# My Mother's Fingernails **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408 "2007-06-25T23:31:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/1 "2007-06-25T23:31:33Z")
So I am sitting in front of the TV at my Mom’s\* house reading the internet to her. So she asked me to ask you: “What does it mean when your fingernails get vertical ridges?” (I almost remember there is in fact some medical condition like high blood pressure that causes this, can anyone remind me?) \*Mom? She loved Vegas, thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![WoodenTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/2 "2007-06-25T23:37:56Z")
Find a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/3 "2007-06-25T23:44:37Z")
According to [this site](http://www.normanallan.com/Med/askdr/finger.html), vertical ridges are normal, but horizontal ridges could indicate serious problems. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/4 "2007-06-26T00:46:15Z")
Thank you **FairyChatMom** , I will bring this to her attention. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/5 "2007-06-26T01:33:48Z")
I’ve asked the dermatologists I work for about this, and the consensus is- the aging process. Getting old can be hard on the nails. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/6 "2007-06-26T04:08:36Z")
Well, if I’m correct in my understanding of what you’re describing, the condition could be from aging _per se_, psoriasis, or a condition called [lichen planus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen_planus). I suppose a fungal infection could do it also. I’m sure there are other causes (memorizing lists of potential dermatological diagnoses was never my strong suit)! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/7 "2007-06-26T04:44:43Z")
Mrs. Fear gets horizontal ridges after her chemotherapy. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/8 "2007-06-26T11:06:25Z")
Remarkable how much your fingernails tell about you. Bad diet, aging, chemo and all sorts of stuff impact on your nails. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/9 "2007-06-26T14:43:28Z")
^Then there’s that whole zinc thing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/10 "2007-06-26T14:58:51Z")
I never had ridges in my nails until I hit my mid-40s. They suck but it’s all part of gettin’ old. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mothers-fingernails/409408/11 "2007-06-26T15:07:28Z")
Could also be a result of damaging the cuticle. Slammed my finger in a door when I was small, and that nail has had vertical ridges for as long as I can remember (worse than in the picture, and prone to tearing straight down if it gets too long).