Striped nails: when they appear streaked and why
Striped nails are a very common blemish that prevents you from showing off super shiny nail polishes and a flawless French manicure. However, sometimes this problem can hide more important ailments that it is better not to overlook. A good manicure is always the first step to take care of your nails correctly: watch our video tutorial and find out how easy it is to learn how to take care of your nails by yourself and at home!
Causes of streaked nails: when to take action
The nails present on the tips of the fingers and toes protect the phalanges and limit the possibility of sprains. Their fundamental component is keratin, a protein rich in sulfur, present in the hair and in the stratum corneum of the skin. In addition to keratin, they are composed of amino acids, fats, sugars, minerals and vitamins. A lot of the state of well-being of a human organism can be deduced from the nails. Striations on the nails can be signs of a local onychopathy or symptoms of other disorders and pathologies, which cannot be underestimated, such as aging, infections, poor diet, psoriasis, lichen planus, alopecia aerata, alterations in metabolism, diseases on immune basis, anemia, allergies, thyroid disorders and vascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, digestive problems, deficiencies in vitamins (A, E, C and B6) and minerals, such as iron, zinc, selenium, copper, phosphorus and calcium. Often due to aggressive detergents or too invasive manicures the keratin is depleted, the nails dry and break easily. Smoking and nail biting worsen their condition. Frequent use of permanent gel and polish on the nails also helps to weaken them. If you also notice the presence of yellowing, it may be mycosis, caused by pathogenic fungi, which leave white asymmetrical patches, or by nail psoriasis. Horizontal ones may reveal vitamin A and B deficiencies or use of certain medications, including antibiotics.
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Onychorexis: when the nails are brittle and streaked
The appearance of streaks on the surface of the fingernails and toenails is referred to as onychorexis. Nail fragility can be revealed through veritical cuts and streaks (onychorexis) or with progressive flaking (lamellar onicoschizia), fragmentation and jagging of the nails. Vertically streaked nails indicate problems mainly affecting women and the elderly, caused by frequent microtraumas, onychomycosis, chemicals, psoriasis, exaggerated diets and poor nutrition, vitamin deficiencies, wasting, aging, dehydration. The streaks of the ridged nails are parallel. Usually the nail plate is thin, weak, often also with grooves on the free edge (the area of the nail detached from the top of the fingertip) and lesions. It can be a transient phenomenon, due to external agents or a symptom of a more serious nail or systemic disease.
Diagnosis of pathologies and therapies for scratched nails
The opinion of the dermatologist is important, who will be able to examine the nails, using videomicroscopy.If the nails have a yellowish color you can find yourself in front of a mycosis, as we have said or a case of nail psoriasis. The specialist, if he suspects an infection, will subject a small piece of nail to the microbiological examination and prescribe blood tests, in order to be able to make a definitive diagnosis and establish the appropriate therapy for the case. The therapies obviously differ according to the causes and type of disease. Traconychia, also called sandpaper nail, has very close and wrinkled vertical lines. It gives the nails a dull and rough look. The nail plate becomes very bumpy; nails appear brittle and break easily. Coarse and dull nails can appear in people with lichen planus, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Horizontal lines, on the other hand, are less common and known as Beau's lines: they can be caused by trauma, growth failure, high fever or infections, but it is still a temporary problem. If the streaks are due to deficiencies of food origin, the patient must follow a healthy, varied, balanced diet, especially with a lot of fruit and vegetables for a correct intake of proteins, minerals and vitamins. If the specialist deems it appropriate, dietary supplements indicated for nails and hair can be included in the diet. Stress causes you to lose energy, damage the functionality of various organs, lose vitamins and minerals and can be one of the causes of lines on the nails. In this case it is advisable to think a little about yourself, take breaks from everyday duties, moments of relaxation, devote yourself to something that brings pleasure, even if only for an hour. Read how to take care of it!
