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Nail ridges: Cause for concern?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nails/AN00591
- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he says, need to be aware and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo Clinic since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has served as the fellowship director for dermatopathology and as chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin, including vasculitis, and in lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information has become a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he says. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or, worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
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Question
Nail ridges: Cause for concern?
Are vertical nail ridges in fingernails cause for concern?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Vertical nail ridges are fairly common and nothing to worry about.
Vertical nail ridges extend from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical nail ridges often become more numerous or prominent with age, possibly due to variations in cell turnover within the nail.
If your fingernails change color or you develop horizontal nail ridges, consult your doctor. These changes could indicate an underlying health condition.
Next questionAcrylic nails: Can they harm natural nails?
- Nail diseases. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Edinburgh, Scotland: Mosby/Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00034-1&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00034-1--st0015&uniqId=238913083-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00034-1--st0015. Accessed April 11, 2011.
- Baran R. The nail in the elderly. Clinics in Dermatology. 2011;29:54.
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