Cause: Schoon says the appearance of white spots and ridges are caused by trauma or genes, not missing nutrients in your daily diet.
Fix: Damaging the nail matrix will cause it to produce irregular cells, which manifest as soft, white spots as the nail grows out. Schoon says the only way to prevent them is to protect the hands and try to avoid future damage. You can cover up white spots with opaque shades of polish, but be sure not to buff them, since these areas tend to be soft and weak. When it comes to ridges, heredity or age are the culprits -- if Mom or Grandma have them, chances are you will, too. Most of us will develop them as we age; it's normal. Schoon says grooves that run vertically from the nail plate to the tips are simply areas that grow thinner, and warns that aggressive treatment can make the entire nail thin and weak. Instead, even them out with ridge filler or gently buff them. Skyy Hadley, owner of the As "U" Wish Nail Spa in Hoboken, N.J., says to dab on some CND SolarOil, $11 -- which is really rich -- then use a gentle buffer to smooth the nail surface.
With these expert tips, you won't have to ball up your hands to hide bad nails in your next big meeting. Here, get help for dry nails, fungus and more.
