What's going on with these toenails?

[*Carly*]

My Mum has been to the Dr and a podiatrist and neither were very helpful. For years her feet have looked like this and no one has diagnosed it. It literally looks like a combination of every single disease you look up on google images! There's definitely some Onycholysis going on here. Is this onychauxis? Rams horn nails (on her "claw" as she calls it)? Fungal? EVERYTHING? She wanted me to cut them or atleast do her claw. I felt so mean but refused to touch them with my tools. She brought her own and I just did the funky claw one and told her to get a Dr's note or an ok (I'll take her word on it) before I can give her a pedi. Pre training I'd have just done what I could do make them look nice, but since training I obviously don't want to spread anything to anyone else. I'm scrupulous about sanitising and disinfecting, I use a fresh disposable liner for all mani and pedi soaks, all my tools get scrubbed with hot water and soap before spending an hour soaking in Mundo, my files are scrubbed with hot water and soap, excess water squeezed out before spraying with Mundo, after a pedi I will sometimes put the files in the soak tray with my tools as they seem to do fine in there. Despite all this, I feel like my Mum must be contraindicative and I shouldn't work on her without a Dr's say so. But it's my Mum! and I feel like such a meanie.

What do you more experienced geeks reckon? I did give her a lovely mani today, so at least she did get a bit of pampering.

Here are some piccys, the black toe - she assumes she stubbed it but can't remember. She took off her polish and saw it had gone black.



Note the infamous "claw"

Down the barrel of the "claw" , this was midway through trying to cut it down, hence all the debris.

x

 

[SwissSassy]

Hi Carly, I can imagine that you would love to do your mum's feet yourself but she really needs an appointment with a Foot Health Practitioner or Podiatrist. Thickened nails like this can only be treated effectively with a podiatry drill and then require sterilisation. Even if you kindly did it using her tools, you would never achieve the results she needs - not to mention the fact that you'd be working on them for hours!!

It's impossible to diagnose her condition by looking at photo's but a Podiatrist would need to take & test cultures from her nails to be conclusive. However they do display signs of a fungal nail infection - that would be my guess. The darker red could be a haematoma from stubbing her toe. You mention that previous trips to a Podiatrist haven't been of help - why not?

 

[snaz]

My mother in laws nails look like this.
Thickened, when u cut them they crumble, dogs claw[emoji37]
And lifting.

Podiatrist also said was ok, eventually she went to drs and they says fungal and put her in antibiotics x

 

[Perfectly Cute-icle]

My Nan had this, fungal infection and thickening of nails. She went to a chiropodist that really managed to thin them right down xx

 

[kirstie1980]

I agree with the others, looks like a fungal infection.

 

[*Carly*]

Thank you so much lovelies! I was pretty positive they looked fungal and have been telling her she needs a culture taken. Her Dr is useless sadly, years ago I mentioned that I had onycholysis on a couple of toes, he said it could be an infection (it wasn't), but he couldn't prescribe anything and I should just paint them. It actually turned out to be a symptom of thyroid disease, which I ended up having to diagnose myself and request a blood test! The podiatrist just told her to use tea tree oil on them and did nothing. I asked her for more info when I took the photos on Sat, did they take a culture, etc? She is now saying she went there more for her cracked heels., but apparently her partner also went to see the same podiatrist for something and was very unimpressed. When he went to see someone else and told them about the experience, they said she had given very bad advice- I don't know the full details. Basically no one has taken her feet seriously, no cultures have ever been taken and the only medical advice she's ever been given is to paint them to hide it or to use tea tree.

I just trimmed her claw down slightly for her. As you can see, it was very long and must be a nightmare with shoes and I felt pretty sorry for her. I didn't touch the rest, as SwissSassy said, doing them all would have taken me forever and I'd never have achieved a decent result.

Btw, the red lines on her pinky toe are remnants of polish, I recognise it's her favourite colour lol!

Does anyone know of a good podiatrist near borehamwood or mill hill?

So glad and thankful for the replies. I really want her to take this seriously and the Dr's and podiatrist she saw clearly weren't. I'm going to show her this page and hopefully she can see a better podiatrist and get this sorted. If these were my feet I would cry! I know she really wants a pedicure, but she doesn't seem to realise that I can't really work on those nails. xx

 

[krum]

Thank you so much lovelies! I was pretty positive they looked fungal and have been telling her she needs a culture taken. Her Dr is useless sadly, years ago I mentioned that I had onycholysis on a couple of toes, he said it could be an infection (it wasn't), but he couldn't prescribe anything and I should just paint them. It actually turned out to be a symptom of thyroid disease, which I ended up having to diagnose myself and request a blood test! The podiatrist just told her to use tea tree oil on them and did nothing. I asked her for more info when I took the photos on Sat, did they take a culture, etc? She is now saying she went there more for her cracked heels., but apparently her partner also went to see the same podiatrist for something and was very unimpressed. When he went to see someone else and told them about the experience, they said she had given very bad advice- I don't know the full details. Basically no one has taken her feet seriously, no cultures have ever been taken and the only medical advice she's ever been given is to paint them to hide it or to use tea tree.

I just trimmed her claw down slightly for her. As you can see, it was very long and must be a nightmare with shoes and I felt pretty sorry for her. I didn't touch the rest, as SwissSassy said, doing them all would have taken me forever and I'd never have achieved a decent result.

Btw, the red lines on her pinky toe are remnants of polish, I recognise it's her favourite colour lol!

Does anyone know of a good podiatrist near borehamwood or mill hill?

