If you have noticed vertical or horizontal streaks on your fingernails, don't worry: striped nails are just an annoying blemish that can have many different origins. However, they can be a useful sign from our body, which wants to tell us that it is better to take care of its well-being and balance.
Below we explore the characteristics of the problem, what the causes and some triggering factors may be, and what the possible remedies and solutions are to try to maintain healthy and strong nails.
Ridged nails: appearance and characteristics
Ridged nails are a rather common blemish; they can appear at any age and depend on many causes (often more than one).
In appearance, ridged nails appear as more or less light imperfections: the surface of the nails in fact presents lines, which can be either barely visible horizontal or vertical streaks or deeper grooves, as if the nail had been sculpted in that shape or if it showed the beginning of flaking; furthermore, the color could be duller than normal.
To understand the problem in more detail, it is necessary to delve into the characteristics of the nails: in fact, as we will see, the presence of lines on the nail plate can be an indicator of a local, external or internal problem.
For this reason, knowing how nails are made and understanding how they work is also important to understand the reason for their striations. Let's start by saying that they are more properly defined as "skin appendages", and that they are composed of keratin tissue.
Keratin is a protein present in the skin (particularly in the stratum corneum, the most superficial one), in the hair and in the nails. In fact, the nails have the purpose of protecting the phalanges of the fingers thanks to their keratin coating.
The nail or nail plate, at an anatomical level, is superimposed on the nail bed and slides along the periungual fold during the growth phase (which can vary between 1 and 2 centimeters per month). The area of origin of the nail is the root, partly covered by the nail fold and by a light horny layer called the cuticle.
The ridged nail can therefore have different characteristics depending on the point of origin of the striation (superficial, radical or only at the extremity), and therefore also based on the cause that determined the appearance of the problem.
Ridged nails: main causes
There are many different causes that can determine the phenomenon of grooved nails.
In fact, on the one hand it can be a problem related only to the nail, such as a trauma or a localized disorder that causes the striation; on the other hand, however, it can be linked to some disorders of the body that manifest themselves on the nails or on the skin. Here are some examples:
- Nutritional deficiencies. Often, the nail appears weakened, too soft, subject to breakage or, indeed, to the formation of lines and grooves, because the body has a deficiency: it could be a lack of iron or another mineral, but also of some specific vitamin;
- Unhealthy lifestyle. Bad habits can affect the beauty of your skin, the condition of your hair and even the growth of your nails. Smoking, for example, but also lack of exercise or insufficient hours of sleep and relaxation are all possible causes that can impact your well-being;
- Some habits that are not good for your nails: first of all onychophagia, that is the habit of biting your nails, but also the lack of care or hygiene of your nails. It is also recommended to use gloves when using some commonly used detergents during house cleaning.
- Particular physical conditions, for example old age: with aging, nails also tend to lose enamel, and can appear weakened in various ways. Even the production of keratin can be influenced in some periods of the life of women and men, for example by a condition of stress
- Predisposition. It is also possible to have brittle nails due to a natural predisposition: the effect therefore manifests itself consistently throughout life.
It is also always useful to seek advice from your doctor to identify the source of the problem.
Possible remedies for ridged nails
The choice of remedy for ridged nails depends on the underlying cause: if you are dealing with a local problem, in fact, it will be much easier to intervene, but if ridged nails are one of the symptoms of something deeper, then you need to act in the long term for the well-being of your body.
The first piece of advice, therefore, is to check the cause of the problem. If it is a trauma suffered by the nail, even inadvertently, it will be sufficient to wait some time for the horizontal or vertical lines to disappear by themselves, or apply specific products to strengthen the nails.
If the problem does not arise at a local level, however, additional measures must be taken. The most important thing, in general, is to take care of one's diet: very often aesthetic defects arise from nutritional and food deficiencies, and as such must be resolved.
It is therefore advisable to adopt a healthy, balanced and varied diet, without neglecting the consumption of fruit and vegetables, mineral salts and vitamins but also foods such as eggs, dairy products and white meat for the right protein intake, and products such as dried fruit, olive oil and fish.
A healthy lifestyle is also functional for improving the condition of nails, hair and skin: it is always advisable to do sports or physical activity at least a couple of times a week, get the right amount of sleep and drink plenty of water to maintain proper hydration.
In the context of a healthy diet and a correct lifestyle, taking food supplements can also provide help for the well-being and health of nails.
It can also be useful to do a manicure that is appropriate for the problem and your type of nails. Everyone has their own needs, but if you have lines on your nails, it is best to avoid some products and prefer others and choose the type of treatment that best suits your needs, from reconstruction to a simple manicure.
Tips to follow when you notice vertically grooved nails
Finally, some advice on what to avoid in order not to ruin your nails, especially if you notice vertical lines or other signs of weakening:
- Don't bite your nails or cuticles. It can damage your nails and the nail bed underneath. Not to mention that it doesn't solve the problem of vertical lines at all;
- Don't pry with your nails. Oftentimes, people use their nails to pry open tightly closed containers or for other jobs that require applying force to a small surface. Applying pressure to a weakened nail could further damage it;
- Protecting your nails: If you have weakened nails, it is always better to use rubber gloves when you come into contact with cleaning products, for example when cleaning the house;
- Treat yourself to a few manicures. Keeping your nails clean and giving them all the care they need can help prevent a weakening condition from worsening.
In any case, it is important to take care of damaged nails, and in any case, it is also possible to consult a specialist doctor for an opinion.