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Vertical nail ridging: A cause for concern?
By Mayo Clinic staff
- 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 said, need to be aware, and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo 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 been director of the Dermatopathology Laboratory since 1998 and chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology since 2000. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin and lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information is becoming a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he said. "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
Vertical nail ridging: A cause for concern?
What causes vertical ridges in fingernails?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Vertical nail ridges, which extend from your cuticle to the tip of your nail, are fairly common and often become more numerous or prominent as you age. Vertical ridges in your nails are not a health concern. Although the exact cause of such ridging isn't known, heredity likely plays a role.
If your fingernails change color or develop horizontal ridges, see your doctor. These changes may indicate underlying health problems, such as respiratory disease, malnutrition or even heart attack.
- Fawcett RS, et al. Nail abnormalities: Clues to systemic disease. American Family Physician. 2004;69:1417.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 11, 2009.
