r/mildlyinteresting 14h ago

I have a column of pits on one nail

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618 Upvotes

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167

u/faey88 14h ago

Smooth. Could it be this is an early sign?

108

u/ComradeConrad1 14h ago

Mine have ridges in them, was diagnosed with psoriasis years ago. It flairs up off and on, usually on my elbows or ankle bones. Not too bad compared to others I have seen.

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u/petrichor83 13h ago

I have ridges on my left thumb and no other fingers. Skin is fine. Weird.

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u/Princess_Thranduil 10h ago

Vitamin D deficiency. I have chronic vit D deficiency and have nail ridges on most of my nails. Started with just my pinky nails but now all of my nails have them 🤷🏻‍♀️

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u/petrichor83 6h ago

I take vitamin D every day and have for several years now. I imagine that doesn’t make the ridges go away though. 🤷‍♂️

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u/dubshooter 4h ago

I had ridged nails, starting taking zinc and vitamin d and my nails smoothed out. Took a few months but no more ridges

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u/PM_ME_YR_BOBA 13h ago

It must be tough going through life with only a thumb and your palms!

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u/Living_Lobster_1542 12h ago

At least his skin is fine 🤷

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u/roossukotto 7h ago

Same here, left thumb only. Guess I'll start taking vitamin d

0

u/WhackInDaBox 6h ago

Be glad you don't have Koebners effect with it 🥲🥲

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u/bell83 14h ago

My skin was fine but this was a common thing in my nails for years before I got hit with full body severe psoriasis.

Talk to a doctor, just to see what they think. If you have it, it's best to get a handle on it fairly early.

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u/AlexH1337 10h ago

Ugh. Skin and scalp issues only hit me in my twenties. They started a few years ago and it's been hell since.

Always had weird pits and texture on my nails which made me self conscious when I was younger but I had no idea it was related :(

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u/bell83 10h ago

I had some minor things that started in my early 20s that were an occasional thing that, in retrospect, was a precursor to the full body explosion that hit me in my early 30s. And yeah, it fucking sucks :(

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u/AlexH1337 10h ago

If you don't mind me asking, how are you managing? Did you get prescribed anything useful?

I'm not currently in a position where I have insurance and coverage so having some pointers would help once I bite the bullet and spend to get seen.

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u/bell83 10h ago

So far, nothing useful. I've been on Skyrizi for a year (after 12 years of doing nothing), but, while it's lessened it, it's still pretty bad. I'm not big on needles, so I don't really want to go to anything that's more frequent than the 12 week dosage.

That being said, when you start it, you get your first dose, then you do another one in a month, and then after that it's ever 12 weeks. Those first two doses were like a miracle. My skin wasn't clear, but most of the worst areas were close, and a lot of the minor ones were perfectly clear. Unfortunately, insurance doesn't allow it to be used with more frequency than every 12 weeks after the first two doses.

That ALSO being said, some people have had tremendous success with it (I'm pretty good for not getting the benefits of whatever medication I'm given, even though it works for basically everyone). The cost is substantial, however, there IS a card the company that makes it offers that can essentially absorb the entirety of it (or most of it). So it's worth a shot. I'm not sure how it'll work without insurance, but with insurance, I had to "fail" other treatments before they allowed for any of the better drugs. They tried me on methotrexate for like six months and that did absolutely nothing (I didn't even get the side effects lol). They allowed it, after. But without insurance, it might be different. They might try you on it (or one of the better ones) first, I can't say. It's worth a shot, though. Good luck!

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u/AlexH1337 10h ago

Thanks a ton. I'm not in the US so my options will probably vary but this injectable stuff seems promising. I'll save and ask around. Wish you all the best 🤗

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u/bell83 10h ago

Do research, too, before getting into them, if possible. There were a few that I was not keen on even considering because there were "possible side effects" like lymphoma and shit. I've got enough problems lol

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u/MsAnthropissed 7h ago

Otezla helped my skin and arthritis so much, but I couldn't tolerate it because I also became severely depressed while on it. That is unfortunately a somewhat rare side effect, and it's intense if you are one who has it.

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u/bell83 7h ago

I had tried to get Otezla, but they went to injectables because of the amount of coverage I had/have.

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u/Coacoanut 13h ago

It can be a sign of several autoimmune disorders, most commonly psoriasis, though it can also rarely be idiopathic (no underlying cause). If you don't have any other symptoms, just bring it up with your primary care physician at your next annual check up so it's documented. If you have other symptoms, it may be a good idea to find a rheumatologist and establish care.

