Staying Healthy
By the way, doctor: What causes Beau's lines?
Multiple Beau's lines in one nail are a sign of repetitive local injury to the matrix, while multiple nails with multiple lines probably indicate something systemic, such as several cycles of chemotherapy. Since nails grow slowly — about three millimeters per month for fingernails — a condition affecting the nail matrix won't register in the nail plate for weeks or months. You can estimate when injury to the nail matrix took place by measuring the distance from the cuticle to the groove. Unless the matrix is re-injured, Beau's lines grow out with the nail and eventually disappear. Complete replacement of a fingernail takes about six months. You can't do much about Beau's lines, but you may want to ask a clinician familiar with nail problems (usually a dermatologist) to see whether some other condition is involved.
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