Getting rid of hard and thick nails may be extremely difficult. Nail fungus infection usually causes toenails to be very thick and hard. The damage caused by toenail fungus ranges from subtle to obvious. It can make cutting nails so much more difficult. Usually, the damage from fungus infection is visual only. There is only a change in how the toenail looks aesthetically. This is true for the majority of those who have been infected. But there are definitely potential functional issues that can arise from a fungal infection as well. Regular grooming of the nail can be impaired by these damages. It can result in overgrowth of the nail, which can deteriorate the nail aesthetically. Nails can look dirtier and grow excessively long. The look of a long nail will be less appealing when the nail also deteriorates.
Thick Nails with Toenail Fungus
Thick nails with toenail fungus are a common symptom. Normal nails can be clipped and groomed easily, but thick toenails can cause problems. Thick toenails can be unsightly. It can also be painful and difficult to take care of at home.
Toenails that are thickening are usually a result of existing medical problems. You should figure out the reason why your toenails are thick so that you can solve the problem and find the correct treatment option. There are multiple reasons why your toenails become thick. Below are common reasons:
Underlying medical condition
If you had another underlying condition, you’d be likely to notice a sudden change in the structure of your nails. Some of the common health conditions that can cause thick toenails are: Eczema, Psoriasis, some types of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Aging
Most people experience thickening of the nails because age is a contributing factor to why their nails are thickening. The process of nail thickening is called Onychauxis. The nails become hard due to the regular stressors of life. The nails grow more slowly and thicker as we get older; however, this problem only affects the toenails.
To prevent your nails from thickening as you age, keep your toenails closely trimmed. This prevents debris from being stuck under the nails. If your toenails are too thick to be trimmed using normal clippers, you will need to use special toenail clippers. Also, make sure to keep your toenails as clean as possible and wear shoes that fit properly to prevent causing any trauma to the nails.
Onychomycosis
Another possible reason why your nails are thick is toenail fungus or Onychomycosis. In addition to thick toenails, nail fungus can also cause your nails to have yellow or brown discoloration. Additional symptoms of toenail fungus are brittle nails, foul odor, and separation of the nail from the nail bed.
Healthy Nails
Hard fungal nails and the resulting impairment to grooming are symptoms of toenail fungus infection. When healthy, the toenails should be able to be trimmed easily with regular nail clippers. A normal, healthy nail will also have a few other indicators that there isn’t anything wrong with it. For example, the skin should be visible underneath the nail.
Signs of a healthy nail include it being thin, not particularly rough, or crumbly. Healthy nails are always attached to the nail bed. To be considered in good shape, a nail shouldn’t have any visible debris or dirt under it. Additionally, nails that are in good shape won’t be cracked or have other visible damage to the nail’s surface. The nail should be completely attached to the nail bed and grow at a normal rate. It also should be strong enough to support itself, but not be too hard or thick that it impairs trimming.
Sick nails with nail fungus
Hard and thick nails are a clear sign of nail fungus. Hardening of the nails, along with thickening, is also one of the most frustrating signs. These are challenges posed by a toenail fungus infection. Thick and hard nail symptoms are especially annoying because they affect your capacity to properly cut nails. The grooming of your nails will be interfered with by the symptoms of toenail fungus. You will need to implement a few additional steps to do it properly.
Hard fungal nails actually need to be trimmed as frequently as possible to stay in alignment with good hygiene practices. Extremely long, overgrown nails can pose health risks. Trimming hard fungal nails regularly is a must to avoid these risks. For example, extremely long toenails easily trap bacteria and other microorganisms underneath them, which can cause other infections. Ingrown toenails are also at a higher risk of developing when your nails are overgrown. Overgrown toenails are more prone to breaking since it is easier to mistakenly catch them on things. The jagged, rough edges of these broken nails will pierce into the skin of the toe easily. Wearing shoes with excessively long toenails will also be very uncomfortable since they won’t fit into the tops of your shoes. In short, overgrown long toenails will likely cause some sort of damage to your toe and nail health down the line.
Ways to soften and help get rid of hard and thick nails
Softening hard fungal nails is definitely an essential step to getting rid of hard and thick nails. This will also help to cut them. The symptoms of toenail fungus impact the difficulty of trimming the nails, so steps must be taken to directly counteract these symptoms! As nails become excessively hard or thick, it may become difficult for the blades of traditional home nail clippers to even fit around them at all.
Added nail material that comes with hardened and thickened nails, which also makes it more difficult to actually slice through the nails. The hardness and thickness add more nail material for the nail clippers to slice through, which presents a bigger challenge to the blades. Thickened nails may also be hardened by the fungal infection. This means that even if the toenail is the same thickness as it normally is, the nail material itself can actually still be more difficult to cut. Softening the nails to trim them provides an easy solution by making the nail softer and more pliable, and can be done at home simply by regularly soaking your feet in warm water!
While soaking the feet is helpful for trimming hard fungal nails, the best thing to do in this situation is to be seen by a licensed nail doctor. Nail doctors can find the most effective ways to eliminate your nail fungus once and for all. The gold standard for fungus removal is the PinPointe laser. Our laser treatment typically only requires one session to completely eliminate the fungus. To learn more about this treatment or schedule a free consultation with a licensed podiatrist, give us a call at 1-(800) 672-0625 or visit our website for more information.
Laser Treatment for Nail Fungus
As you can see, tips for healthy feet without nail fungus can be easy to find. If you have caught nail fungus, it can be easily treated using the FDA-approved PinPointe laser, which typically only takes one treatment. Other treatments, like topical solutions and oral medication, are not as effective. Topical solutions have a very low cure rate. This is because the solution does not penetrate all the way through the nail bed. This is because it can lead to liver toxicity. You would need to have consistent blood tests throughout the course of taking the medication.
Our nail doctor in Scottsdale, AZ, recommends this treatment for toenail fungus. The PinPointe Laser treatment has the highest cure rate in the market. It has no side effects and no recovery period. As a result, you can go about your daily activities right after the treatment. Also, there’s no pain.
If you have any signs of nail fungus, call us at (800) 672-0625 at our Scottsdale, AZ location, or visit our website for more information on our doctors at one of our over 150 locations.
