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Noticing thin vertical lines running from the base of your fingernails toward the tips can be surprising, especially when they become more noticeable with age. Many people first observe these changes during midlife or later, and in most cases they are completely normal. Just as skin loses elasticity and hair changes texture over time, nails also reflect the body’s natural aging process. Understanding why these lines appear can help remove unnecessary worry and support better nail care.
These lines, often referred to as longitudinal ridges, form along the direction of nail growth. Fingernails are made of keratin, a protein produced in the nail matrix beneath the cuticle. As the body ages, nail growth can slow slightly and become less uniform. This can lead to subtle inconsistencies in how keratin layers form, which appear as vertical ridges on the nail surface. Aging also reduces the nail’s ability to retain moisture, making these ridges more visible, particularly with frequent handwashing or exposure to drying soaps and sanitizers.
