My fingernails have been looking funny. They have horizontal ridges and are peeling badly at the tips. What could this be?
- Lydia*

Changes in a person's nails can be a sign that something's going on in the body. Some of the things that can cause nail ridges are infections, malnutrition, and other medical problems. So talk to your doctor to find the cause. He or she will ask you questions, examine you, and may order tests to see what is behind the problem.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: March 2010

*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.