Nails

Beau Lines

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Beau Lines, Transverse Linear Nail Lesion, Nail Groove, Beau's Lines, Transverse White Nail Line, Transverse Nail Ridge

  • See Also
  1. Fingernail
  2. Nail Abnormality
  3. Nail Longitudinal Striation
  4. Nail Discoloration
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Results from Nail Growth arrest (interrupted nail bed mitosis)
  2. Suggests systemic illness or local Trauma
    1. Prolonged illness duration results in wider groove
  • Causes
  1. Severe illness
  2. Pemphigus
  3. High fever
  4. Chemotherapy
  5. Raynaud Disease
  • Signs
  1. Deep transverse (horizontal) grooves in nail plate (Beau's Lines)
  2. Typically affects entire width of nail plate
  • Differential Diagnosis
  • Transverse Lines in Nail
  1. See Also Nail Discoloration
  2. Muehrcke's Lines
    1. Pairs of white lines do not move with Nail Growth
  3. Mees' Lines
    1. Transverse lines parallel to lunula
  4. Leukonychia
    1. Non-uniform lines or spots
  5. Transverse striate Leukonychia
  • References
  1. Fawcett (2004) Am Fam Physician 69(6):1417-24 [PubMed]