No matter how hard a person tries to care for his nail plates, at one “wonderful” moment he may find that they become thicker and denser. Growths appear on them. And cutting them becomes problematic. More often this happens to the nail plates on the toes. How to make them softer? We have to look for some means to soften thickened nails.
In some people, this manifestation is a hereditary factor. For others it occurs due to illness, for others it is due to injury. And in older people it may just be age-related changes.
Nails are derivatives of the outer skin. Their main purpose is to protect the phalanges of the fingers from various injuries. The structure of the nail plates is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. The basis of this protective layer is the protein keratin. A healthy nail contains elements such as sulfur, zinc, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, and chromium. It is the absence of any substance from the listed list that leads to pain in the nail plate.
Properties such as shine and elasticity are given to the nail by internal layers of water and fat, which are located between adjacent layers of keratin. At the same time, even a healthy nail can become thicker. For example, after a long stay of the plates in water.
Among the diseases that cause thickening of the nail plates, it is worth noting:
A number of chronic diseases that arise due to metabolic disorders, such as anemia (anemia), diabetes or allergic manifestations, also lead to fragility, separation and thickening of the nail plates. Problems with poor circulation in the nail plates can lead to a similar result.
A person himself can contribute to the development of such manifestations by involuntarily performing the following actions:
There is also a natural reason why nails become rough, lose their natural color and thicken - these are age-related changes. Small children's nails are soft. Over the years, the horny plate gradually hardens. And this does not depend on the quality of nail care.
Many people, even if they have to soften the nail plates, need to perform this procedure only as needed, that is, quite rarely. However, some people need to perform this manipulation as their nails grow in order to trim their nails. This happens due to the characteristics that the horny plates have in this particular person. But for an elderly person, due to age-related changes, the softening procedure must be performed before each nail cutting.
How to soften the toenails of older people, especially when they cannot take care of themselves? For such circumstances, there are several folk recipes:
The leaf of the plant must be freed from thorns and then cut lengthwise. Cut out an appropriate piece according to the size of the nail and apply it to the nail plate with the pulp. Secure with a band-aid and leave overnight. In the morning, the softened plate becomes pliable for further procedures.
By attaching them to the nail, fixation is performed. A product that can soften the plate must be left on for 10 to 12 hours.
These ingredients are required in equal proportions, and two parts of water are needed. This mixture is applied only to the nails and left overnight. But you cannot carry out such procedures too often! Read more: iodine for nails: what are the benefits, baths and masks.
Another recipe that will help make your feet more tender in general (in video format, watch it!):
How to soften a nail affected by fungus.
Kombucha is used with great success for this purpose. Having tied or secured with an adhesive plaster, a piece of such a product 3 millimeters thick to the nail plate, you need to hold it during sleep, remove it in the morning. In this case, the nails can be additionally treated with vinegar in order to kill fungal spores.
For the same purpose, you can use the pharmaceutical drug Fundizol. The medicine is applied to the toenail or hand nail three times a day in a thick layer. Cellophane is applied on top, which requires adhesive to secure.
There are many more remedies that help not only soften the nail, but also cure the fungus, read about it here: remedies for nail fungus: how to treat it.
You can also soften the toenails of an old person using special baths. The same method is suitable for people of other ages. At home, the choice of method depends entirely on the health of the elderly patient and whether there are any associated causes of hardening.
The bath allows not only softening, but also relaxes the muscles of the feet, as it is a pleasant procedure. This is especially necessary if the process is performed to trim the nail plates.
There are general rules for using this method:
Bath for softening hard nails.
Here are some recipes for preparing foot baths:
The bath is ready for use!
Bring the volume of the bath to the required level by adding warm water.
It can be milk, liquid honey or cream.
If you need to soften the nail plates of your hands, then the described recipes are quite suitable for such a procedure. Less water required. When performing the softening procedure, neither sea nor table salt should be used. This product is used to strengthen the nail plate.
Vishnevsky ointment is the remedy that allows you to soften the nail. A compress is applied with it at night.
