Many people have naturally very hard nails on their lower extremities. For others, they become like this over the years, as the body ages, and it becomes very difficult to cut them off. In what ways can you soften thick nails with growths?
When a person’s health is normal, it is easier for him to use any methods of softening the nail plates on the lower extremities. But when it comes to paralyzed, bedridden men and women, this task falls on the shoulders of those caring for them. In this case, agave will be a good helper. It is necessary to take a medicinal plant that is at least two years old, cut off a leaf, wash it and apply the pulp to the nail plates, fixing it with a band-aid. This will not only simplify the task of cutting nails, but will also serve as a good preventive measure for the development of fungal diseases. After all, such a problem with low immunity occurs quite often. It is better to soften with agave overnight so that the juice can act for a long time. An alternative to agave can be pumpkin pulp, which should be used in the same way.
To care for the nails of bedridden people, you can also use ready-made pharmaceutical products to quickly solve the problem.
You need to understand that deformation of toenails or their thickening is not just an aesthetic problem. There is also a risk of ingrown nails. That is why, when you notice that such a problem appears, you should not let it take its course. We need to start preventing ingrowth.
With age, this need arises more often. We cut the nails on our feet less often because they grow much slower than on our hands. And so, having one day discovered that it is already difficult to cut off the overgrown edge with ordinary manicure scissors, you have to look for auxiliary means. Since it is not possible for everyone to resort to the services of a pedicurist, folk remedies will come to the rescue. Here they are:
If you notice the problem of thickening of the nails on the lower extremities, you should use softening foot creams. They moisturize and nourish well, preventing further development of the problem.
Well-groomed nails have always indicated the good health of the owner, and they simply look aesthetically pleasing. But they do not always have the appearance that we require. The main reason is our environment. Nails become brittle, change color, or grow into the skin. With the transition to summer shoes, you want your toenails to look great too. But, unfortunately, they can thicken, which makes them not entirely beautiful. In this article we will try to figure out how to soften your toenails.
The first effective method that will help you answer the question: “How to soften your toenails?” We would like to offer you a very effective method for this - chamomile decoction. To prepare it you will need 6 tbsp. l. dried chamomile, which can be purchased at almost any pharmacy. Soak it in 2 liters of boiling water and leave to brew for 2 hours. After this, strain the infusion and boil again, cool the water to a tolerable temperature and lower your feet there for 10 minutes.
Do not cut your nails very short under any circumstances, as this will not protect them from various infections. Try to cut your nails with special nail scissors, do not think of doing this with scissors designed for cutting paper. Nails that are too short are more likely to be damaged by mechanical stress: excessive pressure or friction.
How to soften toenails: treating fungus
If your toenails begin to thicken, we recommend you the following remedy, which you can prepare yourself at home. To do this, you will need to mix the following ingredients, one tablespoon at a time: melted butter, onion pulp, garlic pulp, aloe leaf pulp. At the end, you need to add one spoon of beeswax to this entire mixture, after melting it. All this should be put on fire and cooked for 2-3 minutes. After this, the mixture is cooled to an acceptable temperature and applied in a thick layer to the nail affected by the fungus. The affected area should be wrapped in a cabbage leaf on top and secured with a bandage. It is recommended to wear thick wool socks and leave it on for several hours or overnight. It is recommended to do this procedure daily until complete recovery.
How to soften toenails using vinegar?
Regular table vinegar will help cope with nail deformation. To do this, you will need to soak a cotton swab in 9% vinegar and place it on the problem nail. You can secure it with adhesive tape. This compress should be kept for up to 2 hours. Be careful not to let the vinegar come into contact with your skin, as this may cause unwanted burns.
How to paint your toenails?
In addition to fungus and thickening, toenails may begin to peel. The reason for this may be constant exposure to varnish or acetone. To prevent damage to the nail plate, you need to know the basic rules of how to paint your toenails. Before applying polish, coat your nails with base coat. After the base has dried, take a brush and start applying polish from the middle of the nail to its edges. Don't worry about the polish getting on your skin; it can be removed very easily with a special corrective pencil. After applying the first coat of varnish, wait until it dries before applying the second. Use a fixative to ensure your beauty lasts as long as possible.
The answer to the question of how to soften toenails depends on the cause of the problem. Nail plates thicken due to a lack of vitamins and minerals, wearing uncomfortable shoes, and genetic predisposition. In most cases, you can use universal softening agents: baths, moisturizing and nourishing creams.
