Medical Questions » Nails Questions » Question No. 708
| Question: | What causes ridges in your nails? Mine look horrible, and even with nail polish on, the ridges show through. They make my hands look far older than the rest of me. |
| Answer: | Lengthwise ridges of the nails are common in elderly people, but can also occur with poor circulation to the fingers.
A single lengthwise ridge may be due to a cyst or growth in the nail bed.
Crosswise ridges are due to eczema of the fingers, recurrent nail bed infections, chronically wet nails (eg. a dishwasher, laundry worker), and the habit of pulling back the quick at the base of the nails.
A single crosswise ridge is called a Beau' s line, and occurs after an episode of severe physical or emotional illness.
Depending on the type of ridges you have, treatment may or may not be possible.
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