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Toenails darken and thicken. Thickening of toenails: causes and methods of treatment with folk remedies
Thickening of the nail on the big toe, the treatment of which must be comprehensive, directly depends on the cause of the deformity. The provoking factor may be injury, fungal infection and systemic diseases. The problem can arise after an unsuccessful pedicure, as well as due to nail psoriasis.
Treatment methods
Treatment of thickening of toenails is carried out with medications, traditional methods, and also with the help of hardware cosmetology.
Essential oils, hot baths with salt and special ointments can be used to soften the plate.
Medications
- How to treat plate deformation caused by a fungus:
- Terbinafine, which is taken orally for 1.5-2 months. The drug has an antifungal effect, as a result of which the condition of the nails improves and the plate gradually levels out.
- Fluconazole, which should be taken for at least six months to achieve results.
Ketoconazole, used for several months and can completely eliminate the fungal flora.
Oral medications are often combined with local agents. Indications for such treatment are itching and burning upon contact with the skin that is located next to the nail bed.
If the color of the nail plate changes to yellow, itching is present, treatment is supplemented with local remedies that will help speed up recovery. Most often, ointments are used that can destroy fungi, preventing their proliferation in the affected area. These drugs include: Miconazole, Fundizol, etc. Additionally, ointments are used that can penetrate deep into the plate and destroy fungal colonies. These include: Lamisil, Exoderil, etc.
How to cure a nail:
- ointments should be applied daily for a month;
- Apply the composition to the affected area and leave for a while, then remove along with a small layer of the plate.
Lucky
To treat thickened nails, you can use special medicinal varnishes, the most effective of which is Loceryl. The active component is amorolfine, which has a detrimental effect on fungi and helps align the plates. The varnish is applied for three months. During this time, the nails acquire normal color and structure.
Another effective varnish is Batrafen. The active component is ciclopirox, which eliminates both fungi and bacteria.
This remedy can only be used after consultation with a doctor, because If used incorrectly, it will cause the plate to peel off.
Cosmetical tools
In addition to drugs, cosmetics are used, such as:
- Eveline is a serum intended for topical use. This product penetrates deep into the nail, leveling the plate and strengthening it.
- Naomi is a product that reconstructs nails. Contains a complex of vitamins and minerals that can strengthen the plate and level it.
- Gerlan is a nail care product containing chamomile extract, which has an anti-inflammatory effect. Additionally, the composition includes wheat germ and vitamin E.
Cosmetics do not replace drug therapy, but only complement it.
Oils
You can eliminate thickening of the toenail plate with the help of essential oils. It is recommended to use these products in diluted form. To do this, you first need to remove the top layer of the nail using a fine abrasive file. You can use tea tree oil for treatment, which actively fights fungus. In 1 tsp. For any base you need to add 10 drops of ether and mix. You can use any vegetable oil or baby cream as a base. Apply the finished mixture to prepared nails, rub in and leave until dry.
Traditional methods
When thickening toenails, treatment with folk remedies can be carried out in combination with medicinal methods. The most effective recipes:
- Healing bath. Dissolve a few tablespoons of sea salt in 4 liters of warm water, place your feet in the container and sit for 15 minutes. Repeat the procedure daily. After this, wipe your feet and lubricate the deformed plate with iodine. The course of treatment is 3-4 weeks.
- Apple vinegar. This product must be used for 1-2 months. It is recommended to soak a cotton pad in vinegar and wipe the problem areas with it 2 times a day.
- Lemon compress. You need to use this product for at least a month. To do this, you will need a slice of lemon, which must be applied to the problem area and wrapped with polyethylene. Leave the product for several hours. Repeat daily.
Additionally, you can use garlic pulp, which has antifungal properties. One clove should be thoroughly crushed and bandaged to the problematic nail, leaving this compress overnight. You will have to repeat the procedure daily for 2-3 weeks.
Hardware cosmetology
In a salon environment, the thickened plate is given the correct shape by removing the top layer using a special apparatus. This procedure cannot eliminate the cause of the pathology, but can improve the appearance of the nail. This method is used in conjunction with other treatment agents. After the procedure, the nail looks thinner and has a smooth surface. To eliminate the problem, use fine and coarse abrasive nozzles.
Prevention
To prevent the occurrence of pathology, the following rules must be observed:
- Try not to injure the nail bed. Follow safety rules when working with sharp objects.
- Wear rubber slippers when visiting the pool and sauna.
- Do not wear other people's shoes and socks.
- Do not use other people's towels.
- Get pedicures only from trusted professionals.
It is important to be careful when cutting your nails and removing cuticles.
Thickening of the nail is a clear manifestation of the fact that a pathological process is occurring in the human body. However, a large number of people mistake this symptom for a cosmetic defect and do not strive to seek qualified help.
Often the cause of thickening of the nail plates is their fungal infection, but there are also less harmless predisposing factors, for example, injury or wearing tight shoes.
In addition to the main symptom, the clinical picture may include signs such as changes in shade and deformation of the nail, itching and swelling of the skin around the affected area.
Only a clinician can determine the pathological source of thickening of the nails on the toes and fingers based on the results during laboratory and instrumental examinations. After establishing the etiological factor, individual therapy will be prescribed, which often involves the use of conservative techniques.
Etiology
In a healthy person, the normal thickness of the nail is 0.5 millimeters on the hands and 1 millimeter on the feet. In addition, the following signs are characteristic of the normal appearance of the nail plates:
- smooth surface;
- absence of roughness and delamination;
- pink tint.
However, under the influence of a small number of unfavorable predisposing factors, this nail structure may change.
The most common causes of thickened toenails are:
- poor nutrition – insufficient intake of vitamins and nutrients from food leads to the development of pathologies and metabolic disorders, which negatively affects healthy nail plates;
- disruption of the blood circulation process in the fingers - such a deviation can develop against the background of diseases such as, or;
- fungal infection of nails - is the most common etiological factor, which leads not only to a change in their thickness, but also in the color of the affected area. In such cases, it is recommended to begin treatment as soon as possible, since the pathological process can spread to nearby tissues;
- injury or inflammation in the nail bed;
- foot deformities, in particular and;
- non-fungal skin diseases, for example, or;
- wearing tight shoes - most often this leads to hardening of the nail on the little finger.
In addition, the reason that the toenails become thicker may be a congenital pathology called pachyonychia. Apart from aesthetic discomfort, the disease no longer affects a person’s health. In such situations, the patient’s condition can be alleviated by taking vitamin complexes and using medicinal baths with the addition of medicinal herbs and plants.
Thickening of the fingernails is several times less common than a similar change in the nail plates on the lower extremities. However, this may be caused by:
- onychogryphosis - in addition to the main symptom, deformation of the nail like a “bird’s claw” is observed;
- epidermophytosis;
- koilonychia;
- leakage;
- a strong blow or a heavy object falling on top of the nail.
Such a disorder can be caused by the aging process of the body - the older a person is, the thicker his nails become. It is for this reason that thickened nail plates are very often observed on the hands, more often on the feet of older people, which is considered a completely normal phenomenon.
Symptoms
Thickening of the nails on the toes or hands can be observed on one, several or all nail plates. The prevalence of such a disorder depends on the cause of its occurrence.
In addition to the main clinical sign, among the accompanying symptoms it is worth highlighting:
- keratinization of the skin in the nail bed area;
- deformation of the nail plate;
- change in the shade of the nail, in particular its yellowing;
- unpleasant odor;
- loosening the structure of the nail plate;
- the appearance of transverse grooves;
- itching of the nail or the skin that surrounds it;
- swelling and redness of the skin near the site of fungal nail infection.
These are the main clinical signs characteristic of a condition in which the fingernail or toenail thickens.
If the cause of the appearance is an injury to the upper or lower extremity, then among the symptoms there will be varying degrees of severity.
In situations where such a disorder was provoked by one of the above ailments, the clinical picture will be supplemented by the most specific symptoms of the provoking pathology. For example, the appearance of rashes and spots on the skin of the body, which are accompanied by severe itching and burning, a gradual change in their shade and peeling of the skin.
Diagnostics
Experts from the field of dermatology and cosmetology know how to treat thickening of toenails or fingernails, as well as what diagnostic examinations to prescribe. The basis of diagnosis is laboratory tests, which are supplemented by instrumental procedures and initial examination measures.
Thus, the first stage of establishing the correct diagnosis includes:
- familiarizing the clinician with the medical history and life history of not only the patient, but also his close relatives - to establish the most characteristic predisposing factor that led to the thickening of the nail plates;
- conducting a thorough physical examination, which involves palpating the problem area, during which the clinician monitors the patient’s response. In addition, the condition of not only the affected nail, but also healthy segments is assessed;
- A detailed survey of the patient is aimed at determining the first time of appearance and severity of both the main symptom and additional clinical manifestations.
