Everything you wanted to know about nail health. Why do fingernails become ribbed? Causes of indentations on the thumbs

16.09.202327.05.2017

Diagnosing dents, holes and other irregularities has been done with great accuracy since ancient times. At the same time, warning signs (for example, pits) on the nails appear long before a change in well-being and the manifestation of the primary symptoms of the disease; this knowledge will help us in resolving the issue of determining the causes of unevenness in the nail plates.

Why do pits and holes appear on nails, what do they mean?

When the human body is in a balanced, healthy state, its nails should be pink, shiny and hard. Nutrition, environment, cosmetic care, physical, chemical and mechanical stress are important factors that affect the appearance of such troubles as pits on the nails. The manifestation of any health disorders is the same reason for a change in the appearance of nails, as is a change in any of the above elements in an unfavorable direction.

Transverse dents

The appearance of transverse dents on the thumbnail most likely indicate the presence of problems with the respiratory, that is, bronchopulmonary apparatus.

Holes

In cases where dots in the form of holes appear on the nails, a person wonders: what could it be? Very often, the presence of small holes and pores indicates a pathology of the spleen.

Pits

However, there is also the concept of “thimble symptom”, in which small dents appear on the nail - pinpoint “weariness”. The pits can be located one at a time randomly or in many “slender” longitudinal rows. The appearance of a dimple is possible both with psoriasis or dermatoses, and with systemic diseases, such as alopecia areata (the main symptom is the appearance of bald spots on the head).

Dents on nails and their causes (depending on the shape).

We will consider such serious reasons in more detail below.

Fungal infections

Infection with fungi can occur in public places - saunas, swimming pools, baths. At the same time, flip-flops do not always protect against infection. To make a diagnosis, a dermatologist takes a scraping from the nail plate. The type of fungus that caused the infection is determined in the laboratory.

Most often, this problem appears on the toenails. Outwardly it looks far from aesthetically pleasing, but pain with such an infection is rare. Fungus infection is also possible on the hands.

Lack of vitamins

Do you have dimples on your fingernails or toenails? Possible cause: vitamin deficiency!

With vitamin deficiency, pits most often appear on the fingernails. However, in addition to this symptom, hair fragility or increased hair loss may be observed. The nail can “tell” which microelement is missing in the body. If the dent looks like a transverse groove and there are several of them on the plate, this indicates a lack of iron in the body.

Injuries, chemical exposure

Regular exposure to chemicals can lead to nail diseases such as onychochigis or onychoya, the symptoms of which can also be the nail pits. The disease leads to dystrophic changes in the body, in particular, to the splitting of the nail plate into transverse elements in the form of small leaf-shaped plates.

The reasons mainly lie in the exposure of nails to chemicals during the performance of professional duties. The disease is common among chemical industry workers and medical workers who come into contact with disinfectant solutions. However, excessive use of varnishes together with products containing acetone for its removal sometimes leads to the development of this health disorder.

The constant use of detergents and disinfectants in household use only aggravates this process.

Onychoschisis is also a disease that develops due to constant mechanical stress on the nail plate. Recently, IT workers are susceptible to this disease because they constantly type a large amount of information manually. So frequent communication via a computer may not be a harmless activity.

Nail psoriasis

Pits on the fingernails (with psoriasis).

In patients with this disease, only the nails are rarely affected. Usually other parts of the body are also affected - very often the skin, sometimes the bones.

Symptoms can be different, the main ones are:

the color of the nails becomes yellow with brown tints;
holes (small depressions) appear on the nail plate;
horizontal lines (transverse dents) and white spots appear on the fingernails;
plate thickenings form;
the nail plate may separate from the bed.

Many patients are interested in how to get rid of psoriasis. The answer is clear - it is impossible. However, it is possible to cope with the symptoms with the help of ointments and injections, which the doctor can select (individually for you).

Dystrophy

This topic is covered in the video:

In general, this is a separate, big topic.

What to do, how to treat

Symptoms consisting of the appearance of various dents, grooves, pits and depressions on the nails are possible due to completely different reasons. Some require only a little effort to heal, while others may take the rest of your life to heal:

Infections. To prevent fungal diseases, baths with the addition of lemon juice or vinegar are used. Treatment of fungal infections is not a quick matter, since the penetration of drugs in the form of ointments through the nail plate takes a long time. Comprehensive treatment, including tablets, ointments and vitamins, brings the greatest effect. ⇒ For more details, see the articles about antifungal varnish, tablets for nail and skin fungus, iodine against nail fungus.
Vitamin deficiency can be compensated for by taking vitamin complexes orally and restoring a balanced, healthy diet. It is necessary to have less contact with detergents and washing powders. The most effective methods of nail restoration can only be found together with your doctor.
The chemical effect on the nail plate can only be restored with complex treatment. It is necessary to restore minerals and vitamins in the body. Vitamin injections and tablets are also prescribed.
Nail psoriasis. For this disease, treatment is carried out using traditional therapy or phototherapy, and surgery is also possible to remove deformed nail plates. Instead of the latter, medications with urea compounds can be used, which allow the nail to separate from the bed without surgery. The drugs used can be either external use, directly applied to the nail, or internal or in the form of injections. A defect in the nail plate can hide a manicure.

