nails

[Lillilee]

What causes ridges on your nails?

[Clanad]

Vertical ridges running from the cuticle to the tip of the nail may be hereditary in nature, but the exact cause is not known. However, horizontal ridges, especially connected to change of color in nails may indicate underlying health changes and should be reported to your MD...

[WaldoMcFroog]

Eating jelly is known to cure the horizontal ones - there's something in the glycerine which strenghtens nails, thought I regret I forget which.

[thewillow]

I have very pronounced ridges (from cuticle to tip) on one nail only. On the one occasion I had a manicure, I was told by the manicurist that the nail must have suffered 'trauma' - whatever that means.

[dorset 1954]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think WaldoMcFroog means gelatine, not glycerine.

[lucy_jo]

If you mean the white ridges, its lack of calcium, so as you knock them, the nail isn't as hard as it should be so you get a white mark.

[spacewacko]

I <nodding in understanding> am a nail biter. My tauma is self induced, although minimized through years of practice. I do see a variance in the pattern as my habit fluctuates, so I am inclined to believe the 'trauma' hypothesis. Regarding the white part of the nail, near the cuticle, these are called lunule(s) or lunulae to be technically correct (like the moon). They are caused by new nail cells that have not lost their fat content, ie - dried out. (I cant find the web page that showed me that - sorry). My lunulae have increased as my cuticle habit increased I noticed. Perhaps the tissue damage exposes the new cells too soon. As for calcium or air pockets,etc, I have seen no "technical evidence", but as always, many factors can affect the situation. (I'll begrudgingly shut up now. Hmph)

[WaldoMcFroog]

Dorset, you're correct..!