However, a homemade toenail softening cream may be a more effective remedy. To make it you need onions, garlic and aloe leaf. These ingredients are grated or minced in equal proportions. Add butter to them in the same amount, and then a spoonful of beeswax. All ingredients are mixed and placed on fire. After two minutes of slow boiling, the mixture becomes homogeneous, and when cooled, it becomes an ointment for softening. After applying it to the nail, a cabbage leaf softened with boiling water is applied on top. Secure with a bandage and leave overnight.
To soften it, it is also possible to use products sold at the pharmacy, including creams, just ask the pharmacist what he recommends!
In order to steam the nail plates, the best way is a bath.
Several of the best bath recipes have been described above. In this case, it is possible to periodically add hot water. However, the steaming temperature should be comfortable for a person.
How to trim thick nails for an elderly person? This question interests any person who has elderly parents who need to be cared for. And sometimes problems arise with your own nails...
The main preliminary requirement is to soften the nail plate. The remaining requirements remain the same as those used by older people before:
One of the secrets to caring for an older person's nails is using good nail clippers. Their selection does not always correspond to the strength of the plate.
It is also advisable to rub exfoliating lotion onto your feet and lower legs after your pedicure procedure. And then perform a light massage of the lower legs to improve blood circulation.
Doctors say that the state of a person’s health can be determined by the condition of the nails. Fragile, brittle, dry nails indicate a lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. The structure of the plate consists of keratin and a water-fat layer. Lack of moisture is manifested by stripes on the nail plate, spots, discoloration and loss of brightness and shine of the nail. Dehydration affects both the cuticle and the skin around the fingers. The main cause of nail problems is considered to be a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. But external influences also play an important role on the condition of the nail plate.
The main factors leading to dry nails are:
If the problem is caused by external irritants, then solving it will not be difficult in most cases. It is enough to eliminate exposure to an aggressive environment and carry out the necessary restoration procedures.
A dry nail plate is dangerous because the cracks that appear on it deepen over time and serve as a real gateway for fungal infections and bacteria. Once the condition of the hands is neglected, the skin and nails will imperceptibly reach a bleeding, painful state.
With 99% confidence, we can say that you will need a course of taking vitamin-mineral complexes with a high content of vitamins A, E, D. If the problem was caught at the beginning, then perhaps you can saturate the body with vitamins using food. Vegetables and fruits, fish and beef liver, bread with bran and cereal sprouts should be added to the diet.
The use of cosmetic moisturizers and home remedies from available substances helps to cope with dryness of the nails and the skin around them.
Baths, masks and hand care creams can be bought in pharmacies, beauty salons or made from improvised products.
If your nails become thin and begin to peel, a bath of regular table salt will help. You need to add a little salt to warm water and hold your hands for about 15 minutes. Salt kills infections and promotes the accumulation of moisture. Baths made from medicinal plants and essential oils are good for disinfecting nail plates and moisturizing the skin:
The temperature of the healing liquid should be comfortable for the hands. After the procedure, wash your hands with warm water and lubricate with nourishing cream.
Often, after cooking, pieces of boiled and fresh vegetables and fruits remain. This waste can be successfully used to nourish the nails and skin of the hands. Just mash a piece of vegetable, add vegetable oil and apply to your hands. Keep the mask for 10-15 minutes and rinse with warm water.
Blue clay is considered an excellent product for cosmetic masks. They can be used no more than once a week. Dilute a spoonful of clay powder with warm water and add a few drops of olive oil. If there are microcracks, it is recommended to add a couple of drops of pharmaceutical iodine or tea tree oil. This will help further protect the nail from fungal infection. You can keep the mask on your hands for no more than 30 minutes. After this, rinse with warm water and apply nourishing cream to your hands.
Wax masks at night do an excellent job of exfoliating the nail plates and nourishing the skin around them. They can also be used to treat dry toenails. Heat the beeswax in a water bath, add half a teaspoon of honey or a little salt. Dip your fingers into the melted wax for a few seconds and let cool. Wear soft gloves (wear socks when treating feet). Apply the mask throughout the night no more than once every three days. In the morning, just wash off the mask with very warm water.
