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Beau's lines - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention Tips

What is Beau's lines ?

Beau's lines are linear depressions that occur "crosswise" (transverse) in the fingernail. They can occur after illness, trauma to the nail, and with malnutrition.

Transverse lines or grooves across the fingernails; transverse depressions in the nail plate. Beau's lines are caused by temporary cessation of cell division in the proximal nail matrix. The condition may be caused by local disease of the nail fold, physical trauma to it, or a systemic insult, such as an illness or a drug as, for example, chemotherapy . Named for the distinguished French physician Joseph Honoré Simon Beau (1806-1865) who described this phenomenon in 1846.

Also known as Beau-Reil cross furrows. Johann Christian Reil (1759-1813), German anatomist, physiologist, and physician for the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, described the same lines across the nails in 1796, a half century before Beau.

What are the causes of Beau's lines ?

Beau's lines disorder may be caused by trauma, illness, malnutrition or any major metabolic condition, chemotherapy or other damaging event, and is the result of any interruption in the protein formation of the nail plate.

They develop in response to many diseases, such as syphilis, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, myocarditis, peripheral vascular disease, and zinc deficiency, and to illness accompanied by high fevers, such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps, and pneumonia.

Symptoms of Beau's lines ?

• Yellowing, thickening or crumbling of the nail.
• Pain along the margins of the toenail.
• Discoloration underneath the nail may occur as a result of secondary infection.
• Pain may occur in the nail.

Natural home remedies for the treatment of Beau's lines

• Wash your feet regularly, and dry them thoroughly when they get wet.
• Wearing nail polish on the toes is not advised because it can seal in fungus.
• For nail abnormalities like Onycholysis, due to nail biting, picking, and tearing, stop these behaviors. Get psychological help (in extreme cases) or encouragement to stop as needed. Keep hangnails clipped.
• Apply a moisturizer on nails each time when you wash your hands or feet.

Prevention tips for Beau's lines

• Washing and thoroughly drying your nail really helps.
• For brittle nails, keep the nails short and avoid nail polish.
• Use an emollient (skin softening) cream after washing or bathing.
• Trim brittle nails regularly.