Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Beau's lines
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Beau’s lines are deep grooved lines that run from side to side on the fingernail. They may look like indentations or ridges in the nail plate that could be a sign of stress. Beau’s lines are the result of a temporary cessation of cell division in the nail matrix, and they are associated with many serious conditions.
Historical Perspective
Historical Perspective
This condition of the nail was named by a French physician, Joseph Honoré Simon Beau (1806–1865), who first described it in 1846.
Causes
Causes
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | Coronary occlusion, Shock |
| Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | Dermatologic disorders |
| Drug Side Effect | Multiple underlying causes, most notably chemotherapy |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | Diabetes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | Severe infectious disease |
| Musculoskeletal / Ortho | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | Delirium, Depression |
| Nutritional / Metabolic | Malnutrition |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | Chemotherapy |
| Opthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose / Toxicity | Chemotherapy, Toxins |
| Psychiatric | Delirium, Depression |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal / Electrolyte | Hypocalcemia |
| Rheum / Immune / Allergy | Reiter’s disease, Gout |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | Trauma in general and to the nail in particular |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | Deep sea diving, Surgery |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- Aging
- Arthritis
- Chemotherapy particularly cytotoxic agents
- Coronary occlusion
- Delirium
- Depression
- Dermatologic disorders
- Diabetes
- Drugs
- Gout
- Hypocalcemia
- Infection
- Iron deficiency
- Malnutrition
- Reiter’s Disease
- Severe infectious disease
- Shock
- Stress
- Surgery
- Toxins
- Trauma
- Traumatic damage to nail matrix
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Physical Examination
Beau’s lines should be distinguished from Muehrcke’s lines of the fingernails. While Beau’s lines are actual ridges and indentations in the nail plate, Muehrcke’s lines are areas of hypopigmentation without palpable ridges.
Research
Research
A researcher found Beau’s lines in the fingernails of 6 divers following a deep saturation dive to a pressure equal to 335 meters of sea water, and in 2 of 6 divers following a similar dive to 305 meters.[1]
References
References
- ↑ Schwartz H., “Clinical observation: Beau’s lines on fingernails after deep saturation dives”, Journal of Undersea Hyperbaric Medicine (2006) Vol 3 No 1. pp 5-10.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]