Yes, vertical nail ridges (longitudinal ridging) are generally normal, common with aging as cell turnover slows, and usually harmless, but deep horizontal ridges (Beau's lines) or changes like discoloration can signal underlying health issues, so it's important to distinguish between them. Vertical lines are often just signs of aging or dehydration, while horizontal ridges suggest a temporary disruption in nail growth from illness, injury, or medication.
Ridges in your fingernails or toenails can be a sign of a current or past illness. Ridges may also happen if you have a nutrient deficiency. Your provider can help you determine why you have ridges in your nails. Usually, your nails will become smoother if you treat the underlying cause.
These ridges make the surface of the nail look rough or bumpy. Although ridges on your nails can come with age, trauma, or even an underlying medical condition, they can also mean you are deficient in B vitamins.
If your fingernails change color or you develop horizontal nail ridges, consult your health care provider. These changes could indicate an underlying health condition.
Fingernails: What's typical, what's not
Fingernails are made of layers of a protein called keratin. Healthy fingernails are smooth. They don't have pits or grooves. They're all one color and free of spots.
They're not uncommon, especially with age, and usually, they're nothing to worry about. Occasionally, however, vertical ridges on nails can be a sign of an underlying medical issue, as can deeper horizontal ridges on nails.
Many people experience nail problems at some point, ranging from cosmetic concerns to signs of illness. These issues include changes in color, texture, thickness, or growth patterns. Some common complaints are brittle nails, discoloration, and ridges, which can signal more than just external damage.
Koilonychia is indented nails. Instead of growing straight, your nails look concave, like spoons. In many people, koilonychia is a sign of iron deficiency. Usually, you can get rid of spoon nails by treating the underlying cause.
Longitudinal ridges
Often referred to as "nail wrinkles", they usually appear with age or, for some, around the time of menopause. They suggest the body is producing less keratin and that hormone levels may be unbalanced. Longitudinal ridges can also point to vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
Diabetic nails may look thickened, yellowish, brittle, or have an unusual shape. This is often due to reduced blood flow to the extremities and nerve damage, also known as peripheral neuropathy, which affects the feet.
What Your Nails Tell You About Your Overall Health
A magnesium deficiency can result in weak, flaky nails that are prone to breakage.
Koilonychia is an abnormal shape of the fingernail. The nail has raised ridges and is thin and curved inward. This disorder is associated with iron deficiency anemia. Leukonychia is white streaks or spots on the nails often due to medicines or disease.
Dermatologists Discuss the Effects of Stress on Nails
These habits can cause many problems, including: a distortion of the nail plate, raised ridges in the middle of the nail, and nailbed infection.
Heart failure nails often show nail clubbing, where fingertips enlarge and nails curve downward like an upside-down spoon due to poor oxygen flow, feeling soft and warm, but can also present as blueish tints (cyanosis) or splinter hemorrhages (tiny red lines under nails) from heart infections (endocarditis). Other signs can include Terry's nails (mostly white with a pink tip) or Mees lines (horizontal white bands). These changes signal serious underlying issues, requiring prompt medical evaluation.
Persistent brittle, thickened, pitted, or discolored nails may signal infection, psoriasis, or other disease; see a dermatologist for diagnosis. Dark nail streaks or unusual color changes can be serious, including melanoma; get prompt evaluation.
Liver failure nails often appear as Terry's Nails, characterized by an opaque white or "ground glass" look across most of the nail, with only a thin, brownish or pinkish band at the very tip and the half-moon (lunula) often disappearing, though other changes like ridges or yellowness (jaundice) can also occur, indicating systemic issues.
Medium to dark vertical lines on your nails could indicate a Vitamin D and B12 deficiency. Short white lines or spots might point to zinc deficiency. Brittle nails that easily break could mean you're low in calcium and biotin.
Yellow nails – May result from fungal infections, excessive polish, or smoking. In some cases, they link to diabetes or thyroid disorders. Blue or purple nails – Can indicate low oxygen levels due to heart or lung problems. White spots – Often caused by injury, but sometimes linked to low zinc or calcium levels.
Possible symptoms of anemia include:
Signs of anemia nails include pale nail beds and spoon-shaped nails. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body.
The most common causes of nail pitting are psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. About half of all people with psoriasis will have nail problems at some point in their lives. Other health conditions can also lead to nail pitting, including: Autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata, sarcoidosis or pemphigus vulgaris.
Your kidneys can affect many parts of your body, including your nails. Some nail abnormalities are related to kidneys not working as well as they should. Your kidneys are responsible for filtering waste from your body, such as urea (nitrogen waste) and creatinine (creatine waste).
The 5 Most Common Nail Disorders