Hand care is quite simple and does not take much time. Alternating treatments will help prevent dryness problems.
You can avoid problems with brittle nails and cuticles by following some simple rules.
Hands are considered a mirror reflecting the state of human health. Therefore, if your nails begin to peel or break, you should consult a doctor to eliminate the risk of developing diseases.
Hello, dear friends.
Healthy and beautiful toenails are the same indispensable element of the image of a modern person as beautiful hair and a snow-white smile, this is especially true in the summer, when we wear open shoes. But it happens that over time, toenails become thick and hard, change color and structure, bend, crumble and even curl.
This disease is called subungual hyperkeratosis or onychauxis. It is difficult to hide such a cosmetic defect; besides, thickening of the toenails (and in 95% of cases this is exactly the case) brings great inconvenience to the owner, and often pain.
This problem requires careful and rather long-term treatment. Toenails are thick and hard: what are the reasons and what to do, the choice of which depends on the reason causing the roughening of the nails.
There are several reasons for thickening of nails:
Nails affected by fungus
Deformation of toenails due to uncomfortable shoes
Treatment for thickened nails depends on the cause of this defect. First of all, we need to eliminate it. That is, if the nails are thickened due to a fungus, then it needs to be cured.
The fastest and most effective method is the use of modern drugs such as Stop Active, or Miconazole and analogues. A more gentle method is to use tea tree oil.
And if you have flat feet, you need to, with the help of an orthopedic doctor, choose special shoes that will prevent your nails from being injured when walking.
In any case, it is very advisable to consult a doctor, since nails can determine the onset of some serious illness, the symptoms of which have not yet appeared.
At home, you should try to soften your nails using folk remedies. The choice of method also depends on the cause of the roughening of the nail plates. The most effective remedy is medicinal baths. The general rules are:
Important point! If you don’t know how to soften rough nails, you don’t need to make saline solutions (including sea salt), as they, on the contrary, strengthen the nails.
For baths, add 10 drops of one of the following essential oils to 5 liters of warm water:
In addition to the softening effect, these oils have a pronounced bactericidal effect and will help defeat infection on the feet, if any. Oils can be combined, then take 5 drops of each.
Lemon juice baths can only be used for diseases when the skin between the toes and on the foot is not damaged, otherwise there will be a strong burning sensation, and areas damaged by the fungus may ulcerate. Lemon juice should be taken no more than 50 grams (2 tablespoons) per 5 liters of water.
To soften nails, you can use strong decoctions of medicinal plants such as chamomile, mint, nettle and calendula. For 5 liters of water you can brew up to 100 grams of dry matter or up to 300 grams of fresh herbs. Leave for at least an hour, and then heat to a comfortable temperature.
A very good result is obtained by string - a grass that is used for bathing infants. Such otherwise very useful plants as thyme, sage, wheatgrass, oak bark, and linden blossom are absolutely not suitable.
This plant is poisonous, but very effective in softening nails. You need to take 1 tablespoon of fresh milkweed grass, chop it so that a lot of juice comes out and pour in 50 grams of vodka.
Infuse for a day in a dark place, then pour the infusion into warm water to soak your feet. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.
This remedy cannot be used for fungal nail infections, since the colored celandine juice penetrates deeply into the damaged structures of the plate and causes internal burns.
But for traumatic thickening of the plate, a bath with celandine juice - 1 tablespoon per 2 liters of water (or a glass of dry herb decoction) will be very effective.
True, in this case the nails will turn yellow-orange, but this will fade quickly - within a day they will return to their normal color.
An excellent softener and disinfectant. We recommend using it for fungal and other infectious lesions of the feet.
Buy tar soap (it is sold in pharmacies), grate about a quarter of a bar on a coarse grater. Next, dilute it in a small amount of warm water.
Before the bath itself, we recommend lubricating your nails with this concentrated solution and wrapping them for 5-10 minutes to prevent them from drying out.
The duration of the bath is up to 20 minutes, you need to add hot water so as not to catch a cold.
