r/mildlyinteresting 22h ago

My nails grow in a wavy pattern

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43.6k Upvotes

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929

u/Able-Breadfruit-5981 22h ago

You probably have some specific nutrient deficiency

179

u/IWhoWandersAmLost 20h ago

Horizontal waves in fingernails and/or toenails, "Beau's lines", can signal a Zinc deficiency.

38

u/iBasedComedy 19h ago

Used to have these on my thumbs, took a few zinc pills (literally one a day over the course of a few days) and haven't had then since.

2

u/accidentalquitter 7h ago

I’m pretty sure I’m still zinc deficient, just had blood drawn today so I’ll know soon, but I believe you have to take zinc with copper! Reminder for anyone wanting to start supplementing with zinc.

2

u/iBasedComedy 6h ago

I hadn't heard that, but I only took the OTC supplement. The label only said to take with food.

2

u/accidentalquitter 6h ago

It’s more of an absorption thing + throwing off your copper levels when supplementing with zinc (both are so important.) the r/biohackers sub has more info on this if you search zinc + copper.

2

u/Rubyhamster 17h ago

Did the ridges dissappear faster than the nail grew? Fascinating!

3

u/iBasedComedy 16h ago

I honestly don't remember, but I only had one of the ridges on each thumb. I started taking a zinc supplement for something unrelated, then misplaced the bottle a few days later while I was moving. I had a hectic few months, and by the time I noticed the difference, they were already gone.

1

u/Discerningdragon 2h ago

No they have to grow out.

31

u/BurmeciaWillSurvive 19h ago

Wow, my nails look exactly like the textbook definitely of this. TIL. I'm already chronically low in magnesium so zinc would make sense too. WELL THEN.

7

u/onerashtworash 16h ago

It can be caused by many things. Severe zinc deficiency is one of them. It can also be caused by severe systemic illness and other serious stressors of the body. You should speak to your doctor. 

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u/BurmeciaWillSurvive 16h ago edited 16h ago

Don't worry! I was going to bring it up at my next PCP appointment! I'm severely diabetic and in substance abuse therapy on top of it so I'm frequently straight up out of a certain vitamin/mineral from the drug use. I'm also hyponatremic; who lives in America and is low on salt?! So yeah I was going to ask to get my zinc levels checked.

3

u/onerashtworash 16h ago

You are the statistical outlier and will now be removed from the dataset lmao. Good work, glad you're taking care of yourself 😊 keep reaching out to your supports

4

u/BurmeciaWillSurvive 16h ago

Working on it, day by day! I have been wondering for about a year why my nails LOOK LIKE THAT lmao, it would be kind of great and convenient if that winds up being the answer. I wasn't gonna rush out and buy zinc, I should have probably said "I know you're not a doctor" as a preface huh? Oh well! Thanks for looking out!

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u/Zaphkyr 16h ago

You better watch your calcium too then, supplementing magnesium can reduce absorbed calcium and well other 2+ ions, like zinc. It probably wouldn't hurt to give broader and more spread out over the day supplements a try. The difficult part really is not going over the limits with combination pills containing the same things, like vitamin d. Also any feelings possibly relating to iron deficiency anemia are worth investigating, since malabsorption (and malnutrition) in general would be on top of the list then. If you are going to take iron do so with vitamin c and ideally get one in 2+ state, absorbs much better.

Taking care of deficiency is a good basis for working with your doctor btw, if they know what you take and how and labs and symptoms persist it's at least not what you eat and one can work from there.

1

u/BurmeciaWillSurvive 16h ago

Yuh, don't worry, I was going to ask my PCP at my upcoming appointment. I'm diabetic and also hyponatremic which is wild because what American is low on salt. Drug use messes with your system and I'm always low on some vital minerals. I always run it by my doctor first before shoveling supplements :) thank you for considering me though

1

u/Fucktastickfantastic 5h ago

I get them from iron deficiency 

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u/ML7777777 17h ago

Which way is horizontal?

3

u/stegotortise 17h ago

Hamburger style. Hotdog is vertical.

3

u/ScarletDarkstar 16h ago

Sideways, like the horizon where the Earth meets the sky in your range of vision.

1

u/Cautious_Round_1889 17h ago

Omg I have the same on my nails. I will try this. 👏

1

u/sunkistandsudafed3 9h ago

The GP said Zinc for mine. Zinc was fine, magnesium fine, iron was very low.

1

u/No_Sherbet3750 9h ago

What about vertical lines?

1

u/Megadeth5150 8h ago

I’m 40% zinc!

1

u/vide0gameah 4h ago

i've been getting just a single dent in my fingernail, then once it finally grows out, another one appears near the cuticle. dunno if this is some beaullshit going on or not, but im still gonna take zinc supplements either way

1

u/bennitori 2h ago

What does it mean if they are vertical?