sunken fingernails, what causes this and what does it mean?

[jelodi]

i got horizontal ridges on both toenails, as well as on my fingernails but barely noticeable. im not sure how long i have these but i discovered it late last year and it seem to be deteriorating. i cut my nails on a regular basis but it seem to not go away. what does this mean? pls help. tnx.

[jelodi]

hi doc,
i asked about this to my homeopathic doctor. she said im ' mineral deficient' then she gave me raw calcium. i also take raw multivitamins. been doing this for more than a month now.  the growing fingernails seems to be ok and not sunken anymore. but i have to monitor for progress. ill let you know. thanks alot!:)

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
A horizontal ridge across the nail usually means some form or disruption of the nail growth area. It can also be due to Beau's lines that appear when growth at the area under your cuticle is interrupted. Third possibility is of psoriasis. The inflammatory skin condition, it shows up as red, scaly patches on the skin and can also affect the skin cells in the nails.

I sincerely advise you to consult a dermatologist as treatment modalities for all are different and so a confirmatory diagnosis has to be made first. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.