Take two tablespoons of flaxseed and add a liter of boiling water. Let it brew for 2-3 hours and pour, without straining, directly into the water.
The seeds themselves can be used to massage the skin between your toes and feet, which will soften the skin. This is a very effective folk remedy for softening thick and ingrown nails.
This option allows you to prepare even very thick nails for cutting, but the smell! Of course, it is quite difficult to withstand the strong aroma of ammonia and it will be heard in the house for several more hours.
And if you decide on such a procedure, then for each liter of warm water you need to take 10 drops of pharmaceutical ammonia.
This type of compress is even more useful for thickening nails, but they have one drawback - the procedure takes a long time. It takes 8-12 hours to achieve maximum effect. Therefore, it is best to do compresses at night, and in the morning the nails will become much softer and, if necessary, they will be easy to trim.
Aloe leaf (or calisia, which we call golden mustache) should be crushed into a paste and applied to the affected nails. Wrap everything on top with polyethylene and put on a sock.
Cut fresh ripe pumpkin into slices about 0.5 cm thick and tie tightly to the nail plates. By the way, pumpkin gives up its moisture so much that it practically dries out on the nails.
Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater and add a little olive or any other vegetable oil and cover the nail with this mixture. The result will definitely please you. By the way, this paste can also be used to treat cracked heels.
The composition can be prepared several times in advance and stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed bottle. To do this, add 10 ml of iodine and 10 ml of vinegar essence to 10 ml of glycerin. Then shake it all vigorously and pour in 50 ml of water.
Before each use, everything must be shaken very vigorously and carefully, without touching the skin, applied to the nail. It is best to do this with a brush that is used to apply the varnish. After this, immediately attach a medical plaster to the nail.
Cut the mushroom into plastic pieces half a centimeter thick and the size of a fingernail and bandage them tightly overnight.
Boil the potato, mash it and when it has cooled to a warm state, mix it with a teaspoon of honey. Lubricate your nails and put thick socks on your feet.
Take a tablespoon of potato or corn starch and any vegetable oil, make a porridge and apply a thick layer to your nails. There is no need to wrap it in plastic or a bandage, but only protect your feet so as not to rub off the compress. You can just bandage your fingers. In the morning, rinse thoroughly with hot water and apply softening hand cream to your nails. Just a few procedures and your nails will be as good as new.
Rendered and cooled pork fat is an excellent tenderizer. They just need to apply polish to their nails, put on socks and go to bed. You can wash it off with warm water and regular soap.
Cut small onions in half and bake in the oven until softened. When it has cooled to a comfortable temperature, apply tightly to the nails and bandage. By the way, if you have calluses and calluses, at the same time, bandage them too. Soon you will forget about thick nails and problems with the skin of your feet.
Don’t be lazy – prepare this ointment and use it daily before bed. In a week, your nails will be renewed, soft and elastic, like a child’s. To make it you need to take 50 grams of each ingredient:
Pass the onion, garlic and aloe through a meat grinder (or chop with a blender), mix well, add oil and wax and place in a water bath.
When the butter and wax melt, stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, pour into a storage container and cool. Keep refrigerated.
Apply a thick layer to the nail plate, attach pieces of cabbage leaf on top (the not very dense part) and bandage each finger tightly. A course of procedures can be carried out periodically as a preventive measure and to improve nail health.
This seemingly simple procedure can become very problematic, especially for older people who find it difficult to bend over or do not have the strength to split a dense nail plate.
Naturally, the nails will have to be softened first. You can use one of the recipes for baths or compresses described above. Or buy a ready-made softener at the pharmacy - that’s what it’s called. Add to hot water according to instructions and keep for at least 20 minutes.
For cutting, it is best to use nail clippers, since ordinary nail scissors often cannot “tackle” very thick nails. It happens that it is difficult to cope with wire cutters on your own.
In these cases, we will offer you a method that may not be very attractive, but is effective. Try using the chicken scissors found in kitchen knife sets. They are designed for cutting bones and can easily handle even very thick nails, and even more so after softening. In order not to embarrass your relatives, buy yourself separate ones and that’s it.
