10 Surprising Reasons Why You Have Dips in Your Fingernails
From a health perspective, your fingernails can tell a lot about your body's well-being. If you’ve noticed shallow dips in your nail surface or small indentations on the nail bed, don't panic. In most cases, these small dents are completely harmless. However, here are 10 unexpected reasons that could leave you with dips in your fingernails.
1. Skin Disorders: People with eczema, psoriasis, or lichen planus are more susceptible to nail pitting, a condition that involves excessive nail plate growth and poor quality nail structure.
2. Nutritional Deficiencies: Poor nutrition like vitamin deficiencies, anemia or malnutrition affects your nail health. Dips in the fingernails are often a sign of iron deficiency.
3. Inflammatory disorders: Autoimmune conditions such as lupus erythematosus and psoriasis can lead to severe inflammatory responses, which may cause dips and grooves on the nails.
4. Infections: Nail bed infections caused by fungi, virus or bacteria can change the color, texture, and structure of the nails. As a result, dips can appear on the surface of the nails.
5. Aging process: Aging makes the nails fragile and brittle, causing dips and cracks on the nail's surface.
6. Trauma: Acute or chronic trauma to your nails can result in dented grooves on the nail surface. Trauma to the nail bed due to an injury or excessive use of nail polish remover can lead to dips in the nails.
7. Medications: Chemotherapy or other medications that affect the hair and nails can cause dips in the nails as a side effect.
8. Health conditions: Autoimmune diseases and thyroid disorders may be the underlying cause of dips in the nails.
9. Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause dips in nails, which typically improve after delivery.
10. Excessive use of harsh chemicals: Regularly subjecting your nails to harsh chemicals can damage the nail bed's structure, causing shallow dips.
While dips in your nails are generally harmless and do not require immediate medical attention, it's always advisable to seek medical advice to rule out any underlying health conditions. Additionally, adopting a healthy diet, protecting your nails from trauma, and limiting exposure to harsh chemicals can improve the condition of your nails. So beware of the possible causes and take care of your fingernails to keep them smooth, shiny, and healthy.
1. Skin Disorders: People with eczema, psoriasis, or lichen planus are more susceptible to nail pitting, a condition that involves excessive nail plate growth and poor quality nail structure.
2. Nutritional Deficiencies: Poor nutrition like vitamin deficiencies, anemia or malnutrition affects your nail health. Dips in the fingernails are often a sign of iron deficiency.
3. Inflammatory disorders: Autoimmune conditions such as lupus erythematosus and psoriasis can lead to severe inflammatory responses, which may cause dips and grooves on the nails.
4. Infections: Nail bed infections caused by fungi, virus or bacteria can change the color, texture, and structure of the nails. As a result, dips can appear on the surface of the nails.
5. Aging process: Aging makes the nails fragile and brittle, causing dips and cracks on the nail's surface.
6. Trauma: Acute or chronic trauma to your nails can result in dented grooves on the nail surface. Trauma to the nail bed due to an injury or excessive use of nail polish remover can lead to dips in the nails.
7. Medications: Chemotherapy or other medications that affect the hair and nails can cause dips in the nails as a side effect.
8. Health conditions: Autoimmune diseases and thyroid disorders may be the underlying cause of dips in the nails.
9. Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause dips in nails, which typically improve after delivery.
10. Excessive use of harsh chemicals: Regularly subjecting your nails to harsh chemicals can damage the nail bed's structure, causing shallow dips.
While dips in your nails are generally harmless and do not require immediate medical attention, it's always advisable to seek medical advice to rule out any underlying health conditions. Additionally, adopting a healthy diet, protecting your nails from trauma, and limiting exposure to harsh chemicals can improve the condition of your nails. So beware of the possible causes and take care of your fingernails to keep them smooth, shiny, and healthy.
