What do horizantal ridges/indentions on toenails and fingernails mean?

Question

Just a few months ago, I 've noticed that I've gotten indentions on my fingernails and toenails. I've read it could be from a number of things, hypotyroid, iron deficiancy, etc. Does anyone have any ideas? preferably someone with a medical background or with the same problem

Answer 1

Sometimes it's related to nutrition, sometimes to stress (called Beau's lines, I believe), sometimes to external wear such as buffing or filing.

Are your nails healthy looking or are they yellow or green? Lifting in places? These would indicate fungus.

Have you changed your supplements in the past few months?
People sometimes get a ridge when start loading on biotin after taking a break (forgetting) for a few months. Have you been buffing them lately? If you are, that would be my first guess unless they're yellow or green.

OTHER CHANGES TO MAKE HEALTHY NAILS

- drink pure, clean water (6-8 glasses a day)
- avoid drinking alcohol
- avoid saturated fats and fried foods they stress the liver
- eat high fiber diet (brown rice,millet , and legumes are good)
- make sure to get vitamin A, C, and E - try a good quality multi vit/mineral supplement
- reduced sugar, candy, etc...
- avoid caffeine, hydrogenated oils, fried foods, meat, soft drinks
- reduce dairy products in your diet
- for healthy nails make sure you are getting enough protein
- keep nails shorter
- do not cut your cuticles

Answer 2

I have the some exact thing and I have hypothryoidism. I never knew that could cause it. But probably something got dropped on it.