After circumcision, we advise you to treat your nails with a file and an oil vitamin composition, including vitamins A, D, E. This will be a good help for your nails in the fight against the difficulties of life.
Important! If you have problems with your nails, you should stop using polish and gel, as the nails under them do not breathe and the disease will worsen, making it impossible to hide it.
The best option is to regularly perform professional pedicure procedures. But, unfortunately, not many women, not to mention men, can afford this pleasure. Some because of the rather high price of these cosmetic services, others only because there are no specialists where they live.
Those who have mastered this difficult science on their own have virtually no problems with nails. We advise others to regularly perform the following preventive minimum:
Such simple care will allow you to keep your nails in good health, and if something goes wrong, you will notice and fix the problem in time.
Nail professionals know that nails, just like hair and skin, come in different types. Accordingly, each type requires special means and methods of care. Unfortunately, our clients make serious mistakes when choosing their own preparations for the care or restoration of nails. Our task as professionals is to tell them that there are not only “normal” and “flaking” nails, and also to explain that the selection of corrective and restorative products is the prerogative of a specialist. An incorrectly determined type of nail plate and an incorrectly chosen care product can only aggravate the problem.
With this article we are opening a series of publications where we will tell you what types of nail plates there are and how to care for them.
Today we will talk about a problem that manifests itself especially clearly in winter. These are dry nails, dry skin on the hands, dry skin near the nails and cuticles.
With the onset of cold days, our hands and nails become very vulnerable: temperature changes, the prickly winter wind and dry indoor air - all this has a detrimental effect on them: the skin and cuticles become dry and hard. Nails may also become drier, dehydrated, and even begin to break and flake. Maintaining healthy hand skin and cuticles is necessary by regular use of a variety of nourishing and moisturizing creams and oils in the salon and at home. But the problem of brittle, dry nails can only be dealt with with the help of special products. At the same time, it is very important not to make a mistake in choosing care products, since an incorrectly selected product can significantly worsen the condition of the nail plate. For example, after noticing brittle, dry nails, our clients often begin using products high in calcium to strengthen them. Contrary to expectations, dry fingernails and toenails become even more fragile. The reason is the wrong product: dry nails need intense hydration and active protection. They lack elasticity, and the high calcium preparation makes them stiff. Already inelastic, dry nails become even more fragile and brittle. Therefore, the use of products with calcium is contraindicated in this case.
It is important to remember that brittle, dry nails are usually not a local problem. Most often, dry nail plates are accompanied by dry, hard cuticles and dry skin on the hands. Brittle nails and dry skin are the result of a lack of essential lipids (fats). Nails receive the necessary nutrition through the matrix zone. And if the skin does not have enough of its own lipids (its protective barrier is broken and dehydration occurs), then there is nothing to nourish the nails and cuticles. Therefore, the problem of dryness must be solved comprehensively: by nourishing and protecting the dry skin of the hands near the nails, applying nutritional components to the cuticle, we support and strengthen the nails, returning the necessary fats to them and preventing dehydration.
When starting the care procedure, diagnose the condition of the skin of the hands, the skin near the nails and the client’s nails. Pay attention to whether the nails have a natural shine, whether there are any unevenness or signs of peeling. Also note whether the skin of your hands and the skin near the nails is well moisturized, how elastic and smooth it is. Are there any cracks or peeling on it? Check your cuticles to see if they show signs of dryness, excess growth, hangnails or damage.
- the natural shine is weak, the nail looks powdery,
- white spots on the nail plate,
- pronounced vertical grooves.
Pull test: Hold the client's finger firmly and use the pad of the thumb to slide down the nail plate. Lack of sliding, movement of the finger along the nail with some effort indicates dryness of the nail plate.
To understand why nails become dry, let's remember their anatomy. The nail plate consists of many layers of keratinized, anucleate keratin cells. Keratin cells, in turn, are divided into 3 layers:
- 1st layer - dorsal: keratinized keratin - hard, protective layer;
-2nd layer – intermedial or intermediate – soft keratin;
-3rd layer – ventral or spinous – keratin of the nail bed.
