There is a reason why the toenails are thickened and raised

The weather is hot nowadays, and we are already in summer without realizing it. We are wearing summer clothes, and our feet are also not willing to be left behind, changing into sandals, so that the toes can be exposed to breathe. We usually don’t notice it when wearing shoes and socks, but now that the toes are exposed, the problem is suddenly discovered. Why does one of my toenails seem to have grown fat and become thicker, and it is also protruding, but I don’t feel any pain. What causes this? Let’s learn about it together below.

1. Onychomycosis

Most of the time, the reason for thickening toenails is due to onychomycosis. After contracting onychomycosis, the fungus can easily enter the nail bed or nail plate and multiply rapidly, causing the nails to thicken and the accumulation of the stratum corneum to increase. Generally, toenails caused by onychomycosis become 1 to 3 times thicker than normal nail plates.

If onychomycosis is not treated promptly, the toenails will become thicker and thicker, eventually causing the nail plate to fall off. It may also cause athlete's foot, making it more difficult to cure.

2. Age Issue

Thickening of toenails is common among the elderly. This is usually because the metabolism of the cuticle that makes up the nails slows down as the elderly age, causing the toenails to thicken. There is no special treatment, just pay attention to foot hygiene.

3. Pachyonychia

Pachyonychia, known as thick nail disease in traditional Chinese medicine, has clinical symptoms of obvious hypertrophic enlargement, hardening, brittleness, loss of luster and easy rupture of the nail plate. Generally, the nail plate becomes thicker, yellower and wedge-shaped, with the thickest edge at the front of the nail. The nail is hard and brittle, and the distal end of the nail may curl up due to accumulation under the nail. Pachyonychia can be treated in the hospital and is not contagious.

4. Chronic diseases

Chronic diseases such as respiratory system, thyroid or lymph gland diseases may lead to poor circulatory system, affecting blood supply to the extremities, causing slow growth of toenails, accumulation of keratinization in the stratum corneum, and thickening of toenails. In this situation, it is most important to improve the body's overall disease resistance, which makes it possible to completely cure chronic diseases.

5. Hyperkeratotic tinea pedis

Hyperkeratotic tinea pedis is one of the causes of thickening of toenails. As the toenails thicken, most of the soles of the feet will become diffusely red. This type of thickening of toenails is accompanied by thickening, roughening of the skin, and deepening of the skin lines.