How to cure streaked nails
If the cause of the streaks on the nails is aging, we can only intervene aesthetically. Manicures and pedicures, however, must improve the condition of our hands, feet and nails, not make it worse. For this you must rely on expert and scrupulous professionals, who perform them correctly. For example, the cuticles should not be cut, but softened with a specific product; then, after immersing the fingers for a while in warm water, they are gently pushed towards the root of the nail with special cuticle pusher sticks. The cuticle or eponychium is also a stratum corneum. There are polishing files that can make nails very shiny and pleasant even without polish and that reduce the visibility of streaks. It should be considered that every time you remove the nail polish it is a little trauma. Therefore, it is advisable to use an oily and good quality solvent and always apply a base coat before applying the colored nail polish, especially if it is very resistant. After using the solvent, hands should be rinsed immediately. Semi-permanent nail polishes or gels solve many of women's nail problems: the nail polish lasts a long time, the effect is very aesthetic and beautifies any type of nail, if applied by a professional. how much the nails tend to weaken. Undoubtedly a lot also depends on the skill of the beautician, on the type of treatment and on the means used to remove it, which often dulls them. Periodic breaks are necessary, interrupting the use of these products, to give the nails time to breathe, strengthen and regain shine and health. If the nails are yellowed by smoking or by age, you can use nail polishes that they whiten them with constant use and make them shiny. Shiny and manicured nails immediately give the impression of a clean and healthy person; those that flake and are striped, yellowish and curved are not aesthetically pleasing and seem the result of neglect Furthermore, flaky nails do not hold the nail polish well, as they lose it in pieces, as it shatters with an unpleasant effect. There are protective and strengthening enamels that are very effective for the well-being of the nails. However, there are remedies. And we must try them all with confidence and constancy.
Striped nails? Focus on natural remedies
For the well-being of the nails, jojoba and sweet almond oil or another oil with moisturizing properties can be used. Every evening the hands are massaged with creams with phospholipids and ceramide. You must always protect your hands during home cleaning with soft and quality gloves, avoiding contact with dyes or aggressive detergents and always keep them well hydrated. Fighting dehydration will reduce the possibility of scoring, as it will nourish the keratin of the nail. Wearing cotton gloves after rubbing the cream on your hands at night can also be very helpful. The nails should never be cut too much: it is better to leave them straight and round them only using a good file. You shouldn't overdo it even with polishing enamels that hide the lines, as the nail plate can become too flexible and risk breaking. The manicure should not be neglected, as for both men and women, it plays an important role in the look. Hands speak a lot to others about our personality and our life. For this you need to take care of it, preserving its aesthetics and health. It's not enough to hide streaks with magical nail art. Some very effective and harmless natural home remedies are apple cider vinegar, egg yolk and lemon juice, which can nourish and strengthen the nails. A very good natural remedy, in fact, consists in immersing your fingers in water and apple cider vinegar for a few minutes in the evening for about seven days. Apple cider vinegar is very nutritious; the acetic acid and malic acid contained in it counteract nail fungus. Among the most beneficial and well-known natural remedies for nail streaks is lemon juice, which should be wiped with a disk and left to act for at least an hour. The egg yolk massaged on the nails for a few minutes regenerates the ridged nails. Poor hydration promotes streaks on the nails: vitamin E oil is very moisturizing. Extracted from a vitamin E capsule, it should be massaged into the nails; it is nourishing and strengthening, as is coconut oil, rich in beneficial saturated fats and widely used in nail cosmetics, which should be massaged warm on the nails. These treatments are repeated in the evening for four weeks.
To heal scratched nails: precautions and advice
To keep the nails in good health and to make them grow in a healthy way, it is necessary to combine a good diet with regular physical activity. A suitable diet includes the consumption of soy, milk, whole grains, eggs, tomatoes, almonds, cauliflower, lentils, strawberries. These are foods rich in biotin. With the consent of the specialist, biotin supplements and protein shakes can be taken as an alternative. Other suitable foods are those rich in proteins, red and white meat, dried fruit, vegetables and apricots, rich in vitamin B, very useful for the health of our nails and bones. If the analysis reveals iron deficiency, it will be necessary to consume legumes, meat and green leafy vegetables. Walnuts also contain a lot of iron: three a day give a good contribution and do not weigh down the body. Thanks to vitamin C, lemon pressed on vegetables facilitates the body's intake of iron, as does an orange juice after a meal or during. In case of iron deficiency, it will also be useful to consume legumes, green leafy salads and meat. Physical activity improves blood circulation and also promotes the growth and well-being of the nails. It is necessary to drink a lot of water, as dehydration harms the health of the nails. Pay attention to contact with harsh chemicals and detergents. It is good not to keep your hands in water for too long so as not to let the nails absorb too much of it; bring them short enough, but always leaving a white area at the top edge; do not overdo it with acetone, use oily solvents and top quality glazes. The nails must be filed almost every day, so that they do not break sideways. Do not forget the gloves for any housework. Hands must be rinsed after using solvents, alcohol and various disinfectants, which make them dry and whitish. False nails should be avoided, as they could lead to fungal infections. Onychophagy can cause serious inflammation; various cuticles and cuticles should not be torn off with the teeth, nor cut with scissors.
Obviously, we absolutely do not intend to replace with this information the opinion of specialist doctors who are responsible for diagnosing based on symptoms and prescribing suitable therapies and behaviors.