Between the layers of keratin are thin layers of fatty compounds and water. It is these layers that give the nail plate elasticity and shine. If the water and fat content falls below normal (fat approximately 1%, water approximately 15%), the nails become dry and brittle. If this process is not stopped in time, the nail plate ceases to be monolithic - it is divided into numerous single layers - thus, the delamination of the nail plate begins. And this problem is much more difficult to deal with than dry nails. This is why it is so important to stop nail dehydration and replenish the lack of natural lipids and water.
- the skin is thin, dull, looks wrinkled and dehydrated. Due to the accumulation of dead cells, it may appear as if covered with a white coating.
- rough, inelastic skin;
— dry to the touch, slightly rough, may peel;
- Very dry skin may have cracks.
The owner of dry hand skin feels discomfort, tightness and sometimes even itching.
In addition to the fact that dry skin near the nails, and hands in general, looks unsightly and can cause inconvenience, it is also a risk factor: if dry skin on the hands is not properly cared for, the skin’s protective mechanisms are weakened, which can lead to more serious problems, for example:
- atopic dermatitis - redness and soreness appear, the skin cracks and becomes inflamed;
- folliculitis - inflammation of the hair follicle, redness, swelling, and then an abscess appear on the surface penetrated by the hair;
- very dry skin may develop deep bleeding cracks, opening the way for bacteria to enter, which can lead to cellulitis - an acute inflammation of the connective tissue of the skin caused by a bacterial infection.
The condition of nails and skin directly depends on external factors. Very cold or hot, dry and conditioned air. Low humidity and temperature in winter. Tanning abuse.
Frequent exposure of hands to water, especially with the use of household chemicals, helps to wash out the water-fat layer from the intercellular space.
Neglect of care products. Hand washing and numerous external factors destroy the skin's natural protective barrier, which leads to significant dehydration, dryness and cracking. As a result, the cuticle and nails dry out. It is known that in winter, dehydration occurs much more intensely; the amount of water in nails is 30% less than in summer. Therefore, in winter our hands and nails need more intensive care and nutrition.
The use of acetone-free liquids intended for removing polish from gel or acrylic nails is also extremely unfavorable for the nail plate. The solvent they contain removes the polish without dissolving the false nail. But it is very aggressive towards natural nails and adjacent tissues, causing their dehydration, as a result of which a white coating appears on the nails and cuticles. For natural nails, liquids containing acetone and moisturizers are suitable.
Gel or acrylic extensions also have a very negative effect on the condition of the nails: dehydrators and degreasers used in the procedure literally pull natural moisture and fat from the intercellular space of the nail plate.
The age factor cannot be ignored either. Over the years, the skin and nail plate age, become dry, deprived of moisture and natural lipids. The skin becomes covered with a network of wrinkles. The nail loses its healthy shine and becomes covered with vertical grooves. Regular, proper care and prevention will slow down this process.
•Mandatory use of rubber gloves when working in water and with household chemicals.
•If, due to the nature of your work, you are forced to spend a lot of time wearing rubber gloves, you need to wear cotton gloves underneath them, and lubricate your hands with a protective or nourishing cream.
•In the cold season, protect your hands with gloves or mittens (in frosty weather, dehydration occurs more intensely than in hot weather). Dermatologists advise wearing gloves already at a temperature of +7 ° C.
•Take care of the skin of your hands, cuticles and nail plates daily, using products designed to maintain the correct water-oil balance. Regular use of moisturizing and nourishing creams and lotions prevents dehydration of the skin and nails.
•Do not use non-acetone nail polish removers. Choose only high-quality bases and nail polishes. Use nail polish remover no more than once a week.
•If possible, avoid nail extensions, or, if this is not possible for you, provide intensive care to your nails by regularly rubbing moisturizing and nourishing oils into the cuticle area.
