Striated nails: what are they?

Vertical and parallel lines

Not everyone pays attention to it, but the streaks on the nails are unfortunately a characteristic common to many people, women or men, and at any age, in a more or less intense way.

Perfectly straight and raised lines form on the surface of the nails. Sometimes all over the nail and all the fingers, sometimes much less evenly. Whether on the fingernails or on the feet.

An aesthetic concern

Either way, the streaks run parallel and can be a problem, especially for women who want clean, smooth nails.

Striated nails prevent, in the first place, a natural manicure without varnish. Conversely, some varnishes tend to intensify this characteristic instead of erasing it.

Striated nails: benign causes

The streaks that we notice on his nails are in fact the natural streaks due to the growth of the nails but which are exaggerated by internal or external factors. They also appear naturally more accentuated in some people without them experiencing other concerns.

Striated nails, normal aging

Finally, ridged nails can be a consequence of aging and therefore become more pronounced with age and intensify after menopause. They are sometimes called “nail wrinkles”. However, people of all ages can have ridged nails without it being the witness of any disease or deficiency. It is a natural evolution depending on each person.

However, it may be useful to see your doctor who may be able to refer you to a dermatologist for a complete dermatological workup. It will aim to understand the mechanisms that lead to streaks. Especially in case you are experiencing other nail problems elsewhere.

Note that there are dermatologists specializing in nails, but there are not many of them in France today.

One ridged nail or more: small traumas

Small successive impacts on the nails can also be a cause of streaks. For example, overly aggressive manicures, especially with the use of a polisher, can have a counterproductive effect. These small traumas will cause an irregular growth of the nail which can be at the origin of the streaks.

Striated nails: cain rare cases

First of all, rest assured, ridged nails are absolutely not a reflection of a serious disease, nor are they a sign of a lack of calcium. However, the nails can be the witness of a very important iron deficiency, which nevertheless leads to a total deformation of the nails and not only of the longitudinal lines.

Striated nails can be, like brittle nails, the result of too regular contact with water or with detergents. Hence the importance of using household gloves.

Striated nails: the care

It is essential to note that ridged nails are not strictly speaking damaged nails. However, the streaks can intensify, in addition to other problems such as brittle or soft nails. Fortunately, precise gestures limit their importance.

Avoid ridged nails on a daily basis

The striations being on the surface and in relief, it is possible to smooth them. But too much polishing is itself the cause of trauma to the nail which generates streaks, it is essential to limit this gesture. Thus, polish your nails once a week at most. Your gesture must remain light, touching, so as not to attack the nail.

Likewise, to file the edge, opt for a glass file instead. Softer, it will create less tension on the nail plate.

Treat striated nails

Although streaks are sometimes unavoidable, it is possible to slow down their intensity by allowing the nail to grow in better conditions. Castor oil is thus recognized to nourish and facilitate the regrowth of nails.

Specific varnishes are also available and make it possible to smooth and thus reduce streaks. Some are particularly rich in silicon in order to fill the spaces between the striations. Above all, these products allow the nails to be superficially smoothed.