Laboratory diagnostic activities involve the following:
- general clinical blood test - may show changes in its composition;
- biochemical blood analysis - to search for signs of pathological processes occurring in the human body;
- bacteriological studies of scrapings taken from the affected nail - to establish the type of bacterium that led to fungal infection of the nail plate.
Instrumental examinations are limited to the implementation of general procedures, including:
- CT and MRI;
- radiography;
Carrying out such examinations is determined by the need to establish the fact of tuberculosis, pneumonia and other lung diseases, which can also cause changes in the thickness of the nail layer.
Treatment
The tactics for eliminating thickening of the nail directly depend on the cause of such a disorder.
If this happened against the background of an injury, then specific therapy is not carried out - the nail plate will recover on its own.
In cases where the etiological factor was wearing uncomfortable and excessively narrow shoes, then to eliminate such a defect you will simply need to change your shoes.
Treatment for thickening of toenails or fingernails that occurs as a result of one of the above diseases will be individual, but in the vast majority of cases includes:
- taking medications, in particular antibacterial agents;
- the use of external products, for example, “Heparin ointment”, “Troxevasin”, “Mycozan”, “Lamisil” and “Terbizil”. This also includes other ointments, gels and creams that contain terbinafine, itroconazole, fluconazole, griseovulfine and ketoconazole. Medicines are applied to the affected areas twice a day for one week;
- physiotherapeutic methods;
- the use of traditional medicine recipes - such therapy must be agreed upon with the attending physician.
Treatment with folk remedies involves the preparation of medicinal baths with the addition.
Healthy, beautiful nails are, first of all, an indicator indicating that everything is in order with the body.
Yellowing and thickening of the nail plate is not so much an aesthetic defect as a medical problem that requires immediate treatment. Most often, complaints are received about thickening of the nails on the toes, rather than on the hands. This problem can occur in both men, women and children. The most common cause of nail deformation is trauma.
But more often, with the pathology of thickening of the toenails, the reasons may be associated with a deterioration in health. In any case, if such a disease appears, be sure to make an appointment with a doctor. The sooner you contact a specialist, the sooner the disease will be identified. And therapy for a particular disease at the initial stage is always more effective.
A problem such as thickening of toenails, the causes of which can be very different, is more common in older people. Young people often suffer from the disease. No matter how old you are or what gender you are, you must understand that this defect requires immediate treatment. Changes in the nail plates, or rather their thickening, may indicate problems not related to diseases; you can eliminate them yourself.
Nail damage can be caused by the following factors:
Wearing uncomfortable, ill-fitting shoes. We love beautiful shoes, but it would still be better if they were also comfortable. Frequently wearing shoes with unstable high heels is fraught not only with tired legs at the end of the day, but also with slowed blood flow and impaired lymph circulation, changes in the color and structure of nails, as well as their lamination and softening. There may also be an increase in the thickness of the nail, usually the thumb. But thickening of the remaining nails is also possible. Mechanical damage. It is enough to do a pedicure incorrectly or drop something heavy on your finger. Poor nutrition, frequent diets. A lack of vitamins, minerals, and microelements has a negative effect on the condition of the body, in particular on the condition of the nails. Genetic predisposition. Having bad habits. Decreasing the body's defenses.
But still, most often the causes of pathologies of thickening toenails are associated with diseases.
The nail plate can become deformed due to the presence of such diseases:
psoriasis; dysbacteriosis; nail fungus; vitamin deficiency; circulatory disorders; neuropathy; pachyonychia; eczema; atherosclerosis; gout; pathologies of the upper respiratory tract; rheumatism.
One of the most common causes of the disease is pachyonychia. This disease is congenital and does not affect health. As a rule, only the aesthetic component suffers. Thickening of toenails, the causes of which you already know, must be addressed immediately. Ignoring the problem can lead to severe deformation of the nail surface and aggravation of the underlying disease.
It is not recommended to use any medications without the knowledge of your doctor. Treatment of the disease can only be prescribed by a specialist and only after a thorough examination and diagnosis. To this day, no universal tactics for examining patients with such a problem as thickened nail plates have been developed.
In order to identify the root cause of thickening of the nails, the following studies are prescribed:
culture for onychomycosis; general and biochemical blood test; chest x-ray (in case of suspected tuberculosis, pneumonia or other lung diseases).
After identifying the underlying disease, therapy is prescribed. However, it will only be successful if you follow preventive measures.
Toenails turn yellow and thicken: treatment and prevention of the problem
Treatment for the disease is selected depending on the cause. As you already know, the reasons can be very different: mechanical damage, decreased immunity, poor nutrition, as well as various diseases. If your toenails turn yellow and thicken due to injury, no treatment is required. After some time, the nail will recover on its own.
The following help speed up the healing process:
providing peace. In the first days, it is recommended to limit physical activity and avoid wearing tight, closed shoes; proper care: hygiene, use of home remedies; the use of external agents, in this case ointments: Heparin, Troxevasin.
If the defect is caused by a disease, then therapy will be aimed primarily at curing it. A fairly common question on forums is: “What should I do and what should be the treatment if my toenails turn yellow and thicken?” So, you shouldn't do this.
The person who recommends this or that remedy does not know the reason. And this can cause the underlying disease to worsen. Reviews of this or that drug will not help either. The only thing that can be effective is the use of medications prescribed by the attending physician. A common cause of deformed nails is fungus. If your fingers itch and your nails turn yellow and thicken, treatment should be immediate.
As a rule, for the treatment of fungal infections, the use of topical drugs is prescribed:
Terbizil; Lamisil; Mikozan.
These drugs are applied to the nails twice a day for a week. In addition, the use of systemic antifungal agents is prescribed: Flucostat, Fluconazole, Diflucan. In addition, if your toenails turn yellow and thicken due to a fungal disease, you can use folk remedies prepared at home as a treatment. However, the use of alternative remedies must be approved by the attending physician.
Thickening of toenails and treatment with folk remedies:
A good effect can be achieved in the treatment of the disease using an alcohol-iodine solution. It is recommended to apply it twice a day using an ear stick. Using baths. For this purpose, it is recommended to use tar soap. Grind the soap using a coarse grater. Dissolve a few tablespoons of soap shavings in just boiled water - about two liters. Cool a little, pour the mixture into a basin and lower your feet there for a quarter of an hour. Carry out the procedure every other day. Sea salt will help in healing. Dilute forty grams of salt in boiled water. Cool and steam the legs in saline solution. The duration of the procedure is until the water cools down. Carry out the procedure every day. The course of therapy is one and a half weeks.
If the nails are deformed due to onychodystrophy - a non-fungal lesion resulting from one or another pathology or metabolic disorder, therapy is prescribed only after the root cause has been established.
As a rule, drug therapy for onychodystrophy consists of the use of vitamin and mineral complexes, calcium and iron supplements. Prescribed use: Retinol, Phytin, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Cyanocobalamin, Tocopherol acetate.
In addition, the use of physiotherapy will not be superfluous:
paraffin therapy; iontophoresis; phonophoresis; massage.
In order to eliminate yellowing and thickening of nails of non-fungal etiology, you can use alternative medicine.
Application of essential oils. Tea tree and celandine oils are especially effective. Treat your nail plates with the chosen oil and put on socks. Lemon juice. Apply freshly squeezed lemon juice to your nails several times a day. It has whitening properties. Application of garlic ointment. Chop a few cloves of garlic and combine with butter - 10 grams. Treat each nail with the resulting mixture, then wrap it in plastic and put on socks.
In order to prevent thickening of nails, it is recommended to purchase and wear only high-quality shoes. It should not squeeze your fingers, and should be made of natural, breathable material. Avoid damaging your nails and maintain personal hygiene in public places. Do not go barefoot in swimming pools and saunas. Treat concomitant pathologies in a timely manner and strengthen the immune system, eat right.
The nail on the big toe turns yellow: how to treat the fungus
As you already know, one of the significant reasons for deformation of the nail plates is fungus. If you notice that your nails have changed color, become grayish, yellowish, become very crumbly, dry and flaky, you may have fungus. As a rule, the disease manifests itself more often on one or more nails.
The initial manifestation of the disease is damage to the tips of the nails, followed by the formation of whitish or yellowish spots or stripes, which eventually spread to the entire nail surface. In addition to the fact that the fungus causes the nail on the big toe to turn yellow, there is also severe itching of the dermis around the nail plate and pain around the affected area. Next, the nail on the big toe thickens and becomes keratinized.
The thickness and structure of the nail changes, the smooth surface becomes porous. The nail, instead of being strong and pink, becomes brittle and yellow. Ignoring the manifestations of the disease is fraught with detachment of the nail bed. Both children and adults can face this problem. Treatment for yellowing of the big toe nail should be timely and appropriate.
