The toenail crumbles: causes, treatment and photos

It's no secret that the first impression is very important, and even nails, or rather their condition, influence the general positive opinion. But there are many factors that affect the condition of the nails, they can exfoliate, crumble or change color. The good condition of the nails is also an indicator of the excellent functioning of the internal organs. Even if there is still no dangerous pathological process in the body, the condition of the nails can still tell what elements are missing in the body.

Non-pathological causes

Why do toenails crumble? One of the most common reasons is wearing tight, closed and uncomfortable shoes. In it, the nails are constantly subjected to mechanical stress, so the regeneration process is accelerated, there are too many new cells, the nail plate goes beyond the bed, and upward growth begins. Then a thickening and a yellow tint are clearly noticeable. In some cases, longitudinal lines, cracks appear.

Many girls, after removing gel polish or false nails, cannot boast of the beauty of their nails. As a rule, everything depends on the professionalism of the master, such mistakes are often made by novice specialists. Girls are not recommended to save on varnish. In the case of nails, quality should come first.

The lack of iron in the body often causes the toenails to crumble and exfoliate. In particular, this applies to the thumb, both on the legs and on the hands. The same symptoms can be observed if a person has weakened immunity, as a rule, with the deterioration of the nails, the condition of the hair and skin integument also deteriorates. The lack of sulfur, vitamin C, B vitamins also adversely affects the condition of the nails.

Some drugs can cause a negative effect on the nail plate. Do not forget that heredity plays an important role.

Pathological causes

If toenails crumble, an organic disease may be the cause. Problems can arise against the background of untimely treatment of the disease, if it is protracted, chronic. Along with the deterioration of the condition of the nails, a rash appears on the skin, the hair becomes sparse and dry.

Diabetes

Many people know that diabetes mellitus disrupts the vital activity of the whole organism, and other pathologies develop against the background of the disease. Toenails are no exception: they turn yellow and crumble - this is a sign of diabetic onychomycosis.

This is due to the fact that with this disease, the concentration of sugar in the blood increases, which leads to damage to blood vessels and nerve endings. On the legs, such problems occur very quickly, because they are as far as possible from the central nervous system. In addition, there is a constant load on the lower limbs, and wounds and cracks heal much more slowly there.

People diagnosed with diabetes have another problem - often the nail grows into the surrounding tissue, and this is a huge risk of infection or the appearance of trophic ulcers. Accordingly, with this disease, it is necessary to pay special attention to the legs and nails, treat them with special means. However, most antifungal agents have a negative effect on insulin metabolism, therefore, their use requires constant monitoring by medical professionals.

Psoriatic onychodystrophy

This, of course, is a medical name, popularly called psoriasis on the nails of the hands and feet. As a rule, apart from skin psoriasis, such a disease does not occur. In addition to the fact that the toenail crumbles, it collapses from the inside. At a certain period of time, papules may appear on the nails, which slightly resemble yellowish puddles. These papules contain pus that is released as the nail grows. Another symptom is itching, it is impossible to immediately determine where it is exactly, it seems that it is on the fingers or under the nails. The main danger of the disease is that you can completely lose the nail plate, and before that the person will be tormented by discomfort.

And the worst thing is that psoriatic onychodystrophy is incurable, all therapy is aimed only at eliminating symptoms and discomfort. But in no case should you refuse treatment, it will help reduce the risk of relapse.

Eczema

Crumbling toenail? Maybe it's eczema. Yes, this chronic disease can manifest itself not only on the skin, but also on the nails. However, eczema first appears on the skin, then spreads to the nails.

On the nail plate, the hole first becomes cloudy, begins to peel off, becomes loose and exfoliates. The nail itself is covered with transverse grooves, depressions appear, it crumbles and breaks. Puffiness appears around the nail, bubbles form, the skin cracks, peels off. In advanced cases, the nail plate can completely separate from the nail bed.

This type of disease is amenable to local treatment. Ointments containing vitamins are prescribed. You will have to follow a diet and carefully monitor hygiene. In this situation, nail extensions can help. The procedure will hide not only the problem, but also align the nail plate. Naturally, the build-up can be carried out only after a course of treatment.

How to treat?

If the nail on the big toe crumbles, but it is clearly known that no disease is to blame, then, first of all, one should start with adjusting the diet. The menu should include the maximum amount of fruits (apricots, citrus fruits), dairy products, spinach and nuts.

To achieve the maximum required level of iron, selenium and iodine in the body, it is not necessary to take pills. There is a lot of it in apples, seafood, beef liver, seaweed, brewer's yeast.

Wax can help correct the situation. For the procedure, it is necessary to melt 5 or 6 tablespoons of wax, after cooling, immerse hands or feet there (10-15 minutes), doing this 2-3 times for 7 days. It is better to carry out the procedure before going to bed and, without cleaning the nails from wax, go to bed.

You can do baths with sea salt every day. It is recommended to treat the damaged finger daily with sea buckthorn or olive oil.

What to do - toenails crumble ... Sign up for procedures. However, before contacting a beauty salon, it is still recommended to undergo an examination to exclude any pathology.

One of the most popular procedures is paraffin therapy. It is somewhat reminiscent of a wax procedure that can be done at home. In the salon, they can offer to undergo a massage course, by the way, many effective techniques have been invented for nails.

Some salons offer a course of diathermy, that is, the effect on the nails in order to improve the nutrition of blood vessels and blood circulation. Like the hospital procedure - ultraphoresis, salon procedures are also carried out, only with the name vitamin ultraphoresis. When processing nails, their surface is saturated with vitamin compounds.

The sealing procedure is the application of a nutrient solution to the nail and fixing it with wax. The effectiveness of the procedure can be observed for three months, then you have to repeat everything again. What else to do if the toenail crumbles?

Spa pedicure is not a one-day procedure, but a whole complex, which includes not only a visit to the salon, but also care at home.

Prevention

If the toenails are crumbling, treatment is certainly required, but it is best to prevent such a condition. First of all, sweating on the legs and arms should be controlled. Be sure to wash your feet daily, even if they look clean.

After visiting public places, especially those with high humidity (pool, sauna, beach), it is better to treat the limbs with a special antifungal aerosol.

The female sex should not save on cosmetics, including nail polishes. Do not forget to apply a protective agent before applying varnish. If you prefer salon procedures, then carefully choose the master so that he responsibly treats the sanitization of tools.

And, of course, eat in a balanced way, give up spontaneous snacks and fast foods, as such nutrition causes a deficiency of vitamins in the body.