Ridges in nails come in two kinds. Vertical ridges, the fine lines from cuticle to tip, are the common kind and mostly age and dryness. Gentle buffing and daily oil can smooth the look of them, but they do not disappear. A horizontal groove across the nail is a pause in growth, and it grows out. Deep, dark or sudden lines, or colour changes, mean see your GP.
- Vertical ridges are the common kind, mostly age and dryness. They can look smoother, but they do not disappear.
- A horizontal groove is a pause in growth, and it grows out with the nail.
- Buff gently, no more than once a month, and oil daily.
- Deep, dark or sudden lines, or ridges with colour changes, are a GP visit.
What do vertical ridges in nails mean?
Vertical ridges, the fine lines running from the cuticle to the tip, are the common kind, and they are mostly down to age and dryness.
If you've started noticing them, you're in very good company. Nails often get drier as the years go by, and the surface can develop lines, a little like the fine lines that appear on skin. Dryness makes them look deeper, because a dry nail loses the smoothness that hides them. That's why the same ridges can look worse in winter, or after a week of dishes. They also show most under glossy or dark polish and in side light, which is why they leap out of a photo.
Myth: Ridges always mean something is wrong.
Fact: Vertical ridges are the common kind and are mostly age and dryness. The ones worth asking about are the sudden, deep or dark ones, or those that come with colour changes.
Here's how to tell the two kinds of ridge apart at a glance.
What causes horizontal ridges in nails?
A horizontal groove across the nail, known as a Beau's line, is a pause in growth: something slowed the nail for a short time, and the groove is the mark it left.
A line across the nail can look alarming, but think of it as a mark left by a rough few weeks. The cause can be an illness, a knock to the nail or a stressful stretch, usually a few weeks before the groove shows, because the nail takes time to carry the mark into view. Once whatever paused the growth has passed, the groove grows out with the nail. A fingernail grows about 3 mm a month, so a groove near the base takes about two to three months to reach the tip. If you can't think of a reason for one, mention it to your GP.
Can you get rid of ridges in nails?
Vertical ridges do not disappear, but you can smooth the look of them with gentle buffing and a daily oil.
Neither changes the ridges themselves, and I'd rather tell you that straight. Buffing evens the surface, and oil keeps the nail hydrated so the lines stay softer and the nail stays flexible. A ridge filler, a base coat that fills the lines, is the quick fix for a night out, and it comes off when you remove it. For everyday life, the habits are the ones that last.
I get asked all the time whether ridges mean something's wrong. For the vertical kind, the usual answer is age and dryness. The ones I send to a GP are the sudden, deep or dark ones.
How often can you buff ridges in nails?
Buff no more than once a month, with a fine buffer and light pressure, because buffing takes a little nail away each time.
Gentle is the whole trick. Buff in the direction of the ridges, not across them, and stop as soon as the surface feels even.
Do
- Use a fine buffer and light pressure.
- Buff in the direction of the ridges.
- Oil afterwards.
Don't
- Buff more than once a month.
- Buff a horizontal groove. Ask about it instead.
- Press hard to flatten the ridges. They will not go.
Do vitamin shortages cause ridges in nails?
I cannot tell from a nail whether you are short of a vitamin or mineral, and I will not guess.
Vertical ridges are mostly age and dryness, so that's the first place to look. If your ridges are new, deep, or arrived with other changes in how you feel, ask your GP rather than starting supplements. They can look at your nails and your general health together, which a bottle can't.
What is the daily routine for ridged nails?
The daily routine is a drop of oil, a massage and gloves for water, and it takes about a minute.
Put a small drop of serum from the dropper on each nail, spread it along the cuticle and across the nail with a fingertip, then massage it in with small circles. It's an easy one to do in front of the telly.
The dropper I use for this is the Body Collective Nail Growth and Strength Serum 15 ml dropper, A$24.50, which suits a bedside table. It smooths the look of ridges by keeping the nail hydrated. It doesn't make them go away. Most people notice softer cuticles within days and visible growth within one to two weeks; results vary.
- Oil every day. Pick a time you won't skip. Before bed is the easiest to remember.
- Gloves for water. Soaking and drying makes ridges look deeper.
- Buff gently, once a month at most. Then oil.
- Be patient. The nail you can see was made two to three months ago, so a smoother new nail takes that long to reach the tip.
- Within days
- Most people notice softer cuticles.
- Within one to two weeks
- Most people notice visible growth, and the nail often looks a little smoother with the oil on it.
- Two to three months
- New nail reaches the tip. Ridges do not disappear, and results vary.
When should you see someone about ridges in nails?
See someone about ridges that are deep or dark, ridges that appeared suddenly, and ridges that come with changes in colour.
Most ridges are the everyday kind, but those aren't for a routine to sort out. I'm a nail technician, not a doctor, so if one of those sounds like yours, there's no need to panic, just get it looked at.
If it came on suddenly, hurts, is discoloured, thickened or lifting, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
Nail Growth & Strength Serum | 15ml Dropper
A$24.50A$34.95
A daily oil that smooths the look of ridges by keeping the nail hydrated and flexible.
Add to cartSweet almond oil is a nut derived oil; people with nut allergies should talk to their doctor first.
Questions people ask
What do vertical ridges in nails mean?
Vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip are the common kind, and they are mostly age and dryness. They can look smoother with gentle buffing and daily oil, but they do not disappear. If they appeared suddenly, are deep or dark, or come with colour changes, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
Can a vitamin shortage cause ridges in nails?
It can be one reason among many, but I cannot tell from a nail and I will not guess. Age and dryness explain most vertical ridges. If your ridges are new, deep, or come with other changes, ask your GP rather than starting supplements.
How do you get rid of ridges in nails?
Vertical ridges do not disappear, but you can smooth the look of them: buff very gently no more than once a month, and oil daily so the nail stays flexible. A horizontal groove grows out with the nail, at about 3 mm a month. Deep, dark or sudden lines are a GP visit.
