What to Look For When You Have Toenail Problems

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How long has it been since you looked at your toenails? Toenails, unlike fingernails, are rarely seen in comparison to fingernails.

A thick layer of keratin protects the top of your toes, but only if they're healthy. Toenails should be checked regularly and anything unusual should be seen by a podiatrist.

1. Brittle And Discolored Toenails

Toenails with healthy tips are pink or peach in color. Your nail could be infected with a fungal infection if it has turned yellow, green, black, or white. It is possible to see fragments flaking off the infected toenail because it is thick and brittle.

It is possible for a toenail that has become infected to become detached from the nail bed, which may also be infected if left untreated. A fungal nail infection that has advanced can cause pain when walking for the person.

If you have fungal nail infections, a podiatrist can diagnose the infection, prescribe a topical or oral treatment, and remodel the nail so that healing can occur.

2. The Toenail Digs Into The Toe

You may feel pressure on one side of your toe if your toenail's shape changes or its growth is disturbed. There will be redness, soreness, and inflammation of the skin. The area can easily become infected if the nail penetrates the skin.

An ingrown toenail exhibits all those symptoms. A toe injury, tight shoes, or trimming nails into a curved shape can all cause this frustrating foot problem, which most often affects big toes.

Visit a podiatrist instead of performing risky, DIY 'bathroom surgery, which can relieve pain and pressure and remove partial or full toenails.

3. The Toenails Are Pitted And Ridged

Psoriasis can also affect toenails, which might surprise you. There are small indentations and ridges on the nails and tiny burst blood vessels underneath them as a result of this condition. An infection may develop if a part of a toenail separates from its nail bed.

You can get your toenails trimmed and filed by your podiatrist to relieve the problem and encourage normal growth. The nail can be surgically removed if you have severe toenail psoriasis.

4. Trapped Blood Beneath A Toenail

You may experience painful toenail trauma if your toe is injured or rubs hard against your shoe. The nail bed may lift away from the nail bed as a result of blood trapped underneath the nail.

In order to treat a wound, relieve pressure under the nail, and investigate fracture possibilities, it is advisable to seek professional assistance. The podiatrist can help you select better shoes and create custom orthotics to make your feet as comfortable as possible if the injury is caused by your footwear.

5. Toenails That Are Thick And Claw-Like

In the case of ram's horn nails, your toenails are excessively thick and claw-like. When nails are left untreated, their natural shape will be severely altered: they'll curl like ram's horns and turn yellow or brown.

This agonizing problem is more likely to occur in people who do not regularly trim their nails. Each affected nail is removed in part or in its entirety as part of the treatment. Your podiatrist will monitor any regrowth and trim and shape the nails to prevent the disorder from returning.

Older people often have ram's horn nails because they have difficulty reaching their feet. Maintaining good foot health and battling the effects of aging on your feet can be achieved with regular podiatry appointments.

You can contact our office at 949-588-8833, or visit our website at https://www.ocfootdoctor.com/. Our offices are located in Laguna Hills, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest, Foothill Ranch, and Costa Mesa.