This can make the nail look better and create a smoother canvas for nail polish." (Speaking of which, have you seen Zendaya's Oscar's nails? Talk about a bump-free, smooth AF, affordable mani.) "Think of it like grouting between tiles, we're adding filling into the gaps to create one level surface. "A ridge filler is a specially formulated polish with tiny micro-particles, fillers, or protein fibers that settle in the lower grooved areas, making them level with the higher ridged areas to even out the surface of the nail," explains Steinmetz.
(Įxactly How to Get a Salon-Quality Manicure at Home How Does Nail Ridge Filler Work? So, while a nail ridge filler isn't technically a treatment, it is the best way to minimize the look and feel of any Ruffles-like texture, at least temporarily. "Many people are tempted to buff down their nails to make them even, but the grooves of the nail are where the nail is the thinnest, so essentially you'd be buffing out the thicker ridges down and ultimately making the entire nail thinner and weaker," warns Steinmetz. What you don't want to do, however, is try to buff away ridges. " a cosmetic fix that can improve the nail appearance and make for an even, more uniform nail plate," he says. Again, nail ridge fillers aren't a permanent solution - more like a bandaid you have to keep reapplying - but they are effective. Hence why topical products, namely a nail ridge filler, are your best bet. Let's start with the meh news: "No treatment of onychorrhexis exists yet," says Dr.
What's the Best Way to Treat Nail Ridges?
What about nail-biting? As a wise Annie (playing Hallie) once said, "It's a horrid habit." As bad as chewing away at your fingernails might be for your overall health ( potentially causing infections, cracked teeth, and more), it's not correlated to nail ridges.Īnd while gradual nail ridging shouldn't be a cause for concern (aging happens, folks!), if these bumps seem to appear suddenly or are very severe, contact a doctor, as this could potentially be a sign of anemia or thyroid issues, explains Dr. Things such as excessive hand washing, acetone-based nail polish removers, and even alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause severe dehydration of the nail, exacerbating (not necessarily causing) nail ridging, she says. Stern, who notes that there are some external factors that can also come into play. Ridges are also a clinical sign of more brittle nails, adds Dr. Those cells age just like the rest of those in our body, and that leads to changes in the nail, ridging included, over time, he says. "The nail grows from living cells in the nail matrix, the visible part of which is the white semi-circle you see at the base of your nail," explains Dr.
You can think of ridges in the nails as wrinkles you might start to see in your skin - a pretty much unavoidable sign of aging. Nearly everyone will develop onychorrhexis, the medical term for ridges in nails because it's most often something that comes with age, adds Scott Paviol, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Charlotte, North Carolina. The irregular texture is similar to that of a rippled potato chip, says Dana Stern, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and nail health expert for Nu Skin. All nails naturally have some degree of ridging, but deep ridges can actually be felt when you run your finger over the nail.
"Nail ridges are vertical lines that run down the length of the nail, from cuticle to the free edge, causing an uneven surface," explains Stacey Steinmetz, a cosmetic biochemist and founder of StimuNail. Ahead, experts weigh in on everything there is to know about these bothersome bumps, what causes ridges in your nails in the first place, why nail ridge filler can help, and their top buys for smoother, healthier-looking nails. While the name "ridge filler" might sound a little too good to be true, the clear liquid is actually pretty legit. Feel 'em? Then you might be in the market for some nail ridge filler. Go ahead and run your thumb over your other fingernails. I'm talking about ridges those tiny peaks and valleys that create a bumpy, uneven texture on the surface of your nail. But there's one complication that's particularly irksome, and, according to experts, pretty much unavoidable. There's no shortage of issues that can plague your nails: cracking, peeling, dryness, spotting.you get the picture.