Baths are a good way to soften nails
Thickening of the nail plates in older people occurs due to deformation of the feet and salt deposition in the body. An old person needs to carefully care for their feet so that their nails do not grow into the skin.
It is best to use the following methods:
Aloe contains beneficial elements
Elderly people are also advised to wear only comfortable, flat shoes. If the nail begins to grow into the skin, you will need to visit a doctor, since such a problem can lead to an inflammatory process. At home, you can steam your legs and try to remove the appendage.
If the nail plates are very hard and the nail on the big toe has turned yellow, this indicates a fungal infection. Fighting the disease with conventional creams and various folk methods is quite stupid, since the fungus tends to quickly progress and affect healthy areas. This disease can also be transmitted to other people.
Treatment of fungus involves the use of medications. The most effective of them:
Dimexide will help soften the nail plates
An empty toenail indicates the development of onycholysis, a disease that is often confused with a fungus. Due to the occurrence of this pathology, the nails crumble and peel off, and a characteristic stripe appears under them. To treat this disease, vitamins from groups A and B are used, as well as 5% heliomycin ointment.
For a pedicure, you must treat your feet and soften your nails. Only after this should you use special scissors.
Foot softening is carried out in three main stages:
Even a “neglected” fungus can be cured at home. Just remember to apply once a day.
Apply polish to dry nails
Medications, as well as traditional methods, help restore the softness and elasticity of nails. In pharmacies you can buy a universal softener that will quickly deal with the problem. It should be borne in mind that infectious diseases cannot be cured with such folk remedies and medications.
The following medications can be used:
Sholl cream will moisturize not only nails, but also the skin of the feet
It is highly not recommended to use folk recipes based on onions or garlic. Such components can cause severe irritation and peeling of the skin.
You can use absolutely any natural oil. For these purposes, jojoba, shea tree, lavender or almond extracts are best suited. Oils should be added to nourishing creams and baths. Such components perfectly nourish the feet, in addition, they saturate the skin with vitamins. It is highly not recommended to use oils individually; for a good effect, it is enough to add 2-3 drops of the product to a ready-made care product.
Natural oils saturate the skin and nails with vitamins
You will need to pour 5-6 liters of boiling water into a basin and pour 3-4 tablespoons of soda into it. If the skin on your feet is insensitive, you can add half a bar of laundry soap. All components must be mixed, then allow the liquid to cool to room temperature. When the mixture becomes warm, you should immerse your feet in it for 15-25 minutes.
Soda baths are very beneficial for nails
The effect is weaker than that of aloe. The pumpkin must first be washed and cleared of seeds. After this, you need to remove the pulp from it and cut it into 10 small pieces. The pieces should be applied to the nail plates and secured with a band-aid. The compress must be kept for 14 hours.
If the nail is pressed and because of this it becomes hard and the skin around it turns red, then all the methods described will not help. There is only one effective way to deal with this problem - remove the nail plate. A doctor must carry out such a procedure.
An ingrown toenail causes a lot of physical and aesthetic discomfort, since it not only takes on an unpleasant appearance, but also does not allow a person to move normally.
With an ingrown toenail, as with fungal diseases, the nail plate is damaged, which becomes much thicker and loses its natural shine and color. If onychocryptosis or onychomycosis is not treated, over time the nail will become completely deformed, resulting in its destruction. Before removing or correcting an ingrown toenail, you need to soften the nail plate, because if the nail is hard and thick, cutting it is quite difficult, and attempts at a pedicure can injure already inflamed skin.
It is necessary to take measures to soften the nail plate when:
All these signs are symptoms of onychocryptosis or a fungal infection, which in the process of its development causes dystrophic changes in the nail plate.
There are many ways to soften an ingrown toenail, which can be used at home or by seeking help from a pedicurist. In any case, if the nail is ingrown, it must be treated as quickly as possible in order to prevent all sorts of complications and preserve the nail plate itself.
The most common and affordable way to soften a nail is to use hot foot baths. It is recommended to do such procedures before going to bed for several days.
After each bath, you should try to cut off part of the ingrown toenail.
If the cause of an ingrown toenail is fungal diseases, then in addition to the use of baths, the use of antifungal drugs for external use is required, which must be applied to the skin immediately after the bath. Also, do not forget about antiseptic agents that will prevent the infection from spreading to the surrounding skin tissue.