So glad and thankful for the replies. I really want her to take this seriously and the Dr's and podiatrist she saw clearly weren't. I'm going to show her this page and hopefully she can see a better podiatrist and get this sorted. If these were my feet I would cry! I know she really wants a pedicure, but she doesn't seem to realise that I can't really work on those nails. xx

Did the toenail smell when you cut it? That's a sure sign of fungus.
You can buy anti fungal treatments from the chemist however they need to be used every day for months at a time. Will she be able to complete treatment? Even prescribed ones need months of applications.
See a different doctor as well! I'd be complaining about the other one.

 

[Alison_CalgelUK]

Hi Carly,
I can recommend a great podiatrist- If you send me your email I will send his details over.

Alison

 

[SwissSassy]

You're right to take it seriously and I hope you find a good podiatrist for her. Fungal nail infections can be remedied but require the correct treatment as there are different types, so although an over the counter product might work, a good podiatrist will prescribe the correct one (not nail polish!!). Also, he/she needs to regularly remove the bulk of the infected nails (short and thinned down) for a faster and more effective recovery. Not only is it important for her comfort, additionally walking around with such long nails can cause ingrown toenails.

As you unfortunately found out through self diagnosis (unbelievable!!) our nails can be a window to other underlying health conditions and should not be ignored.

Best of luck to her and well done for taking good care of your mum x

 

[*Carly*]

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful helpful replies. I spoke to her this morning and literally had to bang on and on to get it treated. She seems to think her toenail health isn't as important and is reluctant to spend money on a podiatrist! I am really hoping I've gotten through to her. Might have to keep banging on until she makes an appointment. Unbelievable!

I don't remember it smelling actually, but I'm a smoker which has probably damaged my sense of smell tbh. It only takes a quick look at them to know they need professional help!

Yes unbelievable I had to self diagnose what turned out to be a possibly life threatening disease. Thankfully I've moved and my dr is amazing with things. Sadly my mum still sees the unhelpful Dr!

I'm going to PM Alison and see if I can find her a good podiatrist. I'm just praying she actually will follow the treatment plan. You should never skimp on health related issues, any other part of her body she'd take more seriously!

Xx

 

[JeanneB]

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful helpful replies. I spoke to her this morning and literally had to bang on and on to get it treated. She seems to think her toenail health isn't as important and is reluctant to spend money on a podiatrist! I am really hoping I've gotten through to her. Might have to keep banging on until she makes an appointment. Unbelievable!

I don't remember it smelling actually, but I'm a smoker which has probably damaged my sense of smell tbh. It only takes a quick look at them to know they need professional help!

Yes unbelievable I had to self diagnose what turned out to be a possibly life threatening disease. Thankfully I've moved and my dr is amazing with things. Sadly my mum still sees the unhelpful Dr!

I'm going to PM Alison and see if I can find her a good podiatrist. I'm just praying she actually will follow the treatment plan. You should never skimp on health related issues, any other part of her body she'd take more seriously!

Xx

 

[JeanneB]

I'm a bit late to this discussion but as a Podiatrist this is definitely a task for myself or my colleagues.

It appears there are several conditions presented here.

The nails that are turning over and almost meeting below the nail bed are known as "pincer nails". If this is hereditary then the finger nails are also involved.

Often they are caused by single minor trauma from ill-fitting footwear, but they are also seen in psoriasis and associated with some of the early forms of beta-blockers.

They can be conservatively treated by a change of footwear and correct nail cutting, but in my experience this is not often effective and a total nail avulsion with phenolisation will correct the problem completely.

The left 1st toe appears to have a subungual haematoma. These can be caused by single major/repeated minor trauma, chemotherapy treatment, pulse therapy with corticosteroids, or rarely, malignant melanomas.

HTH

 

[*Carly*]

I'm a bit late to this discussion but as a Podiatrist this is definitely a task for myself or my colleagues.

It appears there are several conditions presented here.

The nails that are turning over and almost meeting below the nail bed are known as "pincer nails". If this is hereditary then the finger nails are also involved.

Often they are caused by single minor trauma from ill-fitting footwear, but they are also seen in psoriasis and associated with some of the early forms of beta-blockers.

They can be conservatively treated by a change of footwear and correct nail cutting, but in my experience this is not often effective and a total nail avulsion with phenolisation will correct the problem completely.

The left 1st toe appears to have a subungual haematoma. These can be caused by single major/repeated minor trauma, chemotherapy treatment, pulse therapy with corticosteroids, or rarely, malignant melanomas.

HTH

Thanks so much Jeanne, so good to get a podiatrist's opinion. I'll show her this, but I've basically given up. I passed her the details of a chiropodist I was recommended and she found some reason to moan and just always has an excuse. You can't help someone who won't help themselves unfortunately. I think that because no one but me took her feet seriously, she won't either. I don't get it- surely if you care enough to paint them then you'd care enough to get them healthy?!

 

[JeanneB]

Thanks so much Jeanne, so good to get a podiatrist's opinion. I'll show her this, but I've basically given up. I passed her the details of a chiropodist I was recommended and she found some reason to moan and just always has an excuse. You can't help someone who won't help themselves unfortunately. I think that because no one but me took her feet seriously, she won't either. I don't get it- surely if you care enough to paint them then you'd care enough to get them healthy?!

 

[JeanneB]

"You can take a horse to water"... as they say.....

We, as Pods come across this regularly. We explain the proposed treatment plan to the patient, they agree to it and then don't follow through. It can be very frustrating.

I think you've done your best. If those thickened nails start pushing into the next toes and start causing corns/abrasions she may change her mind!

If she does agree to see a Pod makes sure she takes off her nail polish before she attends. We can't assess the situation if all the nails are bright pink !