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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Why do toenails become more curved as we Age?

I have both observed and been asked the question: Why do toenails become more curved as we age? The answer mainly lies in these 3 photos. It insures that we will have more problems with our toenails as we mature? I wonder what podiatrist I will see when I can not cut my own nails??

Here is a typical toenail that gets ingrown even with loose shoes and socks.

As you can see from the front view, the nail itself is not flat, but tremendously curved.

As we age our skin is more fragile and soft. When we walk, the  pressure on the bottom of the toe pushes the skin towards the growing nail. The added skin pressure on the side of the nail pushes in on the toenail and forces it downward. The nail physically can not grow flat due to the skin pressure, it is forced to grow downward or curved. Can you see how easy it is to get inflamed?

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31 comments:

  1. I am having this same problem, but I am only 24 years old. Both the nails on my big toe are very curved. I have had problems not only with ingrown toenails, but the base of my toenail lost the cuticle, became inflamed and the whole nail had to be removed.
    How do you stop the toenail from growing curved like this?

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    1. Sorry, but I do not know the answer to this one. Most podiatrists will conservatively treat the nail border several times, and if the problem keep coming back, remove the border (around 3-4 mm) permanently with a procedure called a chemical matrixectomy. The nail is permanently narrowed, but will never ingrown again. I hope this helps. Rich
      I do have patients pushing cotton under the nail borders, but I am unsure if this works.

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    2. I believe it happens when you have a fungus. I once was treated with an oral medication for the fungus for several weeks. As the fungus cleared, the nail straightened.

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    3. I think it happens at the nail spa.i noticed it happening to me a few weeks after I went to the spa. I remember her really digging,and it hurt. Never had a problem with artched nails before this. I am going to the foot doctor next werk. Probably a fungus. :(

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    4. I don't think it "happens" at the mail spa. I go to them to get relief. It's age for me.

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    5. I've had that curved toe every since I was a baby actually for some reason.

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  2. This is exactly what Iam going through, But what is the answer? What do you do to fix or prevent it???

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    1. Sorry, it is an observation, but I have no answers. Rich

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    2. I have appreciated positive results and significant (near-immediate!) pain relief by using a product called Nail Ease, which is a brace that you attach by gluing to the nail to apply counter-pressure. There is another similar product, called Curve Correct, but I have not used it and cannot speak to its effectiveness first hand.

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  3. I had the same problem since I was a teen. At one point in college, I would wake up and cry from the throbbing pain caused by the weight of my sheets. Finally when I was about 19 or 20, I got my two big toenails permanently narrowed. That involved cutting and pulling out (I think) the parts of may nail that were curving into my skin. The doctor cauterized the wound with chemicals and...maybe a torch if I remember correctly. Then I had to soak and rewrap my toe every 4 hours or so for about a week.

    The doctor told me theres only a 2% chance of regrowth but the cut portion of nail on one of my nails here back about a year later haha! That sucked. But I eventually got it redone and now it's been 5 years of painfree toes. The procedure itself is mostly painless (thank you local anaesthesia). The after care is annoying, but that, and the cost, were totally worth it.

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  4. I started having curved toenails when I began cutting my toenails straight rather than rounded. Then I saw an article that said curved toenails should be cut short and rounded. I did that and my nails immediately became flatter. I also filed down the hard skin on the sides of the nails. Definitely worked for me!

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  5. My toenail on my big toe is very curved, but really causes no pain or discomfort. The only problem is that it is curved so much that I can't get it into regular toenail clippers. Do they make toenail clippers for curved toenails?

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    1. http://www.footsmart.com/P-Fine-Point-Ingrown-Toenail-Clippers-50496.aspx

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  6. I am 67 years old. I have this problem on my right foot, but not on the left. Do you have any explanation for that?

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    1. Typically it is because one foot is longer, or one foot moves around in the shoe more, or the shape of the toes (like bunions) are more on one side and influences toe position in the shoe. Rich

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    2. I soaked my feet in salty hot water, put tooth picks on the corners, and did acrylic on the toe, problem resolved.

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  7. I have this problem with my toe nails to a certain extent on all my toes, but the curving on the big toe makes my nails stick up so high that it's hard to find shoes that fit comfortably, not to mention the funny appearance. Neither ofmy 2 older brothers, 9 and 10 years older, have this problem.

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  8. i got big toe nail and second grows curved.it don't hurt.i thought it was with ageing.

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  9. Hi Dr. Blake,
    The nails on the second smallest toe on both of my feet curl at the ends - but in the opposite direction of the pictures you have shown! All of my other toenails are growing healthy and straight. I never wear tight-fitting shoes, and I take very good care of my feet. How can I train my nails to grow more normally?

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    1. Sorry, I wish I knew how to train nails. Look at some websites specializing in toenails. Rich

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  10. Have you noticed that people with swelling from big toe joint issues tend to have curved big toenails? I've noticed mine got curved after having hallux rigidus. Curving inceased after gout attack and surgeries.

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  11. dear Dr Blake, may i mention one of my personal observation here. I think that curvature of toe nails are related to malocclusion or TMD problems. For many years the nail on my left big toe was curved while the right one was absolutely fine. And for those many years i had an issue with my bite due to the growing wisdom teeth on the left side of my jaw. I was ignoring it initially but when i got the wosdom teth removed and a little grinding was done on 7th molar the bite on the left side was fine and i also noticed that the nail shape also started to improve very fast. However i didnt get rid of my wisdom teeth on my right and now i have started to feel the same pain in my right jaw and would you believe i noticed that the nail on my right big toe has now started to become curved. Through i am an IT professional with no medical knowledge but i am quite sure through my observation that it is possibly a reason.
    phone -+919330803999

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    1. Oh my gosh, you just described my scenario. Except I didnt connect the tooth issues. I also had one curved big toe nail, on the left and also had had about three procedures done on that side. One of which was an extracted wisdom tooth. In my right; the big toe nail was fine until I had a molar pulled, come to think of it. And whats weird is: On my left side,my upper wisdom tooth actually dropped down and became a functioning molar. My dentist was tripping out! And I am realizing, the left big toe has flattened out quite a bit since that event. What an interesting observation!

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  12. I have a problem with my big toenail, it curved in so I soaked it in warm water and then I cut it, now I'm in more pain, then I was before

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  13. This video on YouTube shows a clip that goes over the end of the curved nail to flatten it out
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58c_cgAuH44

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  14. I am 62 & just noticed a couple of weeks ago that my big toe nails look just like the picture here & are real hard to clip. Now both toes in the nail area are sore on the sides. I really don't want to see podiatrist but think I will have to

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  15. I am 57 and for the last 15years I am facing curved nail problem on my toe nails. I could not understand the reason or the whom to consult for this problem. Please analyse the reasons & cure to this problem.
    Regards and thanks.

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  16. A lot of weight over a brief timeframe can result in pressure breaks in the region encompassing the foot and ankle.causes of ