Nail Ridges: Marks That Record the Body’s Past

Farzollah Gholizadeh and Fariba Bayrami

Nails grow slowly. That makes them interesting: they can carry traces of things the body went through weeks or even months earlier.

Nail ridges are one of those traces.

Vertical ridges: usually normal

Fine vertical ridges running from the base of the nail to the tip are very common, especially with age, and are usually normal.

Just as lines form on the skin over time, the nails can show changes like this too.

But if vertical ridges come with marked brittleness, dryness or a change in shape , the rest of the picture needs to be looked at too.

Horizontal ridges: the body’s “notebook”

Sometimes clear horizontal lines at the same level on several nails (transverse grooves) appear.

Lines like these can show that the nail’s normal growth was disrupted for a time . This disruption can follow:

• A serious illness
• A high fever
• Significant physical stress
• Some other demanding situations

The position of the line can show the timing

The most interesting part is this: because the nail grows slowly and at a steady rate, the position of the line on the nail can give a specialist a clue about roughly when the disruption happened .

If the line is near the base of the nail, the event was recent; if it is near the tip, it happened longer ago.

That is why we sometimes call the nail a notebook that records the body’s past .

One nail or all of them?

• A single nail with a line: a knock or a local cause specific to that nail is more likely.
• Several nails with lines at the same level : an event affecting the body’s general condition is more likely.

This rule is not absolute, but it is the first step towards careful observation.

The traditional medicine view

In Avicennian–Greek medicine, the nail is one of the tools for reading the body, together with the skin, hair, tongue and pulse. The quality of the nail can reflect how well the tissues are nourished and the body’s balance of moisture and dryness .

But the basic principle of traditional medicine applies here too: the nail is read together with the body, not apart from it.

When should you see a doctor?

• If the lines are new and nothing explains them
• If several nails have clear horizontal lines and the cause is unknown
• If the line comes with a change in colour, thickening or the nail lifting from its bed
• If there is a dark (brown-black) line (this needs to be checked separately)

Frequently asked questions

Are vertical ridges on the nails a sign of illness?
Usually not; they become common with age.

Do horizontal ridges go away?
Yes. Once the cause has passed, the line moves up as the nail grows and disappears when it is trimmed.

Do ridges show a vitamin deficiency?
Not on their own. Nutrition can sometimes play a part, but a specific deficiency cannot be diagnosed by looking at a ridge.

Conclusion

Nail ridges are usually harmless; but sometimes they quietly record a difficulty the body went through. To read them correctly, look at the direction of the line, its position, how many nails have it and any other symptoms .

For the other signs of the nails, read our article “What Do Your Nails Say About Your Health?” .

If you want to learn the body’s sign language step by step, Dr Kalan’s book “Elaim & Delail” and the online course “ “Reading the Body’s Signs” (in Turkish) will guide you.

This article is for information only and does not replace medical diagnosis and treatment.