Striped nails (also called nail ridges or lines on nails) can be signs of various health conditions, depending on the type and direction of the stripes:
🩺 Types of Nail Stripes & What They Could Mean
1. Vertical Ridges (longitudinal lines)
- Description: Lines running from the cuticle to the tip.
- Common in: Aging (harmless)
- Possible causes:
- Nutritional deficiencies (especially Vitamin B12, Magnesium, or Iron)
- Dehydration of the nail
- Poor circulation
2. Horizontal Ridges (Beau’s Lines)
- Description: Indentations or deep lines running across the nail
- Possible causes:
- Severe illness with high fever (e.g., COVID-19, pneumonia)
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Zinc deficiency
- Injury to the nail
- Chemotherapy
- Circulatory disorders
3. White Lines (Muehrcke’s Lines)
- Description: Paired white horizontal lines
- Possible causes:
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Low protein levels in the blood (hypoalbuminemia)
4. Dark Vertical Stripes
- Warning: Could be a sign of melanoma (a serious form of skin cancer under the nail)
- Should always be checked by a dermatologist if it appears suddenly, especially if it spreads or darkens.
✅ What You Can Do
- See a doctor if:
- The lines appear suddenly
- They are deep or discolored
- You also have other symptoms (fatigue, weight loss, infections)
- Maintain a healthy diet rich in:
- Iron (leafy greens, red meat)
- B12 (eggs, dairy, fish)
- Zinc (pumpkin seeds, lentils, nuts)