You can prepare baths for ingrown toenails using both herbal decoctions and improvised means that can be found in the kitchen of every housewife.
The most common and affordable way to soften a nail is to use hot foot baths.
Among such procedures, the following baths are especially popular.
Bath with soda. Soda baths not only soften the nail well, but also have an antimicrobial effect, neutralize the acidic environment, remove unpleasant odors, relieve inflammation, have an antifungal effect, and well disinfect the skin between the nail and soft tissues. To prepare a soda bath, you need to take 2 liters of hot water, 2 tbsp. l. liquid soap or soap shavings + 1 tbsp. l. baking soda. You need to do such baths every day for 5-7 days for 20 minutes before going to bed. After this procedure, you can apply any medicine or compress to the nail and skin between the nails to help soften the nail plate.
Herbal decoctions to soften the nail plate. Herbs have pronounced anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound-healing properties, and are good for both ingrown toenails and fungal diseases.
To prepare herbal baths, you can take chamomile, sage, St. John's wort, celandine, etc.
Before carrying out such procedures, you need to take an equal amount of herbs, 1 tbsp. l., pour 2 liters of water, leave for 30 minutes, add to a bowl of hot water. It is recommended to do such baths for 15 minutes daily. After the bath, dry your feet and apply any moisturizer or anti-inflammatory agent. If after the bath the nail has softened well, you can try cutting it or putting a cotton swab under it, which will help the nails slowly come out of the soft tissue.
Important to note: If you need to soften the nail, you do not need to use sea salt baths, as such procedures will make the nail plate even stronger.
It is not recommended to use sea salt baths to soften nails.
Essential oils for ingrown toenails. In order to soften the nail, you can use essential oils. A good result can be obtained if you use rosemary oil, lavender essential oil or ylang-ylang oil. Essential oils should not be used in their pure form, so as not to burn the skin between the nail and soft tissues. You can treat an ingrown toenail with one of the oils, or combine several. To prepare a bath, take 3 drops of each oil, add to 2 liters of hot water and soak your feet in the water for 20 minutes.
If after the bath the nail is not softened enough and cannot be cut, you can do additional procedures using ointments or various compresses.
You can cure an ingrown toenail with various ointments that you can prepare at home. Such ointments soften the nail plate well and relieve inflammation between the nail and soft tissues. A good and quick result can be obtained if you use an ointment made from onions, wax, garlic and butter. To prepare you will need: 1 small onion, aloe leaf, 1 clove of garlic, 20 g melted butter and 10 g wax. All ingredients need to be crushed, add wax and oil and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Afterwards, the finished mixture needs to be cooled and applied to the nail, you can make compresses. After applying the ointment, wrap your toe in plastic, put on a warm sock and leave it overnight.
You can cure an ingrown toenail with ointments, which, if desired, can be quickly prepared at home. A good result can be obtained if you use an ointment made from onions, wax, garlic and butter.
This ointment is recommended to be applied after any bath, which will enhance the effect of each other and soften the nail in a short time, trim the edges, thereby curing onychocryptosis.
Moisturizing cream. If the nail grows into the skin and there are difficulties with its removal, you can use a regular moisturizer, which should be applied to the skin between the nail and the nail plate itself. You need to apply the cream after bathing or showering. It is recommended to do this procedure every other day; you can alternate with compresses or baths. For a hard nail plate, it is better to choose cosmetic creams that contain herbal ingredients, as well as vitamins A and E.
If your toenail is ingrown, you can prepare compresses that will help soften the nail plate, thereby speeding up the process of its release from the soft tissues.
An indispensable assistant if the nail is ingrown is aloe and warm butter.
To prepare a compress, you need to take equal parts of crushed aloe leaf and 20 g of warm butter. Mix everything well, apply to a gauze pad and apply to the sore finger. Wrap the top with polyethylene, put on a warm sock and leave overnight. You can cure the nail and soften the nail plate after just two procedures. You need to make such compresses after any bath for 4 days. Usually, 3 procedures are enough to cure an ingrown toenail.
An indispensable assistant if you have an ingrown nail is a product made from aloe vera with the addition of butter.
Vinegar and a patch are a simple and proven way to treat an ingrown toenail. Just take a cotton swab, soak it in 9% table or apple cider vinegar, squeeze it out and apply it to the nail, secure it with a band-aid on top and leave it overnight. It is recommended to do such procedures for about 5 days. It is important to note that such a compress cannot be used if there are wounds between the nails.
