Ridges In Fingernails

[lindalee]

Since I am not sure about what fingernail polish to use, my nails are bare and I have ridges(lines) on the nails especially the middle fingers and thumbs. I remember my favorite grandmother had these. Did anyones nutritionist, doctor, or anyone have insight on this? Thanks, LindaLee

[Sarah8793]

  lindalee said:

Since I am not sure about what fingernail polish to use, my nails are bare and I have ridges(lines) on the nails especially the middle fingers and thumbs. I remember my favorite grandmother had these. Did anyones nutritionist, doctor, or anyone have insight on this? Thanks, LindaLee

I don't know what causes them either, but I have them. I have many vertical and some horizontal. Maybe someone else will have more info.

[lindalee]

  Sarah8793 said:

I don't know what causes them either, but I have them. I have many vertical and some horizontal. Maybe someone else will have more info.

mine are vertical and on all the fingernails. LL

[Lymetoo]

I think it's a nutritional deficiency, but I can't remember which one!! You might find it in a Google search.

[sparkles]

I have them too.... always thought that they were due to some kind of vitamin/mineral deficiency... that does make sense since I am a celiac. But the nails have not improved since going gluten-free *4 years ago*!!!!! Plus fingernail polish will not stick to my nails. I have tried cleaning the nail really well but still no luck. I was getting my nails done several years ago but that almost destroyed them. They did look pretty....though! The ridges don't look great and I would like something that would cover them up. But I think that I am stuck with them. I think lots of damage was done to the immune system due to celiac disease. I was really sick for something like 15 years. When the doc did the scope, he said he could tell just by looking at the villa that I had celiac disease because so many villa were flattened. The biopsy came back positive and that confirmed it. But I do think I am stuck with some strange symptoms that will just never go away because the damage was so severe. If anyone comes up with a good cure for "groovy nails" and nail polish not sticking, I sure would be interested!!!!!

[lindalee]

  sparkles said:

I have them too.... always thought that they were due to some kind of vitamin/mineral deficiency... that does make sense since I am a celiac. But the nails have not improved since going gluten-free *4 years ago*!!!!! Plus fingernail polish will not stick to my nails. I have tried cleaning the nail really well but still no luck. I was getting my nails done several years ago but that almost destroyed them. They did look pretty....though! The ridges don't look great and I would like something that would cover them up. But I think that I am stuck with them. I think lots of damage was done to the immune system due to celiac disease. I was really sick for something like 15 years. When the doc did the scope, he said he could tell just by looking at the villa that I had celiac disease because so many villa were flattened. The biopsy came back positive and that confirmed it. But I do think I am stuck with some strange symptoms that will just never go away because the damage was so severe. If anyone comes up with a good cure for "groovy nails" and nail polish not sticking, I sure would be interested!!!!!

What are the strange symptoms? I have been off the diet for 40+ years. Haven't been to the dr. Help--LL

[skinnyminny]

I use to have the ridges, but I have been gluten free for 5 years now and mine have improved greatly one of them use to look like a ducks, ridged foot.. I guess the gluten was the cause of this mine have a little now but hardly enough to talk about

[BRUMI1968]

I have the ridges too - for about ten years now I think. Worse, though, is that the last year or two, I haven't been able to use them for anything, they are so weak.

But, I quit all grains a couple weeks ago and they are stronger. They still have the ridges.

I found this product that made my nails look so nice. It is a weird little square thing with multiple sides. One side files the nail (the top of it - this makes the ridges go away), the next one buffs it - so they look literally like they have clear nail polish on them.

Granted, I think since it's based on filing down your nails, it wouldn't be smart to use it too often. It is supposed to last a month.

If anyone is interested, I can go grab it and see what it is called.

[mommida]

I have the grooves too. It is caused by vitamin and mineral defiency. If I remember right it is the B vitamins. You can also get white spots and the nails can flatten on the nailbed and curve under at the free edge (iron defiency). Watch your diet and get exercise. If you have circulatory problems that will affect your nails too.

L.

[Daxin]

I have them too. Hopefully they will clear up over time, but they are especially bad on my thumbs. DW used to be a nutritionist, but cannot find anything as to which nutrients we are missing.

[Shannon27]

I just went gluten-free because of a positive stool test...and the fact that I have terrible burning in my digestive system when I eat gluten (or legumes for that matter).

But, anyway, I have quite prominent ridges in my fingernails (all of them). I think the middle fingers are the worst, but I can definitely see and feel them on all fingers. Since I just became gluten-free, I don't know if it is gluten causing mine. I have heard that vitamin supplements help, but I have taken a really good multi-vitamin for quite awhile and haven't noticed a difference at all...could be malabsorption, though. In fact, my total cholesterol has decreased every year for the past five years (from 186 to 122). The doctor says that is usually a sign of malabsorption, which means vitamins aren't absorbing well either. So, I suppose it could be gluten-induced if gluten causes the malabsorption. But it could also be just a vitamin deficiency as others have said.

Sorry to ramble. I am feeling a little fuzzy-headed today!!

Shannon

[Ursa Major]

Yep, have had ridges on my fingernails as long as I can remember (wich is quite a while ).

[LKelly8]

I have ridged fingernails. I heard there's a connection with my juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. One of the first things my rheumatologist said to me was to point out my long fingers and ridged nails - both idicators for JA and RA. I wonder if it could be an indicator for autoimmune disease in general?

[lindalee]

  mommida said:

I have the grooves too. It is caused by vitamin and mineral defiency. If I remember right it is the B vitamins. You can also get white spots and the nails can flatten on the nailbed and curve under at the free edge (iron defiency). Watch your diet and get exercise. If you have circulatory problems that will affect your nails too.

L.

