Vertical nail ridges lines that run from your cuticle to the tip of your fingernail are super-common, and are a normal sign of aging. The skin under the nail plate loses some structural integrity and becomes wrinkled, much like other areas of aging skin.
Another common cause of ridges is dehydration of the nail plate, from frequent manicures or excessive water exposure. This is also why fingernail ridges are more likely to pop up if you’ve got dry skin or a condition like eczema or psoriasis.
Also they can happen through a nail injury, or trauma, or an underlying medical condition.
Then there’s horizontal nail ridges lines that run from side to side, known as Beau’s lines. These are less common, but equally annoying. When horizontal ridges occur in a single nail, it’s usually due to trauma to the nail matrix. This is the area where your fingernails start to grow. Things like picking your nails, jamming the cuticle back, or getting your finger caught in the door can cause a dent in the growth, so future nail plates are produced with a ridge.
Certain stresses to the body, like a high fever or some infections, can also suddenly make the nails stop growing for a short time. This brief halt in production can cause a horizontal ridge in the growing nail plate, and usually pops up on most or all nails following an illness. However don’t worry, the ridges aren’t permanent, and once they grow out, your nails will be back to business as usual.
So what can do to get rid of fingernail ridges.
1. Moisturize your nails regularly.
“Keeping your nails hydrated with a hand cream or oil can minimize the appearance of ridging and protect the keratin of the nail. Use a moisturizer than contains ceramides or alpha hydroxy acids, which trap in moisture and nourish your nails.
2. Keep your nails neat.
Keeping your nails on the shorter side can help prevent trauma to the nail during your day-to-day grind; just make sure to not go overboard with trimming. Constant trimming or cutting your nails may cause them to develop ridges.
Clip your nails with a standard nail clipper only when there’s visible white, and don’t clip so low that there’s no longer white present. This allows time for the nail to grow and heal between clippings. Trim your nails straight across, then round the tips in a gentle curve using a very fine nail file. Filing snags or irregularities helps to prevent future trauma.
3. Don’t pick at or bite your nails.
The skin, including nails, responds to outside stimuli by thickening. By not picking at your nails or the skin around them, you’re decreasing the chances of causing nail irregularities. Identifying the triggers that cause you to pick at or bite your nails and learning how to manage them can help you hit the brakes on future nail damage.
4. Buff them gently.
While it doesn’t treat the underlying problem that’s causing your fingernail ridges, gently buffing your nails can help camouflage them. A word of caution though. Be very cautious with your use of nail buffers, as these thin the nail plate out, which can make them softer, flexible, and prone to trauma and breakage. A gentle buff once a month is enough.
5. Don’t mess with your cuticle.
You can prevent traumatic ridges by not picking or shoving your cuticle back. The cuticle is the only barrier the fingers have to keep dirt and infections out of the tissues of the fingers. Not only can an infection cause damage to the nail matrix and potentially deform your nail, but the act of pushing back the cuticle can bang it up, creating a permanent ridge template for all future nail growth.
6. Reduce water exposure.
Wash your hands when it’s necessary to, but try not to overdo it. Washing your hands too often strips your skin of its natural oils and emollients, resulting in dryness and even hand eczema, which can cause nail changes. The same goes for prolonged water exposure, like when washing dishes.
When you do have to wash your hands, switch to a natural moisturizing hand soap, such as one that contains coconut milk and follow up with a dose of your go-to moisturizer. If your hands are constantly immersed in