Regardless of the chosen method of softening the nail plate with an ingrown toenail or fungal infection, after the procedure you should try to trim the nails with rounded manicure scissors or nippers, then file, apply a protective colorless varnish, which can be bought at any pharmacy.
The procedures must be carried out until the nail plate acquires a healthy appearance. Usually, if the nail is ingrown, but the treatment was timely, you need to make sure that there is no relapse.
If it is not possible to treat an ingrown toenail at home, it has grown deeply into the skin, there is inflammation, you should not delay a visit to a doctor, who, after examination, will be able to assess the condition of the nail plate, carry out treatment, and give useful recommendations.
An ingrown toenail is a fairly serious and unpleasant problem that can cause a lot of discomfort and pain, so the disease needs to be treated as early as possible. If you do not treat an ingrown toenail and ignore the symptoms of the disease, then in the future you will not be able to do without surgery.
Ingrown toenail: how to get rid of it yourself at home
?Treatment of an INGRONED NAIL at home. Solving the problem WITHOUT OPERATION.
The problem of hard, thick and ingrown nails is not far-fetched, and it is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also of health. Sometimes it is necessary not only to get a pedicure in order to put on sandals, but to cut off a thick nail on a foot affected by a fungal formation, where a steam bath alone is not enough, which may be completely contraindicated. How to soften toenails for people with different physiological conditions and needs?
Bath for softening nails
A foot bath is the most simple way to soften nails. It is better to take hot baths either in the evening before going to bed, or a few hours before going out if you are going to have a pedicure on the way out. You can add a strong decoction of calendula or chamomile to the bath, which have a softening, soothing, wound-healing agent, or celandine, which will also help wounds heal.
Avoid baths with sea salt, as they are good for relaxation or toning, but salt can make the nail plate even stronger, which in this case is undesirable.
As an aid, add essential oil of citrus fruits, for example, grapefruit to the water. Grapefruit: beneficial properties and contraindications of a refreshing fruit, lemon. Lemon: beneficial properties and contraindications of sour citrus fruit, orange. After the bath, if the nail is not softened enough for effective cutting, rub a special homemade ointment into it, which can be easily made from available products.
Citrus peels have effective emollients and can also be used to soften the nail as a compress. It is better to grind the peel, for example, by grating it, so that it releases its juices and is easier to apply. Caution if you suffer from allergic reactions or if the skin on your fingers is injured or irritated. The same goes for onion compresses.
Compresses to soften nails
A paste for softening a thickened nail plate can be made from several ingredients that simultaneously have softening, moisturizing and disinfecting properties. For this, a base in the form of aloe Aloe is the best fit: beneficial properties and contraindications of a time-tested plant, which needs to be ground with melted butter, beeswax and onions. The ingredients must be mixed in equal parts and placed on low heat. Cook for two to three minutes, then cool the mixture to a comfortable temperature and apply as a compress to rough nails, leaving overnight under a fixing bandage made of plastic film and a sock.
It is better to do such a compress not as a one-time procedure, but as a whole course, repeating it every day until the nails become soft and healthy.
This nutritious compress heals the nail plate, and in addition to this home treatment, you need to use a varnish enriched with vitamins, and also review your diet, including a sufficient amount of foods with vitamins A, C, E, D. Low-nutrient diets with a sharp reduction in polyunsaturated fatty acids acids, vitamins and minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc) can lead to pathological deformations of the nail plate. Softening of nails does not always have to be a one-time thing; in some cases, it is a long-term treatment with complete recovery of the body, mainly with compensation for vitamin deficiency.
Cosmetic and medicinal products for softening toenails
Professional cosmetic brands and manufacturers of treatment lines offer a wide range of products that will help quickly and effectively soften the toenail plate for people of any age. Depending on your individual needs and preferences, you can choose one of the following:
Before applying a topical remedy, you need to find out how to soften the nail with fungus. A regular pedicure set cannot always cope with a thickened and loose nail, and there is a risk of further damaging the nail plate, causing a secondary infection.
Softening is necessary not only because it is difficult to trim an overgrown nail, giving it a beautiful shape, but also because it is difficult to carry out therapeutic antifungal procedures on a thickened nail plate.
