Cure for Fingernail Ridges

Tap to Read ➤ Aastha Dogra

Want to get rid of those ugly looking ridges on the fingernails? Read on to find out the causes and cures of the same.

Fingernail ridges start developing as a person ages. Coming in contact with chemicals may cause them to develop too. These are the harmless causes, the effects of which can be reversed with some effective home remedies.

Rarely, horizontal and vertical ridges may signal serious health issues and diseases, especially if the ridges are shaped unusually and develop suddenly. Diabetes, Raynaud's disease, circulatory problems, kidney or liver disease, cancer, HIV, silver poisoning, respiratory conditions or thyroid problems, can lead to development of these ridges, in some days.

If this is the case, a doctor should be contacted immediately for a thorough diagnoses and treatment. Otherwise, for taking care of ridges which form due to lack of moisture, aging and cosmetic reasons, the given suggested tips on the fingernail ridges cure, will suffice.

Prevention

Whenever you take up any manual activity, be it gardening, washing clothes, repairing machines or constructing anything, always make it a point to wear gloves.

This will protect your nails from harsh chemicals or other harmful substances, and won't allow them to come in direct contact with your nails.

The second thing that you should avoid is the use of too many cosmetic treatments on your nails. Acrylic nails, nail polish with strong chemicals, these are some of the things that you should avoid using very often. Lastly, keep the nails clean at all times. Do not let dust and grime build up on them, otherwise it can cause fungus.

Protection

Paint your fingernails with a clear nail polish to make them strong and cause less breakage.

There are moisturizing lotions and creams to strengthen the nails which reverse any possible damage. To make them more effective, apply them on the nails before sleeping, cover your hands with gloves to seal the moisture in, and to make the nails strong.

Nourishment

Fingernail ridges and vitamin deficiency are often interrelated. So in order to get rid of them, follow a healthy, balanced diet, which supplies the body with the right amount of minerals and vitamins.

Iron, zinc and gelatin are the essential nutrients which are especially known to make the nails strong, so foods rich in these should be included in the diet. Otherwise, supplements which consist of these two minerals as well as vitamin B-12 should be taken, along with your regular diet.

Water is very essential to keep the nails hydrated too, so make sure you drink about two liters of it everyday. Massaging the fingernails with vitamin E oil will further nourish them and prevent ridges from forming on them.

Care

Buffing your nails on a regular basis is a good way to keep them strong. So invest in a good quality emery board for this purpose. Also, learn the right way to buff your nails, i.e. it should always be done in one direction, and never back and forth.

Patience

Sometimes, it is good to be patient and wait for the nails to outgrow. So once you get a new nail, it will automatically be sans any kind of ridges. Also, as mental stress could be a possible reason behind this, undertake stress management activities like meditation daily. It will not only improve the condition of your nails, but your overall health too.

With these tips, you should be able to prevent and treat fingernail ridges. However, as mentioned earlier, ridges that develop suddenly and those that are accompanied by changes in the nail color, signal an underlying health problem, and thus, should be examined by a doctor immediately.