If your toenail is very thick, file across the surface of the nail to reduce the thickness, this should be in stages, file across for few times then check to make sure you don't file them too thin, which could cause some tenderness. Tip: For metal files clean with a disinfectant after each use.
Thick toe nails can be managed using an emery board and filing your nails. This will stunt nail growth and keep them manageable. Gently file each nail across the thickened part 2-3 time weekly to reduce the thickness. The best time to do this is when the nail is dry, before a bath or shower.
Once your toenail grows thick, it will always be thick, this is a permanent change.
It is much better to file the nail on a regular basis to keep it manageable. However, filing the nail thinner is also probably best left to a podiatrist because the inadvertent damage this might cause to the soft tissue under the nail can lead to infection. A podiatrist will grind the nail at frequent intervals.
Nail Grinding Tool: The most effective one we have found is the Beurer Electric Nail and Foot Care Kit – a podiatry-grade electric nail grinder and thinning tool. It comes with bits specifically made to work on thick toenails.
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.
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.
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.
Sanding will first allow you to thin the nail in order to cut it effectively. Knowing how to sand nails is essential to learning how to cut thick toenails. Sanding should never be painful or result in bleeding. You should be able to sand all the way down to the skin under the nail without causing pain to your patient.
Vicks has a little impact on toenails. Vicks Vaporub softens and lightens toenails. This makes it look like the fungus is being treated. Vicks may have some antifungal qualities, but it is unable to penetrate the toenail well enough to cure the infection.
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.
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.
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.
If your double toenail is constantly being ripped out, ask a foot surgeon about toenail removal surgery, also called a matricectomy.
"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.
“Friction and fungus thicken toenails. Toenails take a beating from socks, shoes, and generally being at the foot end of the human body where the weight bearing goes on. They're made from the same dead skin tissue as fingernails but are two to three times thicker.
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.
Toenail fungus is the most common cause of yellowing toenails. Here's where it comes from: A break in the skin close to/under the toenail from ill-fitting shoes; Walking barefoot in warm, damp areas (locker rooms, pool decks, public showers, etc.);
“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…”
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.
Place a THIN coat of Vicks on top of the nails. Make sure only the nails are covered with the Vicks. Try to avoid getting the Vicks on the skin or in between the toes as it might irritate the skin. Apply the Vicks once a day either in the morning or the evening.