Thick toenails are a common yet often ignored health issue that can indicate deeper problems needing attention.
They can happen due to reasons like fungal infections, injuries, or health issues such as diabetes and psoriasis.
Dr. Abigail Waldman, a skin doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, points out that feet create a perfect spot for fungi because they are moist, which often leads to infections starting on the skin and moving to toenails.
Conditions like onychomycosis, where a new nail grows under an infected one, and onychauxis, which makes nails curl and turn yellowish, are common causes. Injuries or immune system issues can also lead to thickened nails.
Signs usually include color changes, brittleness of the nails, junk under them, and bad smells. If not treated well these problems could cause serious issues like tissue damage or nail loss or even spread infections around the area leading to major health risks like cellulitis or sepsis.
Taking care of thickened toenails needs ongoing effort. Treatment might be tough since medicines often have trouble getting through the nail. Home remedies such as soaking feet in vinegar-water mix or using antifungal creams afterward could help.
Natural options like tea tree oil or Vicks VapoRub may also work well. For more serious cases oral meds or laser treatment might be needed. It’s important to talk with a healthcare expert for correct diagnosis and advice.
Preventing these problems is super important too! Keeping good foot hygiene by trimming nails regularly & keeping feet dry is key! Risk factors include walking barefoot in public places frequently getting pedicures wearing shoes that don’t fit right & having weak immune systems. Protecting your feet in shared spaces like locker rooms & using different clippers for sick & healthy nails can lower risks too!
Healing from nail infections can take time sometimes up to a year for healthy nails to grow back completely! During this time sticking with treatment plans & staying clean is very important Regularly cleaning socks & shoes plus treating athlete’s foot quickly helps stop it from coming back!
Even though thickened toenails might seem small they can really affect overall health if you ignore them By knowing what causes them seeking quick treatment & taking preventive steps you can keep your nails healthy while reducing chances of complications!
How do you take care of your feet? Share your thoughts!