It is necessary to realize that the condition of the nail plate is an indicator of human health. The better your nails look, the better you will feel.

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All about the appearance of dimples on the nail plates

Aesthetics and beauty, as well as your health, depend on the appearance of your fingernails. Most often, most diseases first appear on the nail plate. If you notice changes in the relief, color and appearance of your nails, it is important to consult a doctor for advice. Let's take a closer look at the main reasons for the appearance of pits on the fingernails, as well as what treatment is needed to get rid of them.

What causes pits on the nail plates?

Treatment of pits on the fingers is carried out taking into account the reasons that provoked the appearance of the pathology. Pits on the fingernails have the following causes:

infection of the nail plates with fungus. The disease is transmitted from one person to another through skin flakes and is very difficult to treat. There are different types of fungal infection. Most often it affects people with weakened immune systems. Fungus on the fingernails provokes the formation of pits and other unpleasant defects that spoil the appearance. To carry out successful treatment for a fungal infection, it is important to determine the cause of the pathology, as well as visit a mycologist and follow his instructions. Baths with vinegar or lemon juice, as well as other treatment methods prescribed by your doctor, will help restore the beauty of your nails, as well as eliminate the cause;
pits on the nails can occur due to injury, uneven thickening of the plate. Therefore, it is important to monitor the integrity of the nails, carry out thorough and careful care so as not to provoke the cause of the appearance of dents on the nail plates;
dents on the nails may indicate a lack of vitamins and other useful substances in the human body. With such a reason as vitamin deficiency, not only nails, but also skin and hair suffer. Hair becomes brittle and falls out a lot. If the pits on the nail plates are located transversely and several on one nail, perhaps the cause of the problem lies in the fact that your body does not have enough iron. In case of vitamin deficiency for the beauty of nails, it is important to treat by taking B vitamins, as well as E and A;
grooves on the nails can occur due to reasons such as somatic diseases. The appearance of a dent on the thumbnail indicates that there are problems in the functioning of the lungs or respiratory system. Grooves on the index finger indicate problems with the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system. A cause such as dents on the nails of the ring fingers may indicate problems with the nervous system.

To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment for pits on the nails, it is important to go to the doctor and figure out what is the cause of the pathology.

Therapy for pits on nails

If the appearance of pits on the nails is caused by diseases of the internal organs, in order to get rid of them, it is necessary to treat the underlying cause. Dents can be treated by following proper nutrition, nail hygiene, and taking preventive measures.

Healthy eating rules

It is important to treat pitted nails with a balanced diet. Your daily diet should include fruits and vegetables. To saturate the body with nutrients, it is recommended to eat a varied diet and only healthy foods.

The menu should include foods rich in Omega-3 acids. Therefore, it is recommended to enjoy nuts and fish.

To restore all the basic functions of the body, as well as eliminate pits on the nails, it is recommended to drink two liters of liquid during the day.

Eliminate fast foods, processed foods and other unhealthy foods from your diet.

Features of nail hygiene

For the beauty of nails, treatment, and also the prevention of dents on them, it is important to carry out proper hygiene:

If necessary, protect your nails from the harmful effects of the external environment. If it is windy or cold outside the window, be sure to wear gloves on your hands. Also, protective gloves should be worn when working with soil or household chemicals.
It is important to do your manicure systematically. Clean your nails of dirt and carefully trim chips and snags to avoid treating pits.
To maintain moisture on the nails and skin of the hands, as well as prevent treatment of pits, it is recommended to use a moisturizing hand lotion as needed. Also, you should not expose your hands to frequent exposure to moisture, as they can become very dry and cracked.
It is useful as a treatment, as well as for the prevention of indentations on the nails, to rub jojoba oil mixed with vitamin E into the nail plate and cuticle daily.

To reduce dimples on your nails, experts advise using nail files to polish them. Polishing should be done with soft and gentle movements, without pressing hard on the nails. The procedure must be performed in one direction only. To eliminate the pits, you will need to carry out several polishing procedures.

In order to prevent the formation of pits on the nail plates, it is recommended to moisturize them with special moisturizers, as well as saturate them with vitamins and minerals.

