5 year old with eczema, now has horizontal nail ridges - Nail Problems Message Board

shynee32 · 02-11-2008, 06:56 AM

Hi, I am thinking this is just a result of her nails recovering from her bout with eczema, but my 5 year old daughter has horizontal ridges in all her nails. They started out lower, nearer the nail bed, but now they are in the middle of the nails and very pronounced. We finally found that a liquid paraffin lotion was the key to getting rid of her eczema, and since it's been controlled with this, I started seeing the ridges across her nails. Her nails have always been very dry and brittle.

Can these ridges just be because there is new, stronger nail growth growing now? I am hoping that they will grow out and I won't see any more of them. There is just 1 line across the middle of each nail.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Denise

Marti · 02-12-2008, 06:29 AM

The nail plate rides forward on the nail bed upon a series of rails and grooves much like a train rides forward on its tracks. When the nail plate becomes dried out, these rails and grooves become apparent on the nail plate as vertical ridges. When there are horizontal ridges, it is usually due to some sort of trauma to the matrix where the nail plate cells are born. You need to re-hydrate the nail plate and you can do so with daily applications of a good quality nail and cuticle oil that contains jojoba oil and vitamin E. Try Botanical Oil from Sally Beauty Supply.

Excema can not only effect the skin, but the nails as well.