Thick toenails occur usually due to injury, like the ripping off of a toenail, or a fungus that affects the toenails and warps the nail into a thick, porous mass on one or more toes. Having thick toenails is not only embarrassing at times (they often resemble the sharp, thick look of dog toenails), but they can be irritating to cut and manage due to all the layers. Here are some natural remedies for thick toenails that can make them appear more healthy and make them more manageable over time.
I am fond of picking off my pinkie toenails when I am bored, and now have that classic dog toenail on each of my pinkie toes. I don’t know why I pick them entirely off, but it’s just too tempting. For just a simple damaged toenail due to injury or picking like I do, simply take an emery board (I prefer the glass ones) and file the toenails on the top layers until they smooth to a more natural appearance. This is best done after bathing, when the nails are wet and pliable.
For thick toenails that are damaged due to fungus, it’s best to treat the cause of the thick toenails first, then attempt to file them to a more manageable state and appearance. Vick’s Vaporub (or generic) is found to be quite affective in battling toenail fungus, and it often recommended by podiatrists as a treatment. Apply the rub to the feet morning and night, saturating the toenails well. This may be done for up to a few months for severe toenail fungus cases.
Tea tree oil and white vinegar are great to use against toenail fungus as well, particularly if only a few toenails are affected. Use a cotton swab to rub the entire affected nail with either of these products twice a day until the toenail improves. This can take some time, as toenail fungi are tricky and stubborn, and even prescription treatments can take many months to work!
To clip and manage thick toenails, try to clip as much of the toenail as you can with toenail clippers after soaking your toenails in water (or a white vinegar and water combo- equal parts of each) for 15 minutes to loosen up the toenail. Then take an emery board to the surface of the toenail to work its way through the thick layers of the toenail. Don’t worry if your toenail starts to break off in large chunks. The damaged nail will do this. Simply file around the edges as well to make sure there are no snags, aiming to make the surface of the nail as flat and thin as possible. When the toenail begins to look pink, you are getting close to the skin, indicating time to stop.
Glass files work better than the classic sand-papery ones do, and can be much more expensive, but worth every penny. They can be purchased at best quality at any beauty supply store. I find a cost of $4 or more to be average for a single glass file. For thicker, more stubborn nails, take a thick-grade sandpaper piece and fold it into a square about the size of a quarter and run it along the toenail in a circular motion. This is the method I use on my fiance’s toenails, which make me think of Shrek.
It’s best to file and clip thick toenails after bathing or showering or soaking to avoid cracking the nail or breaking your toenail clippers or emery board in vain. If you try to cut a stubborn toenail that is very thick, pressure from clippers can actually crack the toenail in half down the middle, making it difficult to manage. It is best to work with the toenails when they are softest, per my own experience.
Sources:
personal experience in treating thick toenails
http://www.edubook.com/natural-cures-for-thick-toenails/8961/