I'm wondering if it was B6 --Adele Davis I think said that( the geru nutritionist). LL

[psawyer]

I had ridges on my nails for years, but they are gone now that I have been gluten-free for six years. I couldn't tell you exactly how long it took for them to go away, though.

[jerseyangel]

I had vertical ridges in my fingernails and horizontal dips in both my thumbnails--they have completely gone away at one year+ gluten-free.

[lindalee]

  Shannon27 said:

I just went gluten-free because of a positive stool test...and the fact that I have terrible burning in my digestive system when I eat gluten (or legumes for that matter).

But, anyway, I have quite prominent ridges in my fingernails (all of them). I think the middle fingers are the worst, but I can definitely see and feel them on all fingers. Since I just became gluten-free, I don't know if it is gluten causing mine. I have heard that vitamin supplements help, but I have taken a really good multi-vitamin for quite awhile and haven't noticed a difference at all...could be malabsorption, though. In fact, my total cholesterol has decreased every year for the past five years (from 186 to 122). The doctor says that is usually a sign of malabsorption, which means vitamins aren't absorbing well either. So, I suppose it could be gluten-induced if gluten causes the malabsorption. But it could also be just a vitamin deficiency as others have said.

Sorry to ramble. I am feeling a little fuzzy-headed today!!

Shannon

my middle fingers are the worst also..

  Bully4You said:

I have the ridges too - for about ten years now I think. Worse, though, is that the last year or two, I haven't been able to use them for anything, they are so weak.

But, I quit all grains a couple weeks ago and they are stronger. They still have the ridges.

I found this product that made my nails look so nice. It is a weird little square thing with multiple sides. One side files the nail (the top of it - this makes the ridges go away), the next one buffs it - so they look literally like they have clear nail polish on them.

Granted, I think since it's based on filing down your nails, it wouldn't be smart to use it too often. It is supposed to last a month.

If anyone is interested, I can go grab it and see what it is called.

I don't think I have had my ridges long. Is that file thing long and white? I have one somewhere.

  mommida said:

I have the grooves too. It is caused by vitamin and mineral defiency. If I remember right it is the B vitamins. You can also get white spots and the nails can flatten on the nailbed and curve under at the free edge (iron defiency). Watch your diet and get exercise. If you have circulatory problems that will affect your nails too.

L.

That is what I need to do more--EXERCISE. I'm watching the diet. (Dinner- 2 hard boiled eggs, peas, orange and cheetos) Sounds good, huh? LL

[olalisa]

I have the ridges, too. I think biotin deficiency maybe? They are improving since going gluten free.

[BRUMI1968]

the file thing is NOT long and white. It is a spongy rectangle, with a white side (which is silk - that's the last thing), a grey side, and two blue sides. First you do blue, then gray, then white, and I swear to you it is like you have brand new nails...no, I don't sell these things. They are made by "Seacret" from thd dead sea. www.seacretspa.com. They make lotions too, which have gluten in them.

Anyway, I was trying to check out this HUGE and FANCY new outlet mall near my house, and was accosted by a woman at one of the sales carts in the middle. She did this thing to my thumb, and it was amazing. I let her talk me into buying it, even though I don't normally buy things from whence this product came (for personal political reasons).

I think it works by gently filing off your ridges, so I would think doing it very often would leave you with no fingernails at all. The cuticle oil is nice.

[GravStars]

i have the vertical ridges, they started around the time i started getting palpitations and tinnitus, and also my nails started looking paler and i lost the white "moons" at the bottom of them on all my fingers. i've read that the ridges can be due to nutritional deficiencies and malabsorption too. i also just read that they can be due to iron deficiency as well.

[lindalee]

  olalisa said:

I have the ridges, too. I think biotin deficiency maybe? They are improving since going gluten free.

"Let's Get Well" by Adelle Davis....fingernails that split, break off , are extremely thin, or fail to grow indicate a lack of protein or vit. A, and the rate of nail growth has been used as a measure of protein adequacy......Transverse ridges are formed during menstruation and longitudinal ones occur when anemia is present. If nails are abnormal in any way, both vit A and protein should be markedly increased. Of the single aminio acids, the sulfur-containing ones rich in egg yolk stimulate nail growth most. Neither gelatin nor calcium helps nails....Frequent hangnails indicate Vit. C. protein,or folic acid is undersupplied....

I GUESS I MUST BE ANEMIC >>>I'LL GET SOME IRON. I ate my eggs tonight!!!

[BRUMI1968]

  GravStars said:

i have the vertical ridges, they started around the time i started getting palpitations and tinnitus, and also my nails started looking paler and i lost the white "moons" at the bottom of them on all my fingers. i've read that the ridges can be due to nutritional deficiencies and malabsorption too. i also just read that they can be due to iron deficiency as well.

nice beagles!

[lindalee]

  GravStars said:

i have the vertical ridges, they started around the time i started getting palpitations and tinnitus, and also my nails started looking paler and i lost the white "moons" at the bottom of them on all my fingers. i've read that the ridges can be due to nutritional deficiencies and malabsorption too. i also just read that they can be due to iron deficiency as well.

GravStar, we were on the same wavelength. I was just writing that about the iron. I only have 4 moons...Hey everybody come back! What does that mean??? LL

[lindalee]

  jerseyangel said:

I had vertical ridges in my fingernails and horizontal dips in both my thumbnails--they have completely gone away at one year+ gluten-free.

Jerseyangel,Did you take iron supplements? LL

[jerseyangel]

  lindalee said:

Jerseyangel,Did you take iron supplements? LL

Only for a short time--I just couldn't tolerate them. I switched to Centrum that has 18 mg of iron. I was anemic when I was diagnosed--hemi of 8. Afer 6 months gluten-free, it went up to 14.6. Both my finger and toe nails have never looked better!