridges are blatantly noticeable, then this patient may be suffering from an illness and the ridges are symptoms of the disease.

Vertical ridges that cover most of the fingernails refer to kidney, aging(hormone), nerve or respiratory system problems. These ridges are frequently seen in elders, but this does not imply that they are a natural part of the aging process. Proper health care can prevent these ridges from forming. If the vertical ridges appear only on the thumbs then they refer to excretory system conditions. Ridges that are on only the four fingers except for the thumb are due to respiratory problems. An entire nail covered with vertical ridges could be caused by trauma sustained by the patient, either recently or as early as within the last year. If the ridges are very conspicuous, then the patient may be suffering from peripheral blockage, particular yeast or fungus infection, or a hair follicle corneum.

A person with vertical lines across the faces of his nail could also suffer from Vitamin A deficiency or a chronic inflammation.

If the nails have vertical ridges that can be very easily split down the middle, this could be due to adrenal gland problems.

For those under the age of forty, vertical ridges definitely indicate problems as imbalance in the five elements system. These types are usually chronically fatigued, nervous, and suffer neurasthenia. Young people also suffer bronchitis, asthma, or laryngitis. In these people, ridges on the thumb signal spleen and heart problems and may be related to depression. Those on the index finger signal unhappiness in the patient, while middle finger ridges show nervousness and hyperactivity. Vertical ridges on the ring finger signal the possibility that the patient is heartbroken or suffering emotional trauma, while those on the pinky nail show long time stress and the overexertion of energy leading to liver and kidney damage.
 

Jammy88

Senior Member
Messages
163
Location
Italy
I have vertical ridges in my fingernails. It all started after the infection I got 1 yr ago. I'm 26 yr-old.
 

CantThink

Senior Member
Messages
800
Location
England, UK
I have them too - I attributed them to autoimmune disease as they developed when I developed AI thyroid disease. I also get pitted dots, which I think may be related to my hair loss/alopecia.
 

Rand56

Senior Member
Messages
675
Location
Myrtle Beach, SC
Interesting thread. My vertical ridges are consistent on every fingernail, and all the way from top to bottom. Be interesting to know where the line is drawn between "vague" and "blatantly" noticeable.
 

Mij

Messages
2,353
My vertical nail ridges started in my thumbs, and over the years into my pinkie and ring fingers. These ridges appeared when my low ferritin issues started 7yrs into the illness. I try to keep my ferritin levels in normal range with iron supplementation but the ridges stay. For me, it seems to be due to a malabsorption. I have/had many deficiencies.
 
Messages
21
Vertical ridges are no cause for concern....... only horizontal lines pose problems.

(Licensed cosmetologist, and yes I studied nails, hair and skin)

Vertical ridges = nothing to worry about, if they bother you periodically file the nail down to get rid of them, Sally Hansen makes a great shining buffer nail file that works great.

Horizontal lines - go to your doctor cause somethings wrong somewhere.

Also quick lesson, your nail actually starts down by the first knuckle of you fingers.
Meaning if you damage that area you might damage the matrix where the nails grow from causing permanent disfigured nail.

Vertical ridges are just unslightly and make nail polish look less awesome. :)
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
Vertical ridges are no cause for concern....... only horizontal lines pose problems.

I have never had vertical ridges but I had horizontal red lines across the top of all of my fingernails and toenails which started close to a year ago when I developed MCAS. At first we thought it was from malnutrition b/c I was not able to eat food at that time. I showed them to many doctors and none were concerned. When I google it, the closest pictures I can find are called, "Terry's nails" but no doctor has officially given me that diagnosis.

At present, they have disappeared from my fingernails but remain on my toenails. When I had appt with autonomic neurologist last week, he noticed them immediately on my toes and pointed them out to his colleagues but did not tell me what they meant. I learned in the autonomic testing that my feet do not sweat and there was some neuropathy of the long branch nerves which affect the vascularity to the nail bed.

I am hoping in my follow-up appt to learn what the horizontal red lines mean and if there is anything I can do about it. My cardiologist and other docs (prior to the Neuro) felt it could be something autoimmune but I have yet to get confirmation of this. I do not wear any nail polish b/c I want to be able to show it to the doctors easily and monitor it in case it gets even worse.
 