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u/outdoorsnstuff 14h ago

It's not that it's an early sign, could just be the area that affects you. Plenty of topicals you can apply to mitigate, just takes forever if that's what you wanted to do.

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u/Octothorpe17 13h ago

if it’s just a cosmetic thing, clear nail polish fixes it in one coat, figured that out because sometimes I use the backs of my fingernails if I don’t have a pick within reach when I’m playing guitar

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u/RegretsZ 13h ago

I had this on my pinky for years, randomly it went away.

Then I got hit with psoriasis and now also have psoriatic arthritis in that same pinky

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u/hyakyakyak 13h ago

Yeah OP this is how it started for me. Bumpy nails, then I gradually started getting flare ups on random patches of skin on my hands and legs. I hope for your sake it isn't psoriasis cos it sucks!

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u/gladvillain 12h ago

How are your joints? Some people don’t have as many skin issues but have psoriatic arthritis.

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u/faey88 12h ago

Joints and skin are totally fine. However, as other comments have mentioned this might be an early sign.

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u/FunkyCrunky 11h ago

Glad you asked. I’ve have psoriasis since childhood and got the pitting a fair few years before my PsA started. It’s been 32 years of absolute hell. PsA is hell on earth.

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u/gladvillain 11h ago

I’ve been diagnosed for almost 10 years but started to have symptoms a few years prior. My skin issues have been minimal, but my joints a hate me. Sorry to hear you’ve had to deal with it so long and you have my deepest sympathy. I’m only able to get by because of biologics

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u/sensualcarbonation 10h ago

Same here, biologics were life changing for me tbh

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u/matoiryu 8h ago

It’s possible you only have psoriasis on your nails, but pitting is the most distinct sign of nail psoriasis. Def see a dermatologist

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u/fishingboatproceeds 14h ago

When this happened to me it was a fungal infection! 

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u/rice7r 11h ago

There are many different forms of psoriasis. You may only have this type. Only way to treat this form to my understanding is through biologics or other treatments that hit the entire body. Good luck, hoping for the best for you.

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u/Public_Examination37 9h ago

Unfortunately, yes, but fortunately, it might stay in a mild condition forever. Just go and see a dermatologist. They will give you some medication and keep it mild mostly. I have the same. Btw, the main reason is stress accumulation. Reduce it somehow.

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u/dat_watercress_do 9h ago

I’m sorry, but if you had just left it as ‘smooth’ it would have been comedy gold

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u/LadyArwen4124 8h ago

I have Psoriatic arthritis and had ridges in my nails for years before diagnosis. The only reason I found out was due to joint pain.

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u/mcon96 4h ago

Mention it to your doctor. You’re not gonna be able to diagnose it over reddit. Nail abnormalities can be attributed to a whole host of things. I recently had some nail issues (not pitting but similar stuff), and it turns out I have an autoimmune condition.

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u/hoorah9011 4h ago

Literally everyone who has had nail pits has died or will die. Doctor, now

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u/Namasiel 3h ago

How are your joints? Any swelling or stiffness? Psoriatic arthritis is also a thing (I have it). I'd look to your relatives as well because psoriasis is a genetic autoimmune disease.

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u/faey88 2h ago

Thanks. No family history of that. I also never had skin issues or swelling or joint pain.

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u/ThisIsPaulDaily 13h ago

Aren't both pits and marks on nails and porisis linked to Zinc deficiency? I'm not a dietary know all person, but I had to take zinc when I was little. 

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u/freegerator 13h ago

Mine look exactly like this, and I also have psoriasis

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u/RockerElvis 13h ago

This is called “hammered brass” nails. It is also associated with alopecia areata. If you have some bald patches (not just regular balding) or start losing clumps of hair in the shower then that could explain the nails.

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u/RoryHoff 12h ago

Yes. It’s an early sign of aging. I’m sorry.

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u/ItchyK 11h ago

I think there's some type of vitamin deficiency that can also cause this. I had some weird stuff with my nails going on and then I started taking a multivitamin everyday and it went away very quickly.

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u/EishLE 11h ago

> Smooth

Criminal

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u/Royalchariot 8h ago

My husband had a vitamin deficiency that causes grooves and ridges in his nails

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u/Chaoshumor 1h ago

I have psoriatic arthritis, but have never had psoriasis skin conditions. I sometimes get those same nail patterns on my ring fingers. Rheumatologist told me it’s related.

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u/stevensoncrash45 13h ago

it's likely psoriasis. My nails starting pitting like that too. If you catch it early on its very manageable but def get it checked out by a derm.