How To Get Rid Of Thick Toenails?

The changing color of toenails and the thickness indicates an underlying problem. Thickness alone is not only the symptom of the fungal infection. Before getting into how to get rid of thick toenails let’s discuss toenail thickening.

Symptoms include:

• Change of toenail color
• Raising of toenails from the toenail bed
• The scaly look of toenails
• Splitting of toenails
• Foul smell from toenails
• Accumulation of dirt in toenails

In general, the color change of the toenails is an indication or a sign of something going wrong. The toenail changing to yellow can be sometimes due to the nail polish or might be the result of aging. One must regularly monitor the toenails for the safer side.

How To Get Rid Of Thick Toenails?

Having thick toenails can be hard to cut and maintain. The thickening of toenails includes many reasons. One must maintain and care for the toenails as the fingernails.

The infection may not cause any discomfort at the start. If left untreated, the thick toenails can be painful. These infections may be difficult to cure and might require a few months of treatment. The toenails are exposed to wet areas, which makes them prone to fungal infection. The initial stage of infection is minor, but with passing time the infection may spread. If you are struggling to get rid of horizontal ridges on your toenails you can check out the best products to get rid of horizontal ridges on toenails.

Before getting into the treatment for thick toenails, one must know about the thick toenail causes:

• Frequent exposure to water causes hard toenails. As the wet areas are more prone to fungal infection, which ends up in toenail thickening.
• Any damage to the toenail.
• Sweaty feet
• If you have any existing medical conditions, you may be more prone to form toenail infections.

Treatment for thick toenails

You can try different methods for thick toenails home remedies.

• Maintaining hygiene around the affected area with soap or liquid.
• Grooming your nails regularly by applying creams to soften them. Creams are available in the market, once soften, you can use a nail clipper to cut your nails.
• Apply tea tree oil on your toenail twice a day.

If you still feel that the toenails are thickening further, or causing pain, then you must seek help from doctors for thick toenails treatment.

Thick toenails can be complicated if not treated on time. The treatment for thick toenails must be done before the condition gets worst. With the passing time, the hard toenails can bring discomfort, while wearing shoes, or even while walking.

You can use electric nail trimmers, or clippers, which are easily available in the market. These electric trimmers not only cut your nails but are also very easy to use. It helps in cutting the toenails with much ease. The usage of electric toenail trimmers reduces the effort of cutting the hard toenails than the normal clippers.

FAQs

1. How to treat thick toenails?

Not all cases of infection need medical attention, but thick toenails can be one of the symptoms of the infection that has gotten worst. There are several thick toenails treatment options available. There are various thick toenails home remedies, with which you can start, and if it doesn’t help you may seek medical attention from doctors.

2. Why are my toenails thick?

If your toenails are thickening, then it is an indication of a fungal infection in your toes. If not treated on time, then thick toenails can be painful. You must treat your toenails before things get worst.

3. What causes toenails to thicken?

Thickening of toenails indicates the fungal infection known as onychomycosis. If left untreated, it can cause pain. Prompt treatment is required for the cure for thick toenails.

Following are thick toenails causes

• When fungus enters your nails by below means

1. Through a crack in the toenail
2. Cut in the skin touching your nail
3. The point where the toenail meets the nail bed

• Exposure to water frequently is also the cause for toenail thickening, as the presence of moisture increases the chance of infection.

4. How to cut thick toenails?

One must cut their toenails properly, to avoid any painful circumstances. If you do not cut your toenails properly, then it can lead to ingrown toenails, this condition leads the nails to grow into the skin causing infection and pain. Now, how to cut thick hard toenails? Below steps are the best way to cut thick toenails.

• Use proper nail cutting tools. You may use nail clippers or the scissors used for manicures. One must avoid using tools that are not meant for nail cutting.
• You must have different clippers for fingernails and toenails. This helps in not passing bacteria. Also, your toenails are thicker than fingernails, so using separate clippers are always recommended.
• You must cut your nails frequently, so there is no accumulation of dirt in your toenails. It is appropriate to cut the nails every five to seven weeks.
• Cut your nails dry, so that they do not bend or tear. This will give you a clean cut.
• Do not over cut or undercut your nails
• Always file your nails

5. How to trim thick toenails?

Do not trim your nails too short, it could risk ingrown toenails. Also, do not undercut your toenails, it can tear or even worse, hit somewhere and cause pain. Trim your toenails by maintaining a length according to your toenail size.

6. How to cut really thick toenails?

If you have thick toenails, then cutting those nails can be sometimes difficult. To cut thick toenails one can wet their toes, which makes the nails soft, and this makes it easy to cut the nails. Do not try to cut dry nails, as it won’t cut in the desired shape. Therefore, you can cut nails after a shower, making the nails soft and easy to cut. This is how to cut a very thick toenail easily.