Messages
21
I have never had vertical ridges but I had horizontal red lines across the top of all of my fingernails and toenails which started close to a year ago when I developed MCAS. At first we thought it was from malnutrition b/c I was not able to eat food at that time. I showed them to many doctors and none were concerned. When I google it, the closest pictures I can find are called, "Terry's nails" but no doctor has officially given me that diagnosis.

At present, they have disappeared from my fingernails but remain on my toenails. When I had appt with autonomic neurologist last week, he noticed them immediately on my toes and pointed them out to his colleagues but did not tell me what they meant. I learned in the autonomic testing that my feet do not sweat and there was some neuropathy of the long branch nerves which affect the vascularity to the nail bed.

I am hoping in my follow-up appt to learn what the horizontal red lines mean and if there is anything I can do about it. My cardiologist and other docs (prior to the Neuro) felt it could be something autoimmune but I have yet to get confirmation of this. I do not wear any nail polish b/c I want to be able to show it to the doctors easily and monitor it in case it gets even worse.

I hope you find out what's causing it. Unfortunately my expertise ceases at what it looks like, under law I'm even allowed to put band aids on people. I know when to suggest to someone to visit a doctor as certain conditions mean I can't work on people.

I'm not a full expert just know that horizontal lines are bad.

I looked into Terry's nail and that usually could involve liver or kidneys, among other things. I have horizontal ridges on my big toe nails, no idea why they are there yet though.
 
Messages
21
Though my doctor specifically looked for them (and found them!) as a clinical sign found in ME/CFS.
That's a bit strange, they really aren't a cause for concern, I have really noticeable vertical ridges and no doctor has ever made a stink about them.

Reminds me of the "testing for histamine by use of niacin" though, I've had doctors scare me into thinking something completely normal wasn't, like the odd gynos who tell you vaginal discharge isn't normal, or that my spine is crooked when intact it's not...... I don't trust doctors, all they do is make educated guesses.
I suppose vertical ridges could start happening if your body chemistry is altered maybe, if keratin production is lower, how fast do your nails and hair grow? Perhaps using a way to help with keratin production would help. But again vertical lines aren't life threatening in anyway I know of .
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
That's a bit strange, they really aren't a cause for concern, I have really noticeable vertical ridges and no doctor has ever made a stink about them.
Maybe read back through this thread as others have had similar concerns.
I suppose vertical ridges could start happening if your body chemistry is altered maybe, if keratin production is lower, how fast do your nails and hair grow?
My nails and hair grow pretty fast.
But again vertical lines aren't life threatening in anyway I know of .
Certainly not in themselves but may arise in ME/CFS patients from altered body chemistry, as you mentioned. Many of us also gradually lose our fingerprints!:oops:
 

roller

wiggle jiggle
Messages
775
all but really all changes on your skin or nails are cause for concern.

they are a reaction of the body. and something there goes wrong. not right.

its not to treat vertical lines on the nails, but at least if it doesnt disappear quickly it has to be investigated.
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
I have both, horizontal ridges and vertical ridges on my toenails.

The horiontal ridges concern me but i don't know what's causing it.
The ridges started appearing after i got poisoned by ciprofloxacin 3 years ago.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
The ridges started appearing after i got poisoned by ciprofloxacin 3 years ago.

@Thinktank Interesting and do you mean that the vertical or the horizontal ridges started after the poisoning by Cipro? Are the horizontal ones like a thick red line across the top of your toenail or something different?
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
@Gingergrrl, yes, the horizontal ridges started after the cipro.
They look like fine horizontal indents, the medical term is beau's lines.

Not my nail but it looks something like this, and i have many more ridges.
61_beaus_lines_10.jpg
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@Thinktank Thanks for the picture and my nails are completely different. They are completely smooth with no raised ridges but underneath the nail, across the top, is a large red line. The closest image I can find is if I Google "Terry's nails" but not sure this is accurate. At present, it is only on my toenails and my fingernails returned to normal (not sure why!) Not sure if it connects to Levaquin poisoning for me since that was in 2010 and the nail issue started in early 2015 when my MCAS started.