Before you worry too much: Most white streaks on nails are harmless. However, if you have similar lines on many nails or a pair of lines that runs all the way across the nail, these could be signs something more serious is going on.
Here, learn what it means if you have certain nail abnormalities and how to get rid of white lines on nails.
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1. You Injured Your Nail
White lines on nails most commonly appear as random white streaks or spots, and this is technically called leukonychia. These lines are usually caused by minor traumas to the nail, like biting your nails or accidentally whacking your hand on your desk, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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These random white lines will typically move along the nail, unchanged, as the nail grows. Eventually these lines will reach the end of the nail, where they can be clipped or filed off. Try to avoid the damaging behavior that may be causing the trauma to the nail like biting or picking at your nails. You may always want to take a break from too-harsh manicures, per the Cleveland Clinic.
2. You Have a Fungal Infection
When fungal infections of the nail first appear, they sometimes look like random white lines. With time, they will spread, become more irregular in shape and develop a yellowish tinge, per the Cleveland Clinic.
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Fungal infections may require treatment by a doctor. They might prescribe you an oral antifungal medication and/or a topical cream, ointment or gel that you'd rub onto the affected nails, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
3. You Have Muehrcke Lines
In some instances, white lines on the nails appear as a pair of parallel lines that run horizontally across the nail, from one side to the other. These are known as Muehrcke lines, and they stay in the same place and don't move when the nail grows, according to StatPearls.
If you squeeze your nail, Muehrcke lines will temporarily disappear. They're usually caused by hypoalbuminemia, or when you don't have enough of the protein albumin in your blood, which could be due to poor nutrition or liver or kidney disease.
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Improving protein levels will usually improve these lines as well, sometimes by blood infusion, according to StatPearls. Talk to your doctor if you think you have these types of lines about how to best treat the underlying cause.
4. You Have Mees' Lines
Mees' lines are an uncommon cause of white lines on the nails. They are tiny breaks in the nail, which move up the nail as it grows. Mees' lines also run horizontally across the nail and extend the entire width of the nail bed, and they don't disappear when the nail is squeezed, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Mees' lines have historically been linked to heavy metal poisoning from arsenic or other toxins. But these white lines on your nails could also be related to carbon monoxide poisoning, altitude sickness, heart failure, chemotherapy, malaria and other serious health concerns, per the Cleveland Clinic.
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If you notice these types of lines, visit your doctor. They'll likely do a physical exam and test your hair, nail and blood for clues to the underlying condition. They'll determine the best course of treatment depending on those results.
When to See a Doctor
If you're wondering why you should be worried about lines on your nails, consider talking to a doctor if you also have symptoms like weakness, fatigue or shortness of breath. You should also talk to a doctor if the white lines on your nails don't go away after trauma heals or antifungal treatment should have kicked in, or if the streaks or spots on your nails are a recent change, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
FAQ
Common Questions
What about vertical white lines on nails?
Rarely, white lines will start at the base of the nail and run along the length of the nail toward the tip. Some of these are present from birth, whereas others develop later in life due to damage at the base of the nail. Vertical white lines or ridges on your nails are generally harmless and don't need treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Can stress cause white lines on nails?
Stress and anxiety don't typically cause white lines on your nails, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but your mental health can lead to horizontal ridges or dents in your nails called Beau's lines.
Can vitamin deficiencies cause white lines on nails?
White lines or ridges on your nails may be due to deficiencies in zinc, calcium or B-complex vitamins, according to a March-April 2015 review in the Indian Dermatology Online Journal, but more research is needed to fully understand this link, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
- Cleveland Clinic: "White Spots on Nails (Leukonychia)"
- StatPearls: "Muehrcke Lines of the Fingernails"
- Cleveland Clinic: "Mees' Lines"
- Indian Dermatology Online Journal: "Nail as a window of systemic diseases"
- Mayo Clinic: "Are nail ridges in fingernails cause for concern?"
- Cleveland Clinic: "Beau’s Lines"
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Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.