Learn about the most common types of fingernail ridges!
There are numerous fingernail ridges that can appear and they are a clear indicator of the health condition of an individual. A good health care provider will look at these as a symptom of various possible diseases. Some fingernail ridges are side effects of some life threatening conditions. There are different causes that see the appearance of ridges and generally speaking, vertical ridges are a lot less harmful and common when compared with horizontal ones. As soon as you notice horizontal fingernail ridges, it is imperative that you quickly consult a doctor in order to quickly diagnose a possibly serious underlying health condition.
Terry’s fingernail ridges
Terry’s nails are white colored and present no lunula. Doctors believe that the main reason why they appear is a connective tissue abnormal growth that is combined with a decreased vascularity. Some of the health conditions that are linked with this type of fingernail ridges include diabetes mellitus, liver failure, malnutrition, congestive heart failure and hyperthyroidism. Renal failure and cirrhosis are also met but those mentioned before are more common.
Muehrcke fingernail ridges
The scientific term used to name these fingernail ridges is leukonychia striata. These are lines that are white and will run transverse nails. At the same time, they will be parallel with the lunula of the nail. It should be noted that the ridges are similar to Beau lines but will not be furrowed and do not move as the nail grows. In order to assess the Muehrcke ridges, you need to place pressure on an affected nail and see how lines will disappear when nails blanch. The most common cause of the condition is impaired protein synthesis but it is also possible to notice them when you deal with metabolic stress linked with chemotherapy.
Mees fingernail ridges
These fingernail ridges are also known as Aldrich-Mees’ lines and are characterized by a fingernail discoloration caused by kidney problems or poisoning with thallium or arsenic. The lines appear as white bands that will run across fingernail width. Lines will move when the nail grows and will eventually disappear when trimming or cutting. If you feel pain in the kidney area or weak, you need to go to the doctor. However, in most situations, Mees fingernail ridges are harmless.
Beau fingernail ridges
Beau fingernail ridges run transverse a nail and will appear as a deep groove. They are nail plate folds or indentations and specialists think that they are naturally occurring as you are aging. The great news is that these fingernail ridges are harmless. Transient cell division cessation appears in the nail’s natural matrix because of infections or damage that appears in an area.
Other types of fingernail ridges are possible but the ones mentioned above are the most common ones. It is crucial that you go to a doctor as soon as you notice some of the symptoms mentioned above, especially if the lines are horizontal.
Fingernail ridges are usually not dangerous for one’s health but can indicate other serious health issues so setting up a doctor’s appointment is the best thing to do to regain confidence in your health.
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