•Protect and restore nails, “seal” them using special products. Moisture is constantly released into the external environment through the nail plates. Therefore, giving your nails a “rest” by leaving them uncovered means exacerbating the problem. And, as mentioned above, it is important to choose the right products that will be applied to the nail plate. Many drugs for restoring and strengthening nails simply glue the keratin layers together, leaving no space for the water-fat layer. As a result, nails become brittle and brittle. It is necessary to choose a preparation that will not only protect the nails from dehydration, but also help retain the necessary lipids and water.
•We must not forget about a balanced diet and sufficient presence of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet. Drink enough water.
Remember that preventing a problem is easier than solving it. Therefore, do not neglect the means of protecting, strengthening and nourishing your nails.
It’s hard to imagine an easy, confident gait without smooth and well-groomed nails. If your toenail turns yellow and becomes thicker, this is a signal that you need to pay attention to your health. In any case, the appearance of rough and yellowing nails is alarming, because if they look bad, it means the person himself is sick.
Often, nail diseases occur on their own, unrelated to any internal pathology. But what to do if changes in color and density suddenly begin? The first thing you need to pay attention to is what color your nails are.
The cause of the pathology can be many factors:
Another reason for discoloration is functional disorders in the liver. The substance it produces is called bilirubin, and in some diseases of the liver and biliary tract, this substance spreads throughout the body, staining the nail bed. To confirm or refute these diseases, it is necessary to do a biochemical blood test.
The most common cause of yellow nails is a fungus or a lack of minerals. Treatment methods should be aimed at eliminating the underlying problem.
Why might your toenails be thick?
There is a so-called “yellow nails” syndrome, which refers to manifestations of systemic diseases. Behind this color lies lung disease, sinusitis, lymphedema. For this reason, nail tissue experiences oxygen starvation. This feature can also be inherited.
At first glance, nails have a strong, large structure, thanks to which soft tissues are protected. They are not hard, but elastic. In medicine, there are a number of diseases that cause nails to become thick.
Normally, the nail plate should not exceed 1 mm in thickness on the feet, and 0.5 on the hands. The nails on the big toes most often suffer from thickening, and if in addition there are grooves with a yellowish tint, this is a reason to consult a doctor.
If your toenails become thick, your doctor should determine the cause.
List of factors affecting the condition of nails:
Despite such a variety of reasons, thickening of the nail is most often provoked by fungus. These two symptoms (thickening and yellow color) are combined in this disease. In any case, you need to consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and prescribe a treatment regimen.
Few people are comfortable with thick toenails. To make them look healthy, you need to establish the reason why the structure of the nail has changed. Depending on what caused the thickening, appropriate treatment is selected.
Folk remedies can be used as an addition to the main treatment. For greater effect, use warm baths - after them the nails become soft and moisturized. After this procedure, it is necessary to treat the skin and nails with a rich cream.
The fungus mainly affects several toes - the big toe and little toe. Even though nails renew themselves over time as they grow from the nail bed, it is very important to monitor their condition. The fungus on the nails (in addition to destroying the nail itself) feeds on the skin and horny scales, thereby destroying the nail plate. It can damage the nail on the thumb, penetrating up to several millimeters deep, as well as affecting the skin between the fingers and the cuticle. If the nails become hard and look lifeless, treatment should be comprehensive (medicines + external use of ointment). Using only external means will be ineffective.
There are many drugs for fungal disease. The medicine tends to accumulate in the nails and horny scales of the skin where the fungus is located. When the concentration reaches the desired level, the fungal spores die. To prevent recurrence of the disease, it is necessary to treat all shoes with special antifungal substances.
To make a diagnosis, the doctor will need a 2 mm nail sample. From the nails you can get an elemental portrait of a person and find out his general condition. In the laboratory they do a chemical analysis and then decipher it. After this, the patient will find out which microelements he lacks and which are in excess in the body.
The most harmless thing that can appear on your nails is small white spots. They signal that the body has suffered severe stress. Zinc deficiency or decreased immunity may also be the cause. A whole scattering of small white specks indicates a metabolic disorder.
There are many reasons why thick toenails appear. Doctors are forced to conduct a thorough medical history to determine the true culprit of negative changes in the nail plate. Only after a thorough study of the disease is a method of treatment chosen.
