Any advice on my horrid toenail?

[emjay14]

Hi everyone.

I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on my really minging big toenail.

I broke my toe about 12 years ago now, and due to the nature of the injury, my toenail completely cracked to pieces. I was told it would eventually eithier fall off, or grow out, and yet here we are 12 years later, and it's still horrible and shattered to pieces.

I'm fed up of it, it looks horrible, and even though it's only a little thing, it makes me feel self conscious when wearing flip-flops. I'd like to do something about it, and hopefully some day grow an actual nice looking nail that isn't yellow and in bits, but have no idea about nail health or anything. So any suggestions?

I've attached a picture of it. Fair warning, if you're about to eat, I'd look at it after.

Thanks guys and girls

 

[sophiegees]

Hi there

Does your toe nail keep growing like that? I am not sure from the photo but it looks slightly thick in places. If so the options could be the following

Have it regularly thinned by a foot health practitioner or podiatrist - so it is thinner and smooth. Then apply nail polish if the nail has achieved a nice smooth result. However with thinning there is always the possibility of the nail crumbling or splitting - but if this happens a new nail can be constructed as below.

Otherwise, have it thinned down and then a new nail reconstructed for the top of the existing nail. Again a foot health practitioner or podiatrist could do this. Although once it is thinned down, a nail tech could most likely form an acrylic or gel nail for over the top.

More drastic action would be to have it removed by a podiatrist under local anaestetic, and then the nail bed killed so that it does not grow again. Then you would have no nail but could have a reconstucted nail.

Hope this helps
x

 

[emjay14]

Yeah the nail continues to grow like that, and your right in that it is quite thick in places (and really thin, to the point I can feel the bed of my nail when I touch it in other places).

On the left hand side of the nail, you might be able to see it grows pretty normally, it's just the rest of the nail that continues to grow in bits.

Thanks for the advice, it's much appreciated. I'll look into finding a podiatrist.

You mentioned I could possibly have an acrylic, or gel nail on top if I had it thinned down. Presumably this is something I'd have to have re-done regularly? (Sorry I'm a guy and utterly clueless about this sort of thing).

Thanks again for your help x

 

[ShannonU]

Yeah the nail continues to grow like that, and your right in that it is quite thick in places (and really thin, to the point I can feel the bed of my nail when I touch it in other places).

On the left hand side of the nail, you might be able to see it grows pretty normally, it's just the rest of the nail that continues to grow in bits.

Thanks for the advice, it's much appreciated. I'll look into finding a podiatrist.

You mentioned I could possibly have an acrylic, or gel nail on top if I had it thinned down. Presumably this is something I'd have to have re-done regularly? (Sorry I'm a guy and utterly clueless about this sort of thing).

Thanks again for your help x

Emjay- has an infection been ruled out already?

 

[emjay14]

Emjay- has an infection been ruled out already?

No I've never had it checked. The yellow colour made me think that could be a possibility though.

 

[sophiegees]

It doesn't look fungal but you could have it checked to make sure. But if it looked like this immediately after breaking your toe then it is unlikely to be fungal as your nail would gradually change in appearance.

Yes the toe nail reconstruction would need infilling and/or redoing every few months. It's done with LCN Pedique and you can choose a natural nail colour.

 

[ShannonU]

The best course of action is to see a doctor. I disagree and do think it could be fungal but I'm not a doctor so won't tell you that is what it is because I could be totally wrong. I do see characteristics of a fungal infection in the photo however. Thickening, crumbliness, distortion, discoloration, nail plate shedding.


Let us know if you choose to see a doctor. I'd love to know the result.

 

[emjay14]

Thankyou both. It's much appreciated. I will let you know when I've had the chance to speak to someone about it. I'm working lots this week, and don't really know where to begin, but I'll try and speak to someone towards the end of the week, and see what can be done.

Would be lovely to have 10 normal nails again

 

[Bo]

I had a toe nail fungus, went through several treatments and now have a normal nail. One thing the doctor had me use was tea tree oil and I think it helped. A fungus will follow an injury many times. I'm sure you'll be glad to know what the doctor says. Let us know, best of luck!