As prescribed by your doctor, take vitamin complexes in addition to proper nutrition.

The appearance of pits on children's nails

Pits in the nail area in a child can occur due to the influence of a humid environment, lack of vitamins, improper use of scissors or files, fungal disease, frequent exposure of fingers to the mouth, and also due to frequent injuries.

The influence of water and vitamins

A lack of fluid and vitamins in a child’s body often leads to dry skin, as well as the appearance of pits on the nail plates.

If your baby's skin is dry and thin, the nails will be the same. Therefore, it is important to soften and moisturize them with special children’s nail products.

For the beauty of children's nails, it is important that the child eats foods rich in keratin, phosphorus, zinc, and carbonates.

The hardness and strength of the nail depends on how much keratin is able to retain water. To be flexible, healthy nails should contain 14 percent water.

Rules for caring for children's nails

To prevent the formation of pits on children's nails, it is important to properly care for them. The baby should have his own manicure set. Scissors should have sharp and rounded tips. After cutting the nails, you should file them with a nail file.

Fungal infection

Fungal disease can also cause pitting on children's nails. If you discover your baby's illness, show it to the doctor to get the necessary treatment. The specialist will prescribe treatment in effective ways. The duration of treatment depends on the condition of the nail plates and the age of the young patient.

To prevent the appearance of pits, it is important to ensure that the baby does not bite his nails, and also protect them from injury.

Treatment of dents on the nails of children should be carried out only after the exact cause of the pathology has been established.

Now you know why pits appear on the nails of adults and children, and also what methods can help eliminate them. If the dents are caused by the development of some disease, it is important to carry out treatment after consultation with a doctor. You should not self-treat, especially if the cause of the pits is a fungus.

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Why do dents form on nails?

Dents appeared on the nails

The appearance of nails is important not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a health perspective. The fact is that it is on the nail plates that many diseases manifest themselves first. Therefore, it is very important to examine your nails from time to time and pay attention to the slightest changes in their relief, color and appearance. For example, if dents appear on the nails, this may be a reason to consult a doctor.

Fungus

This disease is transmitted by contact, through the skin flakes of a sick person. It is incredibly contagious and very difficult to treat. There are several types of fungus, and therefore, almost any deviation from the norm in the condition of the nails can be associated with this lesion, including dents. It is very easy to become infected with a fungus, since the only thing that can protect against it is the body’s immunity, and those whose immunity is weakened almost always become infected.

Toenail fungus can be contracted in places where people walk barefoot or wear flip-flops, which also do not protect against fungus. These could be showers in fitness clubs, saunas, solariums, etc. The situation is more complicated with fingernail fungus, since it can become infected almost everywhere. However, it is less common, probably because most people wash their hands frequently and bacteria do not have time to enter the bloodstream.

These bacteria are very viable and can withstand both maximum heating up to 180 degrees and cooling down to -60. Therefore, the only way to get rid of them is to treat the surface using an aggressive chlorine-containing detergent. In addition, the best environment for them is a moist, neutral environment, so it is worth keeping your feet dry to reduce the risk of infection. An acidic environment is destructive for infectious agents, and therefore, for prevention, you can make foot baths with lemon juice or vinegar. Also, the likelihood of infection increases in the presence of injuries and wounds on the skin, so the integrity of the skin also needs to be carefully monitored.

The reason why, with this disease, dents and pits appear on the nails is due to the uneven thickening of the plate. This usually occurs at fairly late stages of the disease. Therefore, it is likely that you have already noticed earlier symptoms in yourself before. In any case, if you have symptoms such as discoloration of the plate, brittleness and fragility, thickening or dimples on the nail plate, it is recommended to immediately consult a dermatologist.

Avitaminosis

Pits on the nail plate

If you have dents on your fingernails, then the reasons may lie in the general condition of the body. A lack of vitamins can have a very significant negative impact on the condition of the nail plate. In this case, most often, there is also increased hair loss or fragility, poor skin condition, etc. Vitamin deficiency may be seasonal or have other causes, for example, recent childbirth, etc. In particular, if the dents are located in the form of transverse grooves, and even several on the plate, then this indicates a lack of iron. This symptom is often observed in vegans at the very beginning of a change in diet, when the body has not yet adapted to the absence of meat and is experiencing an acute lack of zinc.

In order for both your nails and your entire body to return to normal, you need to start eating right and including the necessary vitamins in your diet. If we are talking about nails, then to improve their appearance it is important to get enough vitamins B, found in cereals, E - in butter, A and others. Of the microelements, the most important role is played by calcium, which can be obtained by consuming cheese and dairy products, as well as iron and zinc. If eating the right foods does not bring the expected results, then you can start taking multivitamin complexes sold at the pharmacy. However, it is better to have them prescribed by a doctor.

