The change in thickness may be reduced when the underlying cause is treated. It is natural for toenails to get thicker with age, but other factors, including fungal infections, autoimmune conditions, or mechanical stresses, such as from poorly fitting shoes can also cause thick toenails.
Unfortunately, in many cases where the toenail is thickened the result is permanent. This is due to the nail root, or matrix being damaged. What Can I do? Wear wider and deeper shoes to decrease the amount of friction and rubbing between your toenail and the top of the shoe.
To Thin the Sides of the Big Toe Nail: Use the Long Sapphire Bit (Figure 5) that comes with the PediNova Grinder. Use gentle pressure going up and down the side of the nail. This will thin the sides and help prevent ingrown toenails since the shoe will no longer press into the thickened nail border.
Even if you do not care to seek treatment for it, you may wonder why your toenails have gradually become thicker. Thick toenails are the common result of four different causes: injury, old age, fungal infection and psoriasis.
Thick toenails have a variety of causes, including advanced age, nail fungus, and psoriasis. They are rarely a major health problem but can cause discomfort. Sometimes, they can be a sign of a condition that needs treatment.
Nail psoriasis sometimes causes too much keratin to grow under the nail. This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. People with hyperkeratosis may notice a white, chalky substance under the nail. When this occurs in the toenails, the pressure of shoes pushing down on the nails might cause pain.
Are thick toenails always fungus? No, thick toenails are usually not fungus. The toenail root responds to pressure by growing a nail plate that is thicker and sometimes detached from the nail bed — a place where the fungus can hide and grow.
The growth rate of nails decreases when people get older. This results in thickening because nail cells pile up. The process of nail cells piling up is referred to as onychocytes. Another reason why fingernails don't thicken as much is their growth rate is smaller than the growth rate of toenails.
“Applying Vicks VapoRub to fungus-infected toenails can clear up the notoriously hard-to-treat condition. Michigan State University clinicians found that applying the product daily to the infected nail cleared the condition in 32 of 85 patients, though it took anywhere from 5 to 16 months…”
Treatment for thickened toenails
Treatment involves cutting the nails and reducing the thickness with a special file or burr. Our podiatrists also have special tools that can help remove callus or corns from underneath the nail plate or sulcus which is a common cause of pain.
If your fungus doesn't clear up at home, you should check in with a dermatologist (a skin, hair, and nail specialist) or podiatrist (a foot doctor.) They may gently scrape under your nail to get rid of some of the fungus or send it to the lab for diagnosis. They can also prescribe stronger medicines.
"It helps your cuticles, keeps your hands and nails hydrated, and works better than callus removal if you put it on your feet and wear socks overnight," says Nguyen. "The best part is that it's affordable and probably already in your medicine cabinet!" she adds.
Revolutionary nail fungus laser therapy has an 80% success rate. Instead of medications or debridement, Dr. Frankel offers a laser therapy treatment with an 80% success rate at permanently treating nail fungus. It's painless and performed in-office with three 10-minute procedures every four weeks.
Thickening may also occur as a result of trauma to the toenail, such as when it repeatedly hits the end of a shoe that is too short. Sometimes when something is dropped on the toenail, the nail will fall off. When a new toenail grows back, it will often be thicker than it was previously.
Everything from aging to poor nutrition can make your nails dry, thin, and easy to break. There are also some treatments and medical conditions that can make them brittle. But you don't have to put up with the problem. The right care can make all the difference in keeping your nails healthy and strong.
Fortunately, there are solutions available that can make this job a little easier. One of the simplest tricks for cutting thick toenails is to simply take a bath or shower, or soak your feet in warm water, prior to cutting them. The water helps soften them for easier cutting.
Within a week, you should begin to see improvements.