What's With These Ridges In My Fingernails?

Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disease describes a condition in which an individual has a thyroid gland that does not function properly. A patient with an under active thyroid can experience manifestations that affect their nails, hair, and skin. Individuals who have a deficiency of a substance called selenium in their body are prone to developing vertical ridges in the nails. Selenium is required for the thyroid to convert a specific inactive hormone to its active form so the individual's metabolism can be regulated appropriately. Because it cannot convert this specific hormone to its active state, the thyroid gland doesn't secrete enough thyroid hormone. When there are low thyroid hormone levels in the body, the patient is considered to have thyroid disease. An under active thyroid causes the patient to have reduced blood circulation throughout the body, making it more difficult for the cells that produce the nails and hair to receive the nutrients they require. An under active thyroid also impairs the ability of the body to properly synthesize proteins due to the slowed metabolism. Adequate protein synthesis is essential for the formation of healthy hair, skin, and nails. Protein synthesis also allows the nails to grow stronger. The result of the thyroid malfunction is weak and brittle nails with vertical ridges.

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Aging

Vertical ridges in an older individual's nails can simply be attributed to their natural aging process. When an individual ages, their skin, hair, and nails are exposed to factors that cause them to become increasingly dry. Repeated hand washing, the application and removal of manicures, cleaning without gloves, and excessive wear over time cause the nails to lose their ability to hold onto moisture. In addition, the process that occurs in an individual's skin and nails that replaces cells that have died or shed off becomes less efficient as they grow older. Instead of a positive or level balance of cell production and cell loss a younger individual has, an older individual begins to experience a negative correlation with more cell loss than the number of cells their body is producing. This process is not only specific to the nails and skin but many other types of cells in the body as well. This mechanism causes the nails to become weak and develop vertical ridges that make their texture feel rough. In addition, individuals of advanced ages are more prone to developing medical conditions and diseases known to contribute to the formation of such ridge abnormalities in the nails.

Uncover more details on reasons for nail ridges and other nail issues now.