A look at ridges in fingernails. This article examines fingernail ridges caused by aging, other causes, how they are diagnosed, and how to prevent…. Nutritional-deficiency anemia happens when the body does not get enough iron or a few other nutrients from the diet.
Learn more, including how to…. What causes a toenail to fall off, and what do you do when this happens? We look at causes, recovery time, removing the nail, and when to see a doctor.
Koilonychia: Why are my nails spoon shaped? Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Causes Symptoms Risk factors In different age groups Treatment and prevention Tips Outlook We include products we think are useful for our readers. Share on Pinterest Changes to the nails may signify a health condition. Image credit: CHeitz, Risk factors. Koilonychia in different age groups. Treatment and prevention.
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Related Coverage. What to know about a black line on the nail. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. All you need to know about ridges in fingernails. Hangnails on the side of the nails, you may have a folic acid or vitamin C deficiency. The Color of Healthy Nails Finally, if your nails are anything other than a soft rosy pink or peach color, you might want to take a closer look at this:. White lines in or across the nail bed may indicate fever, heart disease, kidney disorder, liver troubles, or lack of iron or zinc.
Pale color on the nail bed can indicate anemia , which develops from iron or vitamin B12 deficiency. Bluish nail bed can be a sign of lung trouble, such as asthma or emphysema. A dark blue line in the nail bed may be a result of skin cancer. If your nails are telling you that something worse than a vitamin deficiency may be happening, consult with your physician right away. Your doctor can run the proper tests to tell you if you really need to worry or not.
For example, ice pick-like depressions in the nails nail pitting are common in people who have psoriasis — a condition characterized by scaly patches on the skin. Nail pitting can also be related to connective tissue disorders, such as Reiter's syndrome, and alopecia areata — an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
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If we combine this information with your PHI, we will treat all of that information as PHI, and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Like hair, nails undergo changes over time, due to disease, internal processes in the body as it ages , nutritional deficiencies, or external factors like long-term exposure to chemicals or ultraviolet light.
The changes nails may undergo over time involve growth rate, texture, thickness, shape or contour, and color. Nail growth slows slightly over time. On average, fingernails grow about 3 mm 0. As early as the age of 25, that rate slows by about 0. So by the age of 85, your fingernails may only be growing 2 mm in length per month. With age, nails may become brittle and prone to breaking. Repeated wetting and drying, or exposure to harsh cleaning chemicals or cosmetics like cuticle and nail polish removers, can worsen the problem.
More serious brittleness can cause ridges along the length of the nail and fragmenting of the nail tips. Conditions like anemia , hardening of the arteries atherosclerosis and hormonal problems can be a cause, so consult your health provider if you notice significant texture changes in your nails. Nails may become thicker or thinner with age. Skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema can also result in thicker nails. Fungal infections , which account for about half of all nail disorders and are more common in the elderly, can cause nail thickening and discoloration.
Toenails are particularly vulnerable because shoes provide a warm, moist environment for fungus to grow. Factors that predispose someone to nail fungal infections include:.
Treatments for fungal nail infections include oral or topical applied to the nail antifungal preparations, which may need to be administered for a period of months. Choosing the right medication will depend on other prescriptions you may be taking to avoid drug interactions and the severity of the infection. How curved your nails are may change as you age. A dramatic shape change with very rounded nails is clubbing , a sign of long-term oxygen deprivation.
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