7. How to cut elderly thick toenails?

Soaking your legs in water can soften the toenails, making them soft enough to cut. They might be still hard to cut, but soaking the nails would have softened them for a manageable nail cut. Using the right tool for cutting nails is mandatory. Be careful while cutting elderly nails, especially if they have any disease like diabetes. A wrong cut can affect them.

8. How to cut thick toenails at home?

Cutting thick toenails at home can be difficult at times. Fungal infection of any other condition can be the reason for thick toenails. Let’s see how to cut through thick toenails.

• The best way to cut thick toenails is by softening your feet by soaking them in warm water for about 10minutes. This leads to softening your toenails, which makes them easy to cut.
• Pat dry your feet with a towel before cutting your toenails
• Use a nail clipper and start cutting straight across and cut small to avoid splintering of the nails.
• Do not cut around the corners, to avoid ingrowing nails.
• After cutting the nails, use a filer to file your nails.

9. How to soften thick toenails before cutting?

If your toenails are very thick to cut, then softening the nails is a mandatory process.

You can soften your nails as below

• One of the easiest ways to soften your thick toenails is to soak them in warm water with a drop of lemon and a pinch of salt( optional). Take a bucket fill it with warm water and the ingredients said above, which is optional. Soak your feet in the bucket for few minutes, also depending on how hard your toenails are. Remove them from the water, pat dry, and cut your nails.
• One can also use the toenail softening cream, which is available in the market. These creams help in softening the nails by hydrating them. Some cream requires application at night and then cut the nails in the morning, while some have a different method of working on toenails. If you are using any toenail softening cream, then read the instructions and directions given on the product.

10. Why do toenails get thicker?

Toenails might be hard for many reasons

• Onychomycosis, a fungal infection on toenails
• If you hit your nails on anything hard and injure your nails, this can also cause your nails to thicken.
• When you wear tight-fitting shoes, and there is low circulation on your feet can also cause the thickening of your toenails.
• Psoriasis, the condition where extra cells build up on the skin. The symptoms of psoriasis are as below

1. Pitting: This causes your nail plate to lose the cells, resulting in the formation of small pits on the toenails.
2. The color of your nails can change to yellow-brown color.
3. It changes the texture of the nails causing them to thicken.

11. Why does the toenail thicken more as you grow older?

As we grow older, the growth of our nails slows down. This causes the nail to thicken, as the cells pile up on your toenails.

12. Does Vicks vaporub help in toenail infection?

it is an ointment used for cough, but the studies say that ingredients like camphor and eucalyptus oil may help treat the infection on your toenails. Apply Vicks on the affected area in a small amount.

13. What are the home remedies for toenail fungus?

Few home remedies, that can be the cure for thick toenails fungal infection.

• Tea tree oil, which is antifungal and antiseptic. Using a cotton swab, apply the tea tree oil directly to the nail twice a day.
• Applying oregano oil, with the help of a cotton swab to the affected toenail twice a day every day can help with the fungal. The oil consists of thymol, which is antifungal and antibacterial.
• Soak your affected foot in vinegar water for 20 minutes every day.
• Using garlic on the affected area for half an hour every day. The garlic can be placed either chopped or crushed.
• Your diet plays a crucial role related to your health. The food you eat is what you are. Eating healthy food gives you a chance to fight against health problems. Eat food that provides nutrients to your body such as

1. Protein-rich diet, for your nail regrowth.
2. Intake of iron for the prevention of brittle nails.
3. Food is rich in probiotics like yogurt.
4. A rich diet of fatty acids. 

14. Can I prevent my toenails from being thick?

You may prevent your toenails from being thick or even the recurrence of thickening in several ways as below

• Washing your feet and maintaining hygiene regularly
• Try to keep your feet dry as possible.
• Do not wear the same socks for the whole day. Change them a few times, and wear cotton socks, which help in removing moisture from feet.
• Dry out your shoes and purchase new shoes that allow your feet to breathe and not constrict them.
• Do not wear sports shoes when in the pool. Wear flip flops or shower shoes.
• You can also try with foot powder. The powder might help in keeping your wet dry.
• Visit the spa and groom your nails. Do not grow them long
• Use tools that are only for toenails cutting. The tool must be disinfected before use, to prevent the transfer of bacteria to the toenails.
• Change your footwear if you have recovered recently from the fungal toenail.

15. How do I get to know whether my toenail infection is gone?

The infection can take a few months for recovery, depending upon how severe your toenail infection was. Fortunately, we have many methods to treat fungal toenails including home remedies and medical advice. Home remedies may work slow on the infection, whereas, the treatment from a doctor can be more effective. If your two nail fungal is at the initial stage, you may try home remedies.

You will have to wait for few months for the infection to be cured. And you will come to know that the treatment is working and the infection is getting cleared when you see the new, healthy nail grow from the nail bed.