Crusty toenails: a foregone conclusion?

[+ friendofsheila]

Am I destined to have inch-thick, Wicked Witch of the West toenails like I used to see on my grandparents?

 

Do all senior citizens have to live with this, the way they have to live with compromised eyesight and young 'uns who play their music too damned loud (if you can call that stuff music!)??

[+ purplekow]

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the toenails which is treatable with a three to four month regimen of antifungal medications such as Sporonox and frequent proper trimming of the nails. Or you can simply keep your socks on and try not to look down on those occasions when you absolutely need to go barefooted

[Guest]

No, not all senior citizens have thickened toenails. The biggest percentage of those toenails are due to fungus which gets under the nails. Once under the nails, it is very difficult to treat (oral, potentially liver-toxic medications, which often provide only temporary relief, if that). A good way of avoiding this is to treat athlete's foot when it starts, with a cream such as terbinafine (the best one on the market), before it gets under the nail. Similarly, not all senior citizens have dentures. Brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits can help one keep one's teeth.

[body2body]

I dropped a ski boot on my big toe many years ago, the nail fell off, and grew back in as a thick misshapen eyesore. I lived with it for several years. One day the young woman giving me a pedicure took a rotary tool that they use for shaping acrylic nails to it and filed it down. She suggested a product called Nonyx which I found on Amazon. You apply it to the nail(s) and it inhibits the accumulation of Keratin debris which is the cause of the thickening. It has to be used daily, but I can once again appear in bare feet, and flip flops without feeling self conscious. I still ask the pedicurist to use the shaping tool too.

[+ Just Sayin]

I'd go see a podiatrist; mine told me the nails get too think so he "derided" them with a little sander, but warned me to not try it at home.

[Frankly Rich]

Next thing people will be clipping their toenails here...oh, they already are?

[+ FreshFluff]

I'd go see a podiatrist; mine told me the nails get too think so he "derided" them with a little sander.

 

They must have been really offended.

 

I don't think it's an age issue; a few of my toenails have been thickened since my teens.

 

Doesn't seem worth hurting my liver to make my toes look a little better though especially when no one else notices. Sanding is an interesting option; I'll ask about that. I've heard that lasers work but only for slightly thickened nails.

[Lookin]

And if you ever forget your churchkey, they're terrific for opening a beer! http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

http://www.hollywoodflpodiatry.com/s/cc_images/cache_2563735504.jpg

[Steven_Draker]

That's disgusting, Lookin.

 

-1

[Racketjock]

I, like Steven, am not a fan of this look, but working in healthcare, it is low on my scale of disgusting for condition of one's feet. However, the picture Lookin posted is a common occurrence in folks that are overweight, flat footed, don't maintain toe nail health, and/or don't clip/ file them regularly. Once they progress to the point in the picture, there is not much that can be done. I am a huge fan of pedicures because not only do I need the hoof maintenance for my own calloused feet, and fast growing nails, but for less than $50, I get to sit in a great massage chair, have my feet pampered/ scrubbed/ moisturized/ massaged/ dipped in wax/etc., for over an hour while enjoying an adult beverage. That is a bargain!

[+ LIguy]

I had pretty nasty looking nails on a few toes for years and a year ago I started eating a fat free or lowfat yogurt every morning for breakfast to get some good bacteria into my digestive track. Sometimes I would buy Activia or greek yogurt or I sometimes make my own greek yogurt. Anyways, about a month ago I started noticing how nice my toe nails look. I don't know if the yogurt has anything to do with it but I've put aside any thoughts of seeing a podiatrist.

[caliguy]

They must have been really offended.

 

I don't think it's an age issue; a few of my toenails have been thickened since my teens.

 

Doesn't seem worth hurting my liver to make my toes look a little better though especially when no one else notices. Sanding is an interesting option; I'll ask about that. I've heard that lasers work but only for slightly thickened nails.

I've tried the lamisil medicine but it made my liver enzymes go crazy so the doctor pulled me off. My mom had her nails pulled and did a two week coarse of the medicine which actually worked great. They came back in clean of fungus.

 

I see the lasers being advertised so I checked the reviews from every day people using it. Unfortunately, it's not quite as good as it's advertised to be. It's also expensive.

 

This whole sanding talk has me interested in just sanding them down. I've done that before on mine with a cordless little pedicure sander. It's not that difficult. I don't know if I'll get rid of the fungus but at least I won't have to look at the nasty nail. Just nail -less feet.