Somatic diseases

Quite often, quite serious diseases of the internal organs manifest themselves through the pits on the fingernails. Thus, if a dent has formed on the thumb, then this is evidence of problems with the lungs and/or respiratory system. On the index - with the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system, and also, sometimes, with the intestines.

If pits appear on the nails of the middle finger, then this can serve as evidence of a whole range of problems. This may indicate problems with blood circulation and oxygen saturation. In addition, about problems in the cardiovascular system. A similar diagnosis can be assumed with such manifestations on the little finger. Problems with the nervous system may explain the appearance of indentations on the nail of the ring finger.

Beautiful nails always give a woman sophistication and elegance. But unfortunately, there are times when problems begin with them. Many ladies complain that dents appear on their fingernails, they begin to crumble, change color, and a lot of unpleasant episodes arise. But still, what provoked such reasons and how you can get rid of them, let’s try to figure it out together.

Internal factors of nail damage

When the human body is in a balanced state, the nail plate has a shiny pink color and a hard structure. The condition of nails, in addition to cosmetic care, largely depends on the surrounding ecology, a woman’s nutrition, and physical and mechanical stress on them. Otherwise, they take on an unhealthy appearance, which may be the first “swallow” in the development of any disease.

Dents on the fingernails of the thumb can signal that a person is beginning to have problems with the bronchopulmonary apparatus. Dents and lines on the index finger indicate malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract. If it’s on the middle finger, then you should pay attention to the state of the blood and the functioning of the circulatory system as a whole. When the nail crumbles on the little finger, this is the first sign of a disease of the cardiovascular system.

In the old days, when traditional medicine was not yet developed, folk healers were able to identify illness by looking at the nail plate of the hands. The human body is designed in such a way that the first information about an illness appears on the nails, and if measures are taken in a timely manner, the progression of the disease can be prevented. But alas, such diagnostics are now a thing of the past. It has been replaced by modern tomographs and X-ray machines.

External causes of dents and crumbling nails

Fortunately, you can eliminate unpleasant symptoms and cope with these problems on your own. Only in extreme cases is medical intervention necessary. To prevent this, you need to know the following:

Fingernails crumble if the body feels a lack of vitamins, macro- and microelements;

Traumatic or mechanical impact. This is the direct reason why nails deteriorate. In most cases, trauma occurs unnoticed and without pain;

Constant exposure to chemicals and low-quality cosmetics;

Hardware manicure;

Improper nail care;

Fungal infection.

If children's nails crumble or have dents or other imperfections on them, you should consult a doctor immediately.

General requirements for nail treatment and restoration

First of all, calcium-containing drugs are needed for rehabilitation therapy. Special products for treating nail plates have a deep penetrating effect even through the coating. They strengthen nails, promote rapid growth of healthy tissue, and saturate them with calcium. Rules for using the medicinal product:

Apply to clean nails in 2-3 layers. Before applying each layer, allow the previous one to dry thoroughly. Can be used as a base for varnish and topcoat. The procedure is repeated every 3-4 days for a month.

When your fingernails crumble, it is also necessary to replenish the body’s water balance, since the nail plate consists of 15% water. To do this, it is enough to drink 1.5-2 liters of still water a day, and for local effects you can use moisturizing varnishes and various creams.

If a person has fragile bones, then the nails will be weak, so for such people it is recommended to take calcium supplements and a vitamin complex additionally orally.

If possible, perform all sanitary and hygienic work around the house with gloves to prevent contact with household chemicals.

If independent treatment and preventive measures are unsuccessful, you must urgently visit the hospital to receive qualified advice and assistance.

What do pits and dents on nails mean?

Transverse dents

The appearance of transverse dents on the thumbnail most likely indicate the presence of problems with the respiratory, that is, bronchopulmonary apparatus.

Holes

In cases where dots in the form of holes appear on the nails, a person wonders: what could it be? Very often, the presence of small holes and pores indicates a pathology of the spleen.

Pits

Pits on the thumbnails

Causes of dents and pits in nails

Dents on fingernails form for various reasons. This may be caused by a malfunction of the body or provoked by various diseases. Most often, dents form in people who lack any minerals. It is not difficult to cure irregularities in the nail plate; it is enough to formulate your diet correctly and follow the advice of doctors.

If you find dents on your nails, do not delay treatment. First, find out the cause of this disease. If the reason lies in a lack of nutrients, saturate your body with vitamins A and B. It is recommended to eat carrots, apricots, cottage cheese, eggs and fish. Special care procedures will not hurt either. If your nails become lumpy due to illness, consult your doctor.