What does official medicine offer and are there any folk ways to combat thick toenails?
Long-term studies of the disease have revealed the most common factors that negatively affect the condition of the nail plates on the toes.
The list of most likely causes included:
• genetic predisposition or pachyonychia, a disease that does not pose a danger to the general condition of the body
• distal onychomycosis – a fungal infection of the nail plate resulting from its infection with mycosis
• tight and incorrectly selected shoes; when such shoes are worn for a long time, the nail plate is deformed, blood flow is disrupted and tissue growth occurs
• general diseases of the body, rheumatism, gout, atherosclerosis (they provoke a decrease in blood flow in the fingertips, which leads to thickening of the nail plate)
• skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema)
• clubfoot and flat feet
Important! It is better to entrust the establishment of the exact cause of the disease to specialists. They will also develop a competent way to treat it.
Treatment with medications is prescribed in cases where the disease is caused by a fungus. It requires a lot of time and careful adherence to the medication regimen.
External means of combating mycosis are represented by ointments and creams such as Lamisil, Mycomax, Orungal, Diflucan, Tekbizin . To enhance the effect of ointments, the doctor may prescribe tablets with the same name. The course of treatment is carried out under the mandatory supervision of a doctor.
Of the medications recently introduced to the consumer, it is worth noting loceryl , produced in the form of a colorless varnish.
If the disease has become a side effect of another disease, treatment begins with eliminating the main cause. That is, the doctor prescribes medications for rheumatism, psoriasis or atherosclerosis, while simultaneously stopping the thickening of the nail plate with external remedies.
To painlessly remove keratinized tissue of the nail plate, use the Nogtevit or Nogtimitsin . The procedure is long and requires patience from the patient, but it really helps to get rid of nail thickening comfortably.
Unfortunately, getting rid of thick nails with a hereditary predisposition to the disease is not always successful. The disease is controlled by taking folic acid, B vitamins and vitamin A. The deformed nail is removed. During the growth of the new nail plate, corticosteroid ointments are used. However, there is a high probability that even after treatment, the thickening will appear again.
Obviously, people have not encountered the problem of thick toenails today. During the existence of mankind, the disease has plagued many of our ancestors. Traditional healers have developed their own methods to combat the disease. We decided to offer you some of the folk recipes.
Try them, maybe they will help you get your toenails looking perfect.
1. Soap the sore nail with tar or laundry soap , sprinkle salt on top and bandage it. Leave the compress on for about an hour to allow the mixture to dry. Wash your feet with warm water.
2. If you have kombucha , separate a small plate from it, place it on the affected nail plate, wrap your finger in cellophane, and secure the bandage with a bandage or tape. The procedure is carried out before bedtime and the compress is left overnight. In the morning, rinse your finger with warm water.
with grape or apple cider vinegar several times a day . Try not to touch body tissue.
4. Mix one part each of propolis and celandine , add sea or iodized salt to the mixture, dilute with a small amount of water and place the pulp on the nail plate. Wrap in cellophane and bandage. Leave for an hour. Then wash your finger.
5. Wash your feet before going to bed, rub peppermint oil . Carry out the procedure for a month.
6. Take 1 tsp. glycerin , vinegar essence and alcohol . Mix everything and carefully spread on the nail. Continue treatment until a new nail grows.
Please note that all folk remedies help in the treatment of fungal nail disease. For other reasons, a doctor's consultation is required.
Some negative factors that contribute to the formation of thick toenails can be prevented.
1. Buy and wear only comfortable, high-quality shoes. It is important that it does not put pressure on the foot, impairing the blood supply to the nails.
2. Diversify your diet with vitamins and organic food. Eat regularly, strengthen your immune system, walk more often, breathe fresh air.
3. To avoid becoming infected with fungus in public places, wear your shoes to bathhouses, swimming pools, and saunas.
4. Consult a doctor promptly for diseases that can cause thickening of the nail plates.
And remember that treatment for thick toenails is based on an individual plan. Do not self-medicate if the cause of the disease is not clear.