[caliguy]

I had pretty nasty looking nails on a few toes for years and a year ago I started eating a fat free or lowfat yogurt every morning for breakfast to get some good bacteria into my digestive track. Sometimes I would buy Activia or greek yogurt or I sometimes make my own greek yogurt. Anyways, about a month ago I started noticing how nice my toe nails look. I don't know if the yogurt has anything to do with it but I've put aside any thoughts of seeing a podiatrist.

That makes sense. This fungus that affects the feet is also in your gut. Your feet are just a visible symptom of it.

 

http://www.livinghealthy360.com/index.php/using-yogurt-to-treat-fungal-infections-9839/

Fungal infections that are caused by Candida Albicans are generally systemic, they have invaded the systems and organs of the body. The Candida Albicans, which normally resides quite happily in your intestines in very small quantities, has taken the opportunity to proliferate and dominate your gut. It then spreads to other parts of your body. This type of fungal infection is far more difficult to eradicate than the dermatophyte infection which affects only the skin.

 

For the sake of simplicity the fungus is referred to as the “bad bacteria”, and the beneficial bacteria that is needed to dominate the bad bacteria, called, in this case, the “good bacteria”. In a healthy gut the balance of bacteria is generally 80:20 good:bad. In a compromised individual with a fungal overgrowth it can be completely the reverse 20:80 good:bad. In order to deal with overgrowth of bad bacteria it is important to repopulate the gut with good bacteria.

 

A study by Shalev E et al 1996, showed that a daily portion (150 ml) of yogurt that contained the live bacteria lactobacillus acidophilus, increased the amount of good bacteria found in the rectum and in the vagina.

 

Here's someone else that used yogart and drank Kefir to cure their nail fungus.

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/nail-problems/350057-i-might-have-answer-toenail-fungus-but-dont-get-excited-yet.html

[Steven_Draker]

About Dannon's Bifidus Regularis

 

There were a few lawsuits filed in Canada and the US against Dannon for false claims about its Activia products in recent years. The result is that no health claims can be made unless the 3 servings per day are advertised. Dannon overstated the yogurt's health benefits claiming that the products can strengthen the body's defences or regulate digestion.

 

sources: http://www.powerofprobiotics.com/Activia.html and http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/dannon-to-pay-35m-in-yogurt-settlement-1.779238

[AdamSmith]

Q. Recently you mentioned Vicks as a possible treatment for nail fungus. I've struggled with this condition on both feet for the last eight months. Neither tolnaftate nor undecylenic acid was helpful. I also tried OTC foot soaks.

Nothing worked until I read about Vicks. It cleared the fungus up quickly! Now I can see only a faint trace of it under one nail.

 

A. Vicks VapoRub contains several antifungal herbal oils, including thymol and eucalyptol. Persistence in applying it morning and evening is usually the key. One study actually showed a "positive clinical effect" (Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, Jan-Feb, 2011), although some dermatologists remain skeptical.

Although it does not work in every case, you will find many testimonials on the use of Vicks VapoRub for toenail fungus at PeoplesPharmacy.com.

 

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/07/07/vicks-vaporub-overcame-stubborn-toenail-fungus/

[Samai139]

I qualify as a senior citizen (although I hate the term) since I am 74. To answer the original question: NO, not all of us over 65 have to have the toenails that were described. I have never had any problems with my toenails, aside from a nasty ingrown nail as a teen-ager. It was interesting to read the various treatments, procedures that others have gone through or know about from research. The Vicks VaporRub and yogurt applications were especially of interest.

Personally I believe the following have contributed to my own healthy feet and toenails:

1. Keeping weight under control.

2. Wearing footwear--shoes, exercise equipment that fit properly.

3. Eating a healthy diet and NOT dieting; and this includews low-fat yogurt two or three times per day.

4. Taking off my shoes and usually socks as soon as I enter my home.

5. Scrupuously drying between my toes after a shower.

6. Clipping my toenails regularly---usually right after a shower when the nail is soft and easily cut.

7. Freedom from prescription medications--yes I am very lucky in that respect.

Hadn't really done these things to avoid the ugly toenails and perhaps there is/was no connection. Just putting them out there for consideration for others.

[+ friendofsheila]

I qualify as a senior citizen (although I hate the term) since I am 74. To answer the original question: NO, not all of us over 65 have to have the toenails that were described.

 

Whew!

 

 

Thanks.