Do You Have Dry, Ridged, Brittle, or Splitting Nails?
Dry, ridged, brittle, splitting or peeling nails is just one of the many symptoms that can affect someone who is suffering from hypothyroidism.
One of my first recommendations to you if you have these symptoms would be to contact your doctor to run tests for hypothyroidism and any of the other many diseases that brittle nails could be a symptom of. Our focus here will be on the causes and effects of hypothyroidism nail ridges and what you have to do to promote good thyroid health and healthy nail growth.
Why Does Hypothyroidism Cause Vertical Ridges, Splitting or Peeling Fingernails?
The reason that a person who suffers from hypothyroidism develops brittle nails and fingernail ridges is because; hypothyroidism is a disease that, if left untreated, will eventually slow down all of your bodily functions including metabolism. When this happens your body creates less heat and sweats less because as cells slow down they require less energy. Your sweat glands provide moisture to both your nails and skin. Because your sweat glands are not operating to full capacity, they are not providing the proper amounts of moisture to your nails and nail bed therefore causing your hypothyroidism nail ridges and/or brittle nails. This can be frustrating for anyone who likes healthy fingernails.
So What is the Treatment to Reducing hypothyroidism nail ridges?
Should you run right out and purchase all of the nail care products and nail strengtheners on the market?
You absolutely should not. If you notice that you hypothyroidism nail ridges or dry, cracked, splitting nails call your Doctor and have him or her run T3, T4, and TSH tests to find out if you do in fact have hypothyroidism. If the test results prove that you do have hypothyroidism, you should have your Doctor refer you to a good endocrinologist for proper treatment for thyroid disease.
How Can an Endocrinologist Help With hypothyroidism nail ridges?
An endocrinologist will track your T-levels: T3, T4 and TSH on a regular basis, making sure that your thyroid medication is properly regulated. At first this will be every 6-8 weeks until your thyroid levels are normal and after that the thyroid tests will either be annually or bi-annually depending on your situation and your endocrinologist. One of the things that your endocrinologist will check on during your appointments is your fingernails. He or she will be looking for the tell tale signs of hypothyroidism nail ridges.
After you have been tested thyroid disease and it turns out that your T3, T4 and TSH levels have been regulated then it’s possible that care for your hypothyroidism nail ridges is just a matter of adding more water to your diet regularly as well as simple cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, to get your blood pumping better and to increase these bodily functions that have kicked into slow gear and caused your brittle nail ridges.
Your endocrinologist certainly should be able to determine whether you require an adjustment in your thyroid medication or if adding water to your diet and simple exercise to your daily routine will contribute to your healthy nail growth and make hypothyroidism nail ridges a thing of the past. As a matter of fact he or she will probably make this healthy recommendation anyway.
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10. May 2009 at 2:00 pm
Now I know what would be the symptoms to look out for hypothyroidism. Will be back to check out more info on hypothyroidism.
14. May 2009 at 10:43 am
Wow, checking T levels for cracked fingernails. Science has come a long way. I love the fact you let me know not to run out and purchase nail products. Good Stuff
15. May 2009 at 3:54 am
That is great information – I had no idea that Hypothyroidism Nail Ridges would be a tell-tale sign of this condition. I wish I knew about this before my diagnosis. Keep up the great work.
15. May 2009 at 9:42 am
Thanks for the kind words. There are many symptoms to hypothyroidism. All it takes is taking the time to listen to your body and then try to understand what it’s telling you.
In today’s high paced/high stressed world it’s easy to overlook what’s going on inside your body and chalk up weight gain to stress or a poor diet without looking for something systemic.
15. May 2009 at 3:29 pm
I have to admit that I was very surprised to hear that the nail ridges could be a system of hypothyroidism – Thanks once again for a great article.
15. May 2009 at 6:46 pm
Great post! I’m sending it to a friend who has these ridges on her nails. I know it’ll answer a lot of the questions she has.
16. May 2009 at 12:16 pm
Wow… what am informative post. Hasn’t medicine technologically so advanced these days! It’s still mind-boggling how a medical equipment system knows that T3, T4 and TSH levels are regulated, and that “it’s possible that care for your hypothyroidism nail ridges is just a matter of adding more water to your diet regularly…”
17. May 2009 at 9:51 pm
I too, was stunned to learn that ridges in our nails can by a sign of hypothyroidism! Thanks for a great post!!!
3. October 2009 at 8:31 am
I had ridges for years , and now I dont, fab info again !!
9. January 2010 at 9:41 pm
Had britle, ridged nails. Suspected hypothyroidism because of a family history. My internist refused to listen to my concerns because my blood work wasn’t way out of range.
I talked to an alternative doctor about my symptoms; he suggested the hypothyroid problem after seeing my blood work.
3 weeks after starting meds…ridges are less, brittle is almost gone, my basal temperature is higher, seem to have more energy.
Morale: You are in charge of your own health; find a doctor who will listen to you
16. January 2010 at 11:48 am
Hi Kathleen,
Great comment and I absolutely love and agree with your advice on finding a Doctor who will listen to you. I can’t stress enough how important it is to do that. An endocrinologist usually specializes in things like hypothyroidism and will be more detailed in treating your condition.