In order to eliminate thickening of the nail on the big toe, the following is prescribed:
antifungal drugs; agents that help improve blood circulation in the peripheral tissues of the feet; physiotherapy; removal of the nail (with severe thickening).
For systemic therapy, Griseofulvin, Ketoconazole, and Itraconazole are prescribed.
The use of topical products is also prescribed:
drugs containing clotrimazole: Amyclone, Imidil, Kanizon; containing miconazole: Dactarina, Mycozone; bifonazole preparations: Bifasama, Bifosina, Mycospora.
The use of nicotinic acid and calcium dobesilate is often prescribed. These products help improve blood circulation.
Important
Only a doctor can select the medicine; do not self-medicate. As an auxiliary therapy, you can use folk remedies.
To treat thickening of the big toe nail, you can use the following medicine. Grind two cloves of garlic and combine the raw material with melted natural beeswax - 10 grams, one chopped onion, finely chopped aloe leaf and melted butter. Simmer the mixture over low heat and cool. Apply to the affected nail and place a piece of fresh cabbage leaf on top.
Bandage your finger and put on a warm sock. After six hours, replace the compress with a new one. Now you know why the nail on your big toe turns yellow, and you know how to treat such a disease. You should not self-medicate. Remember that thickening of the nail on the big toe, as well as its peeling, itching of the skin - all these are symptoms of fungus - a very dangerous disease.
If your big toenail turns yellow, consult a doctor. In order to prevent the development of fungus, it is recommended to follow the rules of personal hygiene, avoid injuries to fingers and nails, wear shoes on the beach, in the pool, sauna, and do not wear other people's shoes. Violation or non-compliance with these recommendations may result in fungal infection.
Let's start with what is the difference between deformed nails and healthy ones?
A normal nail is about one millimeter thick. It is smooth and shiny and has a pinkish color. When the color of the nail plate changes to yellowish or white, and sagging and grooves appear on its surface, and at the same time it thickens, at the same time becoming brittle and brittle - it’s time to sound the alarm! Perhaps all these metamorphoses indicate the presence of a much more serious problem in the body.
In addition, thickening of the nail plate is a rather unpleasant phenomenon for the following reasons.
Firstly, the nail itself looks ugly and not very aesthetically pleasing, causing psychological and physical discomfort to its owner. Secondly, due to pressure on the nail from the shoe underneath, painful ulcers usually occur.
Finally, in advanced cases, the damaged nail often injures neighboring fingers, causing inflammation and infection.
There can be only one way out of the situation: as soon as such a problem arises, it is necessary to quickly find out and, if possible, quickly eliminate its cause. Naturally, with the help of a competent specialist.
If we summarize the main reasons, they form two groups:
associated with internal problems of the body (internal) and nail diseases, most often associated with mechanical injuries (external).
Domestic
The most common cause of nail damage is fungi. Cosmetic procedures alone are not enough here - you need complex and, unfortunately, long-term treatment with special drugs.
In this case, self-medication can only aggravate the situation, since effective antifungal therapy can only be carried out after appropriate laboratory tests.
Only based on their results, the dermatologist will prescribe a course of treatment, and, if necessary, recommend surgical intervention.
On the other hand, to protect the body from fungal diseases, it is necessary to take preventive measures, some of which many of us neglect.
Damage to the nail plates is often caused by various chronic skin diseases, which, spreading their range, also capture the nail plates. And in this case, immediate intervention by a dermatologist is required.
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Most often the specific “culprit” is psoriasis, accompanied by the death of the upper layer of the epithelium, “intercepting” the nails along the way, as well as eczema, dermatitis and other diseases.
Not so often, but a genetic predisposition or, according to scientific evidence, can contribute to unpleasant metamorphoses with nails. pachyonychia.
This is exactly the case when treatment is meaningless and beauty salons can best solve the problem.
Of course, such a solution to the problem, based on hardware pedicure, will be temporary, but of sufficient quality.
Some may also affect the condition of the nails. diseases affecting the lower extremities and associated with poor blood supply, problems with blood vessels, damage to nerve processes, and blood clots. In this case, the patient often experiences painful sensations. Can provoke illness also diseases such as vitamin deficiency, dysbacteriosis, diseases of the nervous system. Find out what to do if your toenail has grown into your toe.
The next “provocateur” of nail modifications is stress. Even one severe nervous strain can affect their condition. This requires comprehensive treatment.
And finally lack of vitamins and microelements and minerals necessary for the body can also cause problems with the nail plates. Very often they are aggravated by improper diets. In any case, it is necessary to fill this gap and take multivitamin complexes.
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External
Exposure to external factors, e.g. injuries or mechanical damage, also affects the health of the nail plates.
Even an incorrectly done pedicure or a heavy object dropped on your finger can cause such a problem.
We do not consider it superfluous to further emphasize the need for careful adherence to preventive measures, in particular, using only comfortable and comfortable shoes.
It is not recommended to wear shoes that are too tight, and the heel height should not exceed 6 centimeters, otherwise you risk not only chronic leg fatigue and poor circulation in the lower extremities, but also negative changes in the nails - splitting and softening of the nails. 
In this article you will find points for massaging your feet.
Prevention
The occurrence of modifications to the nail plates can be avoided by observing the following: preventive measures:
already from childhood, it should become a habit to regularly carry out thorough hygiene procedures using exclusively individual hygiene items; You should not use someone else’s shoes, including slippers, flip-flops, sports shoes, etc.; It is not recommended to wear shoes that are too narrow and uncomfortable; when buying shoes, fitting should be done only in socks; when visiting swimming pools, baths, water parks and other public places, have waterproof shoes with you; take constant care to strengthen the immune system.
Read more about what types of massage there are.
If you still cannot avoid this unpleasant illness, you must immediately contact a qualified specialist.
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To summarize, let us remind you: the keratinized plates on the feet, serving as a natural protection for the delicate tips of the fingers, themselves need to be treated with care.
Observe prevention and, regardless of the causes of troubles, contact a specialist as soon as possible, putting a barrier before more serious problems arise.
How are thick toenails treated? If your toenail festers, begins to hurt, or changes its structure, or a growth has formed, consult a doctor without delay. It’s great if your nails are strong, healthy, smooth, transparent, even, with a slight pink tint. They do not cause problems and are easy to care for. Beautiful, well-groomed nails have always distinguished a person with good health.
Is it necessary to do something about a thickened nail on the big toe if it does not bother you? Thick nails on the big toes, which are most often the first to be affected, can cause pain when walking and serve as a symptom of an incipient disease in the body. Thickening of the big toe nails is a common condition that is easily treatable. This disease is observed in both men and women. Most often it is a consequence of a nail injury. In this case, treatment is not necessary; it will return to normal after a while. But in some cases, this pathology may be hereditary or symptomatic.
Healthy nails have a pink color and a characteristic glossy shine. Any changes in these indicators (the appearance of peeling, thickening and deformation) can indicate the development of dangerous internal pathologies. Therefore, it is so important to know how to react to their appearance, which doctor to contact to solve the indicated problem.
Normally, the thickness of the fingernails and toenails should not differ much. The functional size of the toenail plate rarely exceeds two millimeters. A simple test allows you to determine the normal parameters: the process of cutting off overgrown areas using scissors should not cause much effort. The plate itself should have a transparent pink color and gloss.
Its thickening causes, first of all, a change in color. A yellow tint appears. Further, the transformation can take different forms: much depends on what caused the pathological changes.
Possible reasons for increased nail thickness
Thickening of toenails, its causes and treatment are interrelated phenomena, so doctors pay special attention to carefully collecting a history of the disease. Various provoking factors contribute to the formation of different facets of the manifestation of nail thickening. A clear picture of possible clinical manifestations is presented in the following table.
| Classification of cause-and-effect factors according to pathological characteristics | Processes that can cause thickening of the big toe nail | Symptoms |
| Pathological | ||
| Fungal infection | Various fungi can cause the disease. Some are part of the opportunistic skin flora; they are activated with a sharp decrease in general or local immunity. Spores of other pathogens are found on the floor in public saunas, baths, swimming pools, and inside the shoes of a sick person. Infection occurs when personal hygiene rules are not followed. | First, white spots or yellow vertical stripes appear in the thickness of the nail plates; the infected plate thickens, acquires a dirty yellow color, exfoliates and crumbles. A white coating appears on the skin around the nail, and the patient is bothered by severe itching and burning. They intensify upon contact with hot water |
| Skin diseases (psoriasis) | A complex non-infectious chronic disease, the causes of its development are not fully understood | The edge of the nail plate thickens and bends, becoming like a hook. The color becomes cloudy, grooves and pinpoint depressions appear on the surface of the nail. If capillaries are damaged, hematomas are formed |
| Bacterial infections in the chronic stage (syphilis, tuberculosis) | The nails become much thicker, they crumble, acquire a dirty gray color, jagged edges appear, and over time the nail peels off from the bed on the side edges. Ingrowths, changes in shape, and the appearance of lifeless growths are possible. Thickness increases over the entire area | |
| Problems with the endocrine system | Hormonal disruptions occur that cause a variety of changes within the human body. Nails thicken for various reasons. This may be a lack of zinc or iron, a violation of the ratio of phosphorus and calcium, or carbohydrate metabolism. All these processes are controlled by the endocrine system | Change in color (nails turn yellow), dullness, increase in thickness of the tip of the plate, appearance of grooves, loss of shine |
| Neuropathy | The nerves of the lower extremities are damaged, motor disorders, vegetative-trophic dysfunctions, and sensory disorders appear | Symptoms are either rapid or they develop gradually. Their formation provokes a lack of tissue nutrition. Therefore, swelling appears, the skin changes color, hair falls out, the nail plates thicken and become brittle. |
| Avitaminosis | Lack of vitamins directly affects the health of nails: they provide nutrition to the stratum corneum | Thickening of nails is caused by a lack of vitamin A. It is this that maintains the strength of the plates, their smoothness and shine |
| Non-pathological | ||
| Wearing tight shoes | Constantly wearing shoes that compress the feet and expose the toes to constant pressure leads to the fact that the nail plates of the big toe seem to grind down. As a result, regeneration processes are accelerated: new cells of the stratum corneum grow faster; they do this not by protruding beyond the nail bed, but by growing upward. In this way, a shell is formed, which increases the thickness of the nail plate. | The nails become dense, longitudinal lines form on them, and the edges become covered with cracks. |
| Physical or chemical injuries | Physical injuries often occur due to direct physical impact (a blow, for example), while wearing tight shoes. She presses on the plate. To prevent the development of more dangerous complications, the body itself strives to respond to the problem by thickening the stratum corneum. Chemical injuries occur due to the use of low-quality cosmetics or careless use of household chemicals. | Thickening of the nail occurs against a background of severe pain |
| Elderly age | With age, all processes occurring in the body slow down, immunity decreases, an elderly person has a history of a whole bunch of chronic diseases, their sluggish nature negatively affects the condition of the nails | The nail plate is thick, strong, and difficult to cut with ordinary scissors. |
| Nicotine | Smoking with experience causes circulatory problems, which negatively affects the condition of nails | The color changes, the nail becomes dirty gray, its edge thickens |
Smoking ruins your nails
Differential diagnosis
To eliminate the described problem, you need to contact a dermatologist. Even a professional pedicure will not get rid of it. It is necessary to undergo a full examination and find out the reasons for the change in nail thickness. Only their elimination will help restore a healthy appearance to the toes.
At the first examination, the doctor collects an anamnesis of the disease and scrapes the damaged area. The biological material obtained in this way is sent for microscopic examination. It allows you to confirm or refute the presence of a fungal infection and identify the causative agent of the infection.
The presence of accompanying symptoms may suggest which other specialist should be involved in the diagnosis and what additional laboratory tests should be performed to determine the factors behind the increase in the thickness of the toenails.
Drug treatment for thickened nails
Treatment regimens are developed based on laboratory test transcripts.
If a fungal infection is confirmed, complex therapy is developed.
The patient is prescribed:
- taking systemic antifungal drugs (“Mikozoral”, “Binafin”, “Orungal” - the choice of a specific drug is made after identifying the causative agent of the infection);
- the use of products intended for local treatment (they must contain active substances that can stop the proliferation of the fungus);
- use of traditional medicine;
- physiotherapy procedures.
Treatment of fungal infections is long-term; its effectiveness directly depends on how strictly the patient follows the doctor’s instructions.
If the thickening of the nail is caused by injury, no special drug therapy is required: the nail will recover itself over time.
When thickening of the nail plate is caused by a disease of the internal organs, patients are advised to seek help from their attending physician and work with him to develop treatment tactics.
Traditional medicine recipes
There are many recipes that can be used to eliminate this problem.
Here is a list of the most popular of them:
- Fresh lemon juice helps lighten thickened nails. A few drops are applied directly to the plate and rubbed into it. It is advisable to carry out this procedure no more than twice a week.
- Baths with sea salt allow you to strengthen your nails and nourish them with beneficial microelements. To carry them out, it is necessary to choose a comfortable water temperature (36 degrees, no more), the duration of the procedure should not exceed 20 minutes, after the bath it is advisable to dry your feet with disposable napkins, and then treat the skin of your feet and nail plates with softening or medicinal creams and ointments.
- You can fight pathogenic microorganisms with apple cider vinegar baths. The product is mixed with warm water in equal proportions. It is necessary to perform finger bathing in the prepared liquid three times a day. The duration of the procedure is fifteen minutes.
- Baths with a decoction of milkweed help improve the condition of a thickened nail. It is important to take them within twenty minutes, then your feet should dry naturally.
- A decoction of St. John's wort has an excellent antiseptic effect. Baths can be replaced by rubbing juice made from a fresh plant.
- You can calm inflammation and reduce the number of fungal spores using a compress with a cut aloe leaf.
- A mask made from fresh aloe juice (15 grams), two teaspoons of crushed fresh chamomile leaves and a spoon of nourishing face cream has a pronounced strengthening effect. All ingredients are mixed to form a mass that must be applied to the phalanx of the sore finger and left for at least three hours.
- Celandine juice also helps fight fungal infections. It is easy to isolate by refracting the stem of a fresh plant. Directly from there, squeeze out as many drops as you need onto the affected plate and rub the juice into the nail. If treatment is carried out in the winter, you can replace fresh juice with celandine oil.
- An ointment made from aloe juice, onions, garlic, fresh butter and beeswax helps to cope with all the problems that can be caused by thickening of nails. All ingredients are taken in equal quantities (50 grams each), the resulting mass is heated in a water bath (it must be heated until the oil and wax have completely melted). Afterwards, cool and use for rubbing into a thickened plate. The ointment is applied in a thick layer, covered with a cabbage leaf on top, secured with a bandage and left overnight.
A compress with a cut aloe leaf will calm inflammation and reduce the number of fungal spores
The use of these remedies without the use of drug therapy may be ineffective, so alternative treatment should be part of a comprehensive treatment.
Ways to prevent deformation of the nail plate
It is better to prevent any defect than to treat it. To prevent thickening of the nail plates, experts recommend following certain rules.
- Regularly take water treatments, use products that can prevent the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.
- At the first symptoms of a fungal infection, apply antifungal ointment and make an appointment with a dermatologist.
- After each wash, treat the toenail plates with any emollient cream, oil vitamin or olive oil.
- Make masks during the fresh fruit season.
- Once a week, soak your feet in herbal decoctions made from herbs that have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties (chamomile, St. John's wort, oak bark).
- Refuse to use other people's towels and wear other people's shoes.
- You cannot try on new shoes on bare feet, you cannot walk barefoot in public baths and swimming pools.
- It is useful to refuse to wear tight, uncomfortable pairs of shoes or boots; experts recommend purchasing only those shoes that are made from natural materials.
- You need to change your socks every day.
High sweating of the feet creates favorable conditions for the proliferation of fungal diseases. To prevent them, it is useful to use traditional medicine or medications prescribed by a doctor for preventive purposes.
It’s hard to imagine an easy, confident gait without smooth and well-groomed nails. If your toenail turns yellow and becomes thicker, this is a signal that you need to pay attention to your health. In any case, the appearance of rough and yellowing nails is alarming, because if they look bad, it means the person himself is sick.
Yellow nail
Often, nail diseases occur on their own, unrelated to any internal pathology. But what to do if changes in color and density suddenly begin? The first thing you need to pay attention to is what color your nails are.
The cause of the pathology can be many factors:
Another reason for discoloration is functional disorders in the liver. The substance it produces is called bilirubin, and in some diseases of the liver and biliary tract, this substance spreads throughout the body, staining the nail bed. To confirm or refute these diseases, it is necessary to do a biochemical blood test.
How to get rid of yellow nails
The most common cause of yellow nails is a fungus or a lack of minerals. Treatment methods should be aimed at eliminating the underlying problem.
Why might your toenails be thick?
There is a so-called “yellow nails” syndrome, which refers to manifestations of systemic diseases. Behind this color lies lung disease, sinusitis, lymphedema. For this reason, nail tissue experiences oxygen starvation. This feature can also be inherited.
At first glance, nails have a strong, large structure, thanks to which soft tissues are protected. They are not hard, but elastic. In medicine, there are a number of diseases that cause nails to become thick.
Normally, the nail plate should not exceed 1 mm in thickness on the feet, and 0.5 on the hands. The nails on the big toes most often suffer from thickening, and if in addition there are grooves with a yellowish tint, this is a reason to consult a doctor.
If your toenails become thick, your doctor should determine the cause.
List of factors affecting the condition of nails:
Despite such a variety of reasons, thickening of the nail is most often provoked by fungus. These two symptoms (thickening and yellow color) are combined in this disease. In any case, you need to consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and prescribe a treatment regimen.
Treatment methods for thickened nails
Few people are comfortable with thick toenails. To make them look healthy, you need to establish the reason why the structure of the nail has changed. Depending on what caused the thickening, appropriate treatment is selected.
Folk remedies can be used as an addition to the main treatment. For greater effect, use warm baths - after them the nails become soft and moisturized. After this procedure, it is necessary to treat the skin and nails with a rich cream.
Treatment of fungal infection
The fungus mainly affects several toes - the big toe and little toe. Even though nails renew themselves over time as they grow from the nail bed, it is very important to monitor their condition. The fungus on the nails (in addition to destroying the nail itself) feeds on the skin and horny scales, thereby destroying the nail plate. It can damage the nail on the thumb, penetrating up to several millimeters deep, as well as affecting the skin between the fingers and the cuticle. If the nails become hard and look lifeless, treatment should be comprehensive (medicines + external use of ointment). Using only external products will be ineffective.
There are many drugs for fungal disease. The medicine tends to accumulate in the nails and horny scales of the skin where the fungus is located. When the concentration reaches the desired level, the fungal spores die. To prevent recurrence of the disease, it is necessary to treat all shoes with special antifungal substances.
To make a diagnosis, the doctor will need a 2 mm nail sample. From the nails you can get an elemental portrait of a person and find out his general condition. In the laboratory they do a chemical analysis and then decipher it. After this, the patient will find out which microelements he lacks and which are in excess in the body.
The most harmless thing that can appear on your nails is small white spots. They signal that the body has suffered severe stress. The cause may also be zinc deficiency or decreased immunity. A whole scattering of small white specks indicates a metabolic disorder.
My toenails have become thick: what to do?
In this article on the website Shtuchka.ru we will tell you what to do if your toenails become thick. You will learn not only the cause of this disease, but also methods by which you can cope with it.
If you are faced with this problem, then first of all you need to consult a doctor. Because only he can establish the true cause: reassure you if, for example, it is a hereditary predisposition, or upset you if the cause lies in a fungus or other disease. In addition, self-medication does not always bring positive results, and sometimes vice versa. For example, you somehow found out what was wrong with your marigolds, and began to prepare the “medicine” at home. If the diagnosis is made incorrectly, then the treatment will not work, and over time the condition of the nails can only worsen. The disease will move to a more advanced stage, and the doctor and you will have to work for months to fix everything. Therefore, if you are a big fan of advice from friends or from the Internet, as well as folk remedies, then first find out the cause of thickening nails, and then look for remedies and methods for a specific disease.
And now, in order for you to be completely convinced of the unwiseness of self-medication, we will share with you some more reasons (there are many more) why toenails can become thick.
The toenail has become thick: how to treat it
If a doctor has diagnosed a fungus, most often the nails are cleaned (the top layer of the nail is surgically removed). And then special antifungal ointments (Zalain, Mifungar, Lamitel, Lamisil, Terbizil), special varnishes (Batrafen, Demicten) and antifungal antibiotics are prescribed for severe forms (For example, when you did not pay attention to your nails or were engaged in improper self-medication, and at this time the fungus was actively multiplying). It is also recommended to use an antifungal spray while wearing shoes if the toenail has become thicker (Lamisil, Terbix, Bifosin).
In addition to medications, before starting treatment, you need to thoroughly wash all your shoes, including house slippers. And also treat all shoes with antiseptic and disinfectants. Make sure your feet don't get wet. If you spend the whole day on your feet, then try not only to use an antifungal spray, but also talc to prevent your feet from sweating. When treating fungus, clean and dry feet play a special role. Otherwise, even the best specialists and expensive products will not help you if your toenails have become thick.
If the cause of thickening of the nail is the wrong shoes, then you should change them to more comfortable ones. Also do foot massage and toe exercises. For example, train them by picking up small objects scattered on the floor with their feet: pencils, clothespins, large buttons.
The lack of certain vitamins can also be corrected by changing the diet and actually ingesting these vitamins. As for skin diseases, in such a situation it is important to cure the skin disease first, and then make your nails beautiful. Here is another proof of why it is so important to consult a specialist. After all, if the cause lies in a skin disease, then treating the nails themselves is useless.
The nail has become thick on the foot: treatment with traditional methods
And now a little about what means you can treat nail fungus at home, since it is most often the cause of thickening and yellowing of nails.
If your toenails have become thick, apple cider vinegar will help.
And finally - nutritious bonus recipe from 6tu4ka.ru for nails, which is suitable for both hands and feet. Mix one hundred grams of vegetable oil with twenty-five drops of vitamin A and the same number of drops of vitamin E. Lubricate your nails with the resulting mixture daily, and also before applying varnish.
Bruslik Maria – especially for the site Shtuchka.ru
Why does thickening appear on toenails and how to treat it at home
Hello, dear friends.
Healthy and beautiful toenails are the same indispensable element of the image of a modern person as beautiful hair and a snow-white smile, this is especially true in the summer, when we wear open shoes. But it happens that over time, toenails become thick and hard, change color and structure, bend, crumble and even curl.
This disease is called subungual hyperkeratosis or onychauxis. It is difficult to hide such a cosmetic defect; besides, thickening of the toenails (and in 95% of cases this is exactly the case) brings great inconvenience to the owner, and often pain.
This problem requires careful and rather long-term treatment. Toenails are thick and hard: what are the reasons and what to do, the choice of which depends on the reason causing the roughening of the nails.
Why do toenails become thick?
There are several reasons for thickening of nails:
Nails affected by fungus
- nails become hard and thick with lichen planus, eczema, psoriasis;
- Nails also become coarser and yellow with age - in older people, regardless of the quality of care, nails change structure and become thicker due to impaired blood supply to the nail bed;
- another reason for thickening of nails is narrow and uncomfortable shoes, and the quality of the nail plate can be ruined not only in an adult, but also in a child who is forced to wear small-sized shoes;
- the consequences of injuries, as well as prolonged contact with water and chemicals, cause thickening of toenails;
- with flat feet, the structure of the toenails is very often disrupted, primarily due to the fact that it is difficult to choose the right shoes;
- Nails thicken, peel and break off also with a number of chronic diseases associated with metabolism: anemia, diabetes, allergic reactions.
- the water should be at a comfortable temperature – 36-38 degrees;
- long bath – 15-20 minutes;
- after it is carried out, you need to dry your feet thoroughly and preferably with disposable napkins, so as not to spread the infection to healthy nails;
- after drying, the feet should be treated with a softening or healing cream, or better yet, with a special product for restoring nails, Fito Nails System;
- a very effective treatment of nail plates with lemon “butt” (no pulp, just white zest).
- aloe leaf;
- regular onions;
- garlic;
- fresh butter with a fat content of more than 82%;
- beeswax (sold at the market by those who sell honey);
- wash your feet every day in summer, every other day in winter;
- after each wash, treat each nail - lubricate with baby or emollient cream, vitamin in oil, olive or sunflower oil, or use Fito Nails System, which I already wrote about above;
- during the season, sometimes make “masks” for your nails: from strawberries, other berries, bananas;
- take foot baths with herbal infusions at least 1-2 times a week;
- At the first suspicion of a fungus, apply medicinal ointment.
- cyclosporine can cause hypertension, kidney failure and other ailments, but it is more effective;
- sea salt,
- herbal decoctions (mint, nettle, chamomile),
- essential oils.
- carefully trim the side parts of the aloe leaf,
- crush the sheet
- add about a tablespoon of boiled water at room temperature,
- mix,
- soak a cotton pad in the resulting solution,
- apply it to the problematic nail and cover with plastic.
- affected by psoriasis or other dermatological diseases,
- congenital pachyonychia,
- injuries and infections,
- circulatory disorders,
- damage to peripheral nerve endings (neuropathy).
- methotrexate can be included in the main treatment, but it is prohibited during pregnancy and does not allow girls to become pregnant even 90 days after the end of treatment;
Deformation of toenails due to uncomfortable shoes
Thick toenails - what to do?
Treatment for thickened nails depends on the cause of this defect. First of all, we need to eliminate it. That is, if the nails are thickened due to a fungus, then it needs to be cured.
The fastest and most effective method is the use of modern drugs such as Stop Active, or Miconazole and analogues. A more gentle method is to use tea tree oil.
And if you have flat feet, you need to, with the help of an orthopedic doctor, choose special shoes that will prevent your nails from being injured when walking.
In any case, it is very advisable to consult a doctor, since nails can determine the onset of some serious illness, the symptoms of which have not yet appeared.
At home, you should try to soften your nails using folk remedies. The selection of the method also depends on the cause of the roughening of the nail plates. The most effective remedy is medicinal baths. The general rules are:
Important point! If you don’t know how to soften rough nails, you don’t need to make saline solutions (including sea salt), as they, on the contrary, strengthen the nails.
Nail bath recipes
For baths, add 10 drops of one of the following essential oils to 5 liters of warm water:
In addition to the softening effect, these oils have a pronounced bactericidal effect and will help defeat infection on the feet, if any. Oils can be combined, then take 5 drops of each.
Lemon juice baths can only be used for diseases when the skin between the toes and on the foot is not damaged, otherwise there will be a strong burning sensation, and areas damaged by the fungus may ulcerate. Lemon juice should be taken no more than 50 grams (2 tablespoons) per 5 liters of water.
To soften nails, you can use strong decoctions of medicinal plants such as chamomile, mint, nettle and calendula. For 5 liters of water you can brew up to 100 grams of dry matter or up to 300 grams of fresh herbs. Leave for at least an hour, and then heat to a comfortable temperature.
A very good result is obtained by string - a grass that is used for bathing infants. Such otherwise very useful plants as thyme, sage, wheatgrass, oak bark, and linden blossom are absolutely not suitable.
Bath with milkweed infusion
This plant is poisonous, but very effective in softening nails. You need to take 1 tablespoon of fresh milkweed grass, chop it so that a lot of juice comes out and pour in 50 grams of vodka.
Infuse for a day in a dark place, then pour the infusion into warm water to soak your feet. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.
Bath with celandine juice
This remedy cannot be used for fungal nail infections, since the colored celandine juice penetrates deeply into the damaged structures of the plate and causes internal burns.
But for traumatic thickening of the plate, a bath with celandine juice - 1 tablespoon per 2 liters of water (or a glass of dry herb decoction) will be very effective.
True, in this case the nails will turn yellow-orange, but this will fade quickly - within a day they will return to their normal color.
Bath with tar soap
An excellent softener and disinfectant. We recommend using it for fungal and other infectious lesions of the feet.
Buy tar soap (sold in pharmacies), grate about a quarter of a bar on a coarse grater. Next, dilute it in a small amount of warm water.
The duration of the bath is up to 20 minutes, you need to add hot water so as not to catch a cold.
With flaxseed infusion
Take two tablespoons of flaxseed and add a liter of boiling water. Let it brew for 2-3 hours and pour, without straining, directly into the water.
The seeds themselves can be used to massage the skin between your toes and feet, which will soften the skin. This is a very effective folk remedy for softening thick and ingrown nails.
Bath with ammonia
This option allows you to prepare even very thick nails for cutting, but the smell! Of course, it is quite difficult to withstand the strong aroma of ammonia and it will be heard in the house for several more hours.
And if you decide on such a procedure, then for each liter of warm water you need to take 10 drops of pharmaceutical ammonia.
Compresses for softening the nail plate on the toes
This type of compress is even more useful for thickening nails, but they have one drawback - the procedure takes a long time. It takes 8-12 hours to achieve maximum effect. Therefore, it is best to do compresses at night, and in the morning the nails will become much softer and, if necessary, they will be easy to trim.
Aloe leaf (or calisia, which we call golden mustache) should be crushed into a paste and applied to the affected nails. Wrap everything on top with polyethylene and put on a sock.
Cut fresh ripe pumpkin into slices about 0.5 cm thick and tie tightly to the nail plates. By the way, pumpkin gives up its moisture so much that it practically dries out on the nails.
Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater and add a little olive or any other vegetable oil and cover the nail with this mixture. The result will definitely please you. By the way, this paste can also be used to treat cracked heels.
The composition can be prepared several times in advance and stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed bottle. To do this, add 10 ml of iodine and 10 ml of vinegar essence to 10 ml of glycerin. Then shake it all vigorously and pour in 50 ml of water.
Before each use, everything must be shaken very vigorously and carefully, without touching the skin, applied to the nail. It is best to do this with a brush that is used to apply the varnish. After this, immediately attach a medical plaster to the nail.
Cut the mushroom into plastic pieces half a centimeter thick and the size of a fingernail and bandage them tightly overnight.
Boil the potato, mash it and when it has cooled to a warm state, mix it with a teaspoon of honey. Lubricate your nails and put thick socks on your feet.
Take a tablespoon of potato or corn starch and any vegetable oil, make a porridge and apply a thick layer to your nails. There is no need to wrap it in plastic or a bandage, but only protect your feet so as not to rub off the compress. You can just bandage your fingers. In the morning, rinse thoroughly with hot water and apply softening hand cream to your nails. Just a few procedures and your nails will be as good as new.
Rendered and cooled pork fat is an excellent tenderizer. They just need to apply polish to their nails, put on socks and go to bed. You can wash it off with warm water and regular soap.
Cut small onions in half and bake in the oven until softened. When it has cooled to a comfortable temperature, apply tightly to the nails and bandage. By the way, if you have calluses and calluses, at the same time, bandage them too. Soon you will forget about thick nails and problems with the skin of your feet.
Super ointment for nails “7 Days”
Don’t be lazy – prepare this ointment and use it daily before bed. In a week, your nails will be renewed, soft and elastic, like a child’s. To make it you need to take 50 grams of each ingredient:
Pass the onion, garlic and aloe through a meat grinder (or chop with a blender), mix well, add oil and wax and place in a water bath.
When the butter and wax melt, stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, pour into a storage container and cool. Keep refrigerated.
Apply a thick layer to the nail plate, attach pieces of cabbage leaf on top (the not very dense part) and bandage each finger tightly. A course of procedures can be carried out periodically as a preventive measure and to improve nail health.
How to Trim Thick Toenails
This seemingly simple procedure can become very problematic, especially for older people who find it difficult to bend over or do not have the strength to split a dense nail plate.
Naturally, the nails will have to be softened first. You can use one of the recipes for baths or compresses described above. Or buy a ready-made softener at the pharmacy - that’s what it’s called. Add to hot water according to instructions and keep for at least 20 minutes.
For cutting, it is best to use nail clippers, since ordinary nail scissors often cannot “tackle” very thick nails. It happens that it is difficult to cope with wire cutters on your own.
In these cases, we will offer you a method that may not be very attractive, but is effective. Try using chicken scissors, which are included in kitchen knife sets. They are designed for cutting bones and can easily handle even very thick nails, and even more so after softening. In order not to embarrass your relatives, buy yourself separate ones and that’s it.
Important! If you have problems with your nails, you should stop using polish and gel, as the nails under them do not breathe and the disease will worsen, making it impossible to hide it.
Prevention and care of toenails
The best option is to regularly perform professional pedicure procedures. But, unfortunately, not many women, not to mention men, can afford this pleasure. Some because of the rather high price of these cosmetic services, others only because there are no specialists where they live.
Those who have mastered this difficult science on their own have virtually no problems with nails. We advise others to regularly perform the following preventive minimum:
Such simple care will allow you to keep your nails in good health, and if something goes wrong, you will notice and fix the problem in time.
Thick toenails: causes and treatment
There are many reasons why thick toenails appear. Doctors are forced to conduct a thorough medical history to determine the true culprit of negative changes in the nail plate. Only after a thorough study of the disease is a method of treatment chosen.
What does official medicine offer and are there any folk ways to combat thick toenails?
Causes of thick toenails
Long-term studies of the disease have revealed the most common factors that negatively affect the condition of the nail plates on the toes.
The list of most likely causes included:
Genetic predisposition or pachyonychia, a disease that does not pose a danger to the general condition of the body
Distal onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail plate resulting from its infection with mycosis
Tight and incorrectly selected shoes; when such shoes are worn for a long time, the nail plate is deformed, blood flow is disrupted and tissue growth occurs
General diseases of the body, rheumatism, gout, atherosclerosis (they provoke a decrease in blood flow in the fingertips, which leads to thickening of the nail plate)
Skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema)
Clubfoot and flat feet
Important! It is better to entrust the establishment of the exact cause of the disease to specialists. They will also develop a competent way to treat it.
Drug treatment for thick nails
Treatment with medications is prescribed in cases where the disease is caused by a fungus. It requires a lot of time and careful adherence to the medication regimen.
External means of combating mycosis are represented by ointments and creams such as lamisil, mycomax, orungal, diflucan, tekbizin. To enhance the effect of ointments, the doctor may prescribe tablets with the same name. The course of treatment is carried out under the mandatory supervision of a doctor.
Of the drugs recently presented to consumers, it is worth noting loteril, produced in the form of a colorless varnish.
If the disease has become a side effect of another disease, treatment begins with eliminating the main cause. That is, the doctor prescribes medications for rheumatism, psoriasis or atherosclerosis, while simultaneously stopping the thickening of the nail plate with external remedies.
A patch is used to painlessly remove keratinized tissue of the nail plate. Nogtevit or Nogtimycin. The procedure is long and requires patience from the patient, but it really helps to get rid of thickened nails comfortably.
Unfortunately, getting rid of thick nails with a hereditary predisposition to the disease is not always successful. The disease is controlled by taking folic acid, B vitamins and vitamin A. The deformed nail is removed. During the growth of the new nail plate, corticosteroid ointments are used. However, there is a high probability that even after treatment, the thickening will appear again.
Treatment of thick toenails with folk remedies
Obviously, people have not encountered the problem of thick toenails today. During the existence of mankind, the disease has plagued many of our ancestors. Traditional healers have developed their own methods to combat the disease. We decided to offer you some of the folk recipes.
Try them, maybe they will help you get your toenails looking perfect.
1. Lather the sore nail tar or laundry soap, sprinkle salt on top and bandage. Leave the compress on for about an hour to allow the mixture to dry. Wash your feet with warm water.
2. If you have in your house tea mushroom, separate a small plate from it, place it on the affected nail plate, wrap the finger in cellophane, secure the bandage with a bandage or braid. The procedure is carried out before bedtime and the compress is left overnight. In the morning, rinse your finger with warm water.
3. Wipe thick nails several times a day grape or apple cider vinegar. Try not to touch body tissue.
4. Mix one part at a time propolis And celandine, add sea or iodized salt to the mixture, dilute with a small amount of water and place the paste on the nail plate. Wrap in cellophane and bandage. Leave for an hour. Then wash your finger.
5. Wash your feet before going to bed, rub into the nail plates peppermint oil. Carry out the procedure for a month.
6. Take 1 tsp glycerin , vinegar essence And alcohol. Mix everything and carefully spread on the nail. Continue treatment until a new nail grows.
Please note that all folk remedies help in the treatment of fungal nail disease. For other reasons, a doctor's consultation is required.
How to prevent the formation of thick nails
Some negative factors that contribute to the formation of thick toenails can be prevented.
1. Buy and wear only comfortable, high-quality shoes. It is important that it does not put pressure on the foot, impairing the blood supply to the nails.
2. Diversify your diet with vitamins and organic food. Eat regularly, strengthen your immune system, walk more often, breathe fresh air.
3. To avoid becoming infected with fungus in public places, wear your shoes to bathhouses, swimming pools, and saunas.
4. Consult a doctor promptly for diseases that can cause thickening of the nail plates.
And remember that treatment for thick toenails is based on an individual plan. Do not self-medicate if the cause of the disease is not clear.
It is also worth considering that in older people, nails become thicker and harder due to irreversible degenerative changes in the body. It is impossible to fight this - these are age-related changes.
But if the fingernails become thicker and harden for no apparent reason, then treatment requires the mandatory help of a specialist, because such signs may indicate serious disorders within the body.
The first reason is fungus
It is necessary to treat such a disease with a diagnostic study. This will determine the type of fungus that has affected your nail and prescribe the appropriate medications. You can make treatment easier with folk remedies, but using them in isolation from the main methods is not recommended.
If the horny plates on the legs are affected in large numbers, then immunosuppressants are also used, but they have side effects:
Hard and thick nails can be treated by injecting cortisone directly into the surrounding skin. But only doctors are allowed to do such activities.
Dysbacteriosis and vitamin deficiency
Vitamin deficiency can be a consequence of improper functioning of the stomach or pancreas, gall bladder. In this case, they begin to treat the incapacitated organ, accompanying the treatment with vitamins.
Circulatory disorders
The most common cause is a fungus, which often appears first on the hands and then spreads to the feet. Such extensive damage occurs due to the child’s underdeveloped immune system.
As preventive measures, it is necessary to treat the skin on the hands and feet with special antifungal compounds and make food rich in vitamins. These same measures can contribute to treatment. If thickening of the nails is caused by other factors, then you cannot start doing any activities on your own.
Thickening of the nail plates on the toes
The condition of the toenails can serve as a fairly clear indicator of the internal state of the body and the functioning of the internal organs. That is why it is important to pay attention to the color and appearance of your nail plates, as well as their density and other factors. Any deviation from the norm in this area can be a symptom of serious health problems. Thickening of the toenails or fingernails is one such abnormality and can have a variety of causes.
One of the most common diseases, a symptom of which is thickening of the nail, is mycotic infection, or, more simply, nail fungus. Typically, thickening of the nail plate appears in the second stage of the disease. And although the first symptoms appear much earlier, they are so subtle and insignificant that many people consult a doctor precisely at the second stage of the infection.
At the first stage of the disease, redness and peeling of the skin around the plate appears. The nail itself becomes brittle and loose. Symptoms come and go and are often ignored. Thickening is a permanent symptom, followed by yellowing of the nail and its detachment from the nail bed.
The fungus is incredibly contagious and is spread from person to person on flakes of microscopic flakes of skin. They can be found in water and on surfaces that a sick person has walked on barefoot. These pathogens survive both in conditions of maximum heating and maximum cooling, and therefore only aggressive acids can kill them. The likelihood of infection increases if there are injuries and damage to your feet, since through them it is easier for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
Only the body’s own immunity protects against this disease. Thus, people with a low immune status are at increased risk of infection - pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, teenagers and children, HIV-positive people, etc. The most likely places of infection are gyms (when using showers), swimming pools, saunas, solariums, etc. Slides are not able to protect against infection, since they do not completely cover the foot and nails from water containing pathogenic bacteria. If you have a thick toenail for this reason, then treatment must be started immediately.
Also often the reason why the nails on the toes and sometimes the hands become thicker is an incorrect or unbalanced diet. Not only a lack of vitamins can cause this problem, but also a sharp change in the usual diet to something else, even if it is balanced and healthy. Such disorders cause a general imbalance in the body, and therefore affect all its components, including the nails.
Both a deficiency and an excess of a particular vitamin or microelement can cause thickening. But most often, any deviations from the norm on the plates are observed precisely due to a lack of certain substances. Thus, in order for nails to be normal, it is very important to consume the required amount of calcium (along with vitamin D, since without it it is not absorbed), iron and zinc. These substances are found in red meat, cheese, dairy and dairy products. The most essential vitamins are group B, A, E and C.
Treatment of toenails in this case consists of normalizing the vitamin and mineral balance, then the thickening will disappear. During the period of seasonal vitamin deficiency, for example, in the spring, it is worth taking additional vitamins in the form of complexes from the pharmacy. However, it is better if these drugs are prescribed by a doctor, because an excess of vitamins for the body is just as harmful as their deficiency. When it comes to nails, it can be argued that an excess of, for example, vitamin C causes cracking and weakening of the nail.
Mental condition
Thickening of toenails like the one in the photo can be caused by stress. Any mental stress has a complex detrimental effect on the entire body. Nails are no exception. They can present a whole range of problems. This may include delamination, fragility, weakening, deformation, etc., including thickening. Lack of sleep, stress, strong emotions over a long period of time - all this can cause thickening of the plates.
It is worth getting rid of the problem not only symptomatically, but also comprehensively. Try to review your daily schedule, make time for sleep and rest. During these periods, the body will be able to recover and relieve tension. As for nails, in this case you can get rid of thickenings using rough polishing buffs. If the thickening is local, then file only this area, but if the entire nail is thickened, then file it completely.
Thickening of the fingernails and toenails that occurs for this reason may have a different appearance. These can be either local growths in the form of waves and tubercles, or complete thickening of the entire plate. There may even be several transverse grooves with depressions between them within one nail.
Various diseases of the body and internal organs can also cause the toenails to thicken. Psoriasis often manifests itself in this way in the initial stages. However, along with thickening, the nail will show a noticeable change in color, increased looseness, and various deformations.
Problems with blood circulation and the activity of the cardiovascular system can also cause thickening of the nail. In this case, the nails may not only become thickened, but also turn blue and become deformed. The presence of such problems in the body can be determined by visual inspection of the fingertips. If they are not sufficiently supplied with blood, there will be a lack of oxygen, which means their skin will turn bluish.
Polykeratosis is a fairly rare genetic disease of the nail plate that is inherited. It is characterized by excessive formation of keratin. Because of this, the nails thicken, but do not become deformed, and may also change color, turn yellow or gray. Sometimes the color reaches dark gray and even almost black.
Your nail plates can become thick and loose for another, quite rare reason. This may occur as a result of damage to the nerves of the peripheral nervous system. Of course, if they are connected to limbs. This fact may also cause any other deformations and changes in the condition of the nail plates.
Thus, if you notice thick toenails, then treatment should be started immediately. Consult a doctor, because such manifestations may be symptoms of a serious illness.
Thick toenails treatment with folk remedies
How to soften toenails
Well-groomed and beautiful nails are an indicator of a woman’s health and an integral part of her image. However, we often encounter problems: the nail plate becomes brittle, grows into the skin, thickens, and changes color. The reasons for this are various, the main ones include a lack of certain vitamins and minerals in the body, as well as a woman’s desire for beauty: covering her nails with shellac and gel. To ensure that your feet always look great, you must know exactly how to soften your toenails.
To combat thickening toenails, you can purchase products at beauty stores that are specifically designed to soften hard, difficult-to-cut nails. You can also visit a beauty salon, where a pedicurist will tidy up your feet. However, if you are not satisfied with the price of cosmetics or do not have time to visit salons and use special products, do not despair. There are a large number of folk recipes that have been tested over the years.
Ways to soften nails at home
Foot baths are the simplest and most common way for us to soften the nail. If desired, to improve the effect, you should add ingredients that are beneficial for your feet:
Chamomile decoction is particularly effective. To prepare it, you need to pour boiling water over the dried flowers (at the rate of 3 tablespoons of chamomile per 1 liter of water), leave for about an hour. After which the infusion must be filtered, boiled and cooled to the required temperature. Immerse your feet in it for 10 minutes. With the help of such procedures, carried out at least twice a week, thick nails become much softer.
To soften the skin of the feet and nails, a hot bath with soap powder, baking soda or ammonia is very effective. However, warm baths do not help in all cases, and have a short-lived effect. In such a situation, the question arises of how to effectively and permanently soften toenails, and there is a need to use other, more effective, folk remedies.
You can make your nails softer with a 9% vinegar solution (use apple cider vinegar). To do this, you need to moisten a cotton pad in the solution and place it on the nail so that it does not come into contact with the skin to avoid burns. If desired, the disc can be secured with a bandage or adhesive tape. After 2 hours, this compress must be removed. For greater efficiency, you can use film or wear thick socks. After removing the compress, it is advisable to wash your feet in cool water.
After a warm bath, nails can be treated with glycerin, vinegar essence and iodine in equal proportions, and two parts of water. It is advisable to leave this compress overnight.
You can also use aloe juice to soften hard nail plates. To do this, you need to do the following steps:
It is better to do this procedure in the evening; overnight the thick nail will become much softer.
Instead of aloe juice, you can use an equally effective remedy: kombucha, doing the same thing with it. And also the pulp of fresh pumpkin, cut into slices and apply to your nails.
Another effective way to soften nails is to use any commercially available moisturizing creams, as well as ointments prepared with your own hands. Creams and ointments are applied after a steam bath, and after applying them to your feet, you should put regular food bags on them and leave them overnight.
Softening of toenails in older people and when affected by fungus
Particularly difficult are situations when old people need to soften their toenails, as well as when they are infected with fungus. The toenails of older people are very rough and hard; to soften them, you can take a lemon bath, which is also an excellent prevention of fungal diseases.
What should you do if your toenails become uneven, ribbed, turn black or yellow, become deformed, or change in structure? You need to urgently consult a dermatologist with this problem. Perhaps your nails are affected by a disease such as a fungus, and you need treatment.
When nails are affected by fungus, the question also arises of how to soften toenails. For an answer, you can turn to traditional medicine and apply a softening ointment. To prepare the ointment, you need to mix butter, onion, aloe leaves, beeswax, melted butter and garlic in equal parts. Cook this mixture over low heat for about 2 minutes. Allow the ointment to cool and apply it liberally to the nails, secure and leave until the morning. This procedure must be performed every day until the result is visible.
Folk remedies, of course, do not replace treatment, such as nail polish for fungus. they only contribute to a speedy recovery and relief from the unpleasant manifestations of a fungal infection.
Treatment for thick toenails
Thickening of the nail plate on the toes is quite common, and a variety of reasons cause such deformation.
The most common of these is fungus, which can be easily picked up in some public places, such as a swimming pool or a shoe store.
The formation of thick nails is often caused by:
Deformation of toenails can be caused by wearing shoes that cause discomfort or do not fit properly, or prolonged use of low-quality decorative varnishes.
Thickening of toenails can be caused by improper or unbalanced nutrition, excessive vitamin supplementation or lack of vitamins.
The reason underlying the problem with toenails must be found out, and it is imperative to begin to eliminate it. Otherwise, the nail plate may be seriously deformed, and the nail will practically stop growing. In addition, over time, the disease becomes more difficult to treat.
How to treat thick toenails?
If the cause of thick nails is fungal infections, topical application of antifungal ointments and gels is necessary. To completely rid the body of the fungus, the doctor may prescribe general oral medications. These drugs include Flucosanol, but in addition to its strong effect on the fungus, it affects the kidneys and liver.
If nail thickening is caused by psoriasis, treatment should be aimed at the underlying disease, in addition to which local nail therapy is carried out. In this case, baths with sea salt and iodine (sea water), and decoctions of various herbs are effective.
For congenital pachyonychia (most often men suffer from it), the doctor prescribes folic acid (vitamin B 9), riboflavin (vitamin B 2), vitamin A and its derivatives - aromatic retinoids, gelatin, and it is possible to take hormonal medications. The nail is softened with ureaplast and then removed, and then corticosteroid ointments and creams with vitamin A are rubbed into its bed. However, treatment is not always successful.
After a nail injury (chip or blow), most often it recovers on its own, but you should not disturb it during the recovery period.
A separate issue is wearing tight shoes with a thickened nail, because of which it injures the neighboring toe, increasing the risk of infection in the body. And prolonged pressure on the nail plate can cause the formation of ulcers under the nail.
If you know your diagnosis accurately, you can use traditional methods. For fungus, iodine is mixed with a drop of vinegar essence and lubricated on a thick nail overnight. The product is used for a very long time.
For a month, mint oil is rubbed into the nail at night after a bath. Compresses with apple cider vinegar, propolis and oleoresin help.
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Principles of therapy for thickening toenails
To maintain the health of the whole body, it is necessary to monitor the condition of not only the hands, but also the feet. A problem such as thick toenails requires special attention. The reasons for this phenomenon may consist of various factors that require immediate human intervention.
A nail in its ideal, healthy state has an even structure, normal thickness and a pleasant pink color. Any extraneous signs indicate malfunctions occurring in the body. To eliminate them, professional treatment is required, but first the cause of the thickening must be established.
Most often, the nail plate becomes thicker due to injury - a bruise, or if you pinched a fingernail. In this case, dried blood may accumulate under the nail plate, forming a hematoma or bruise. Treatment in this case does not require special measures - the nail will gradually grow back on its own, and all defects will disappear.
The first reason is fungus
Another common cause of thick toenails is a fungal infection. At the same time, other symptoms appear: the nail changes color, becomes hard, the skin around it peels off, and the skin ridges turn red.
It is quite difficult to cure fungus, so the sooner you see a mycologist, the higher the chance of successful treatment.
Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that wanders throughout the body and can manifest itself in different parts of the body. Most often, the development of the disease begins with damage to the nails, which become hard and thick, crumbling at the tips.
It is necessary to begin treating the affected nail with local agents. Most often, cortisone mixed with vitamin D is used. The disease can be cured only by systematically applying the ointment to the affected nails - usually before bed.
Dysbacteriosis and vitamin deficiency
Dysbiosis is a change in the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the intestines. Often the consequence of this reason is thickening of the toenails, but it is worth understanding that this is not an independent disease, but only a manifestation of another ailment or a consequence of treatment with antibiotics.
Treatment of dysbacteriosis begins with the preparation of a special menu, which necessarily includes fermented milk products with bifidobacteria. In some cases, when harmful bacteria begin to outweigh the beneficial ones by a “large margin,” bacteriophages are prescribed. These means can suppress their reproduction. Treatment usually lasts about 60 days.
The intestinal microflora is directly involved in digestion. A lack of beneficial bacteria leads to vitamin deficiency - a lack of vitamins, which makes it even more difficult to cure a thickened nail.
To replenish the supply of vitamins and microelements, nutrition is also adjusted and vitamin complexes are prescribed.
Circulatory disorders
Poor circulation in the lower extremities may answer why your toenails become thicker and harder. This happens because the matrix, the basis of the nail plate, does not receive sufficient nutrition, which is why the nail changes its growth characteristics and begins to “get fat.”
Impaired blood circulation can only be treated by treating the cause that caused it. This may be the deposition of salts and fat cells on the walls of blood vessels or malfunctions of the heart. In any case, you can do any activities, including using folk recipes, only with the permission of a cardiologist.
Why did my child’s nail become thicker? The reasons for this may be the same as in adults. However, such nail plate defects should be treated under the strict supervision of a pediatrician. Taking medications for adults is contraindicated, and not all medications for a child can cope with the disease.
Thickening from the toenails can also move to the horny plates on the hands. Therefore, it is so important to start treatment on time with a doctor. In addition, this will avoid relapse and other problems.