Before applying one of the proposed products to help soften the nail bed affected by fungus, it is necessary to prepare the feet by making the nail structure more elastic. For this you can use:
Softening nails using aqueous solutions is one of the simplest and most affordable methods. These procedures not only help soften the thickened, uneven plate, but also help improve the condition of the skin of the feet. The following solutions can be used:
The water should not be too hot. The nail softening procedure lasts no more than 20 minutes.
The cooling of the bath should serve as a signal for you to try to clean off the softened layers from the plate.
If the spread of nail fungus deep into the nail structure is not very strong, then foot baths with various emollients will be sufficient.
If there is no time or opportunity to do foot baths to soften the nails, then you can use the following compresses and lotions:
If the area of nail fungus is not very large, then such compresses and lotions will be an excellent therapeutic and strengthening remedy, because the acidic environment is unfavorable for fungal infections.
After applying compresses or foot baths, it is necessary to apply a therapeutic antifungal agent.
If the depth of the layer affected by the fungus is large, then baths and lotions are not enough. We need drugs that can penetrate deeply into the nail structure. Among them are:
With the help of medications, you can quickly and effectively soften a nail affected by fungus.
Dermatologists recommend using:
When choosing a drug, it is better to consult a dermatologist. The attending physician will help you choose a medicine not only with a softening, but also with a healing effect.
Traditional medicine offers many recipes for homemade ointments that have not only a softening, but also an antifungal effect.
It is worth considering formulations that, due to the combination of the availability of components and ease of use, are most popular among patients with fungal infections.
Take the ingredients of the ointment in equal parts, mix well and heat in a water bath for 2-3 minutes.
Spread the resulting mixture warm onto the affected area, wrap it in a cabbage leaf and secure. Put a warm sock over the bandage and keep the compress overnight, then rinse with warm water.
Mix all ingredients until smooth and spread on the fungus-affected area. Wrap in the same way as in the previous case (you can use cellophane film instead of a cabbage leaf).
Regardless of whether a medicine or a folk remedy is used, you need to follow the rules:
After removing the softened layers, you can apply an antifungal medication prescribed by your doctor.
Preliminary softening of the nail is necessary not only to give the nail affected by the fungus an attractive appearance. It is needed for antifungal therapy. Removing the upper layers will help the medication penetrate more deeply into the nail structure, which means more successfully combating fungal tissue infection.
To perform a pedicure with roughened plates, you must first soften your toenails. The cause of keratinization of the plate is both external and internal factors. Older people become coarser due to increased levels of salts in the body. If the cause of the compaction is a fungus, it is treated using traditional medicine, using antifungal drugs. To steam nails, they use traditional methods using baths, traditional ointments, creams and compresses.
Hard toenails cause physical discomfort and visual impairment. Cutting nails becomes more problematic. Reasons for the appearance of growths and thickening:
Often, deformities of the nail plate on the toe are visible on the big toe. A thick nail is harder to cut. Softening will make the process easier.
The main reason why old people's nails become hard and thick is foot deformity. This occurs due to salt deposition due to lack of physical activity. At the same time, there is a high risk of developing onychomycosis due to injury to the soft tissues of the finger. In older people, nails become rougher, lack shine, and change color. Sometimes genetic factors contribute to the appearance of growths on the plate, brittleness of the nail plate and cracks on it, which becomes more pronounced with age. In such situations, a toenail softener is used for haircuts and pedicures.
Steaming will allow you to cut off the thickened plate without pain. You can steam your feet with a bath - the best home remedy and preventive measure for doing your own manicure. To do this, fill a basin with hot water, which will be warm enough to affect the skin, but will not burn it. It is better to rinse your feet first in warm water, clearing them of dirt. The feet are placed in water, and a nail softener can be added there, which can be essential oils or sea salt. After the skin and nail plate have become soft, you can begin the pedicure. The medicine is also applied only after steaming. During this procedure, the skin is cleansed of harmful microelements. In this way, you can also steam your fingernails by immersing them hand by hand in liquid.
There is more than one method for softening the nail plate. Therapy is carried out using traditional methods and synthetic drugs. A cream for softening nails can be bought at a pharmacy (as prescribed by a doctor) and, using it yourself, eliminates the area affected by the fungus. It is important to remember that before using a medicine, you need to determine the cause of the disease and eliminate the factor that provoked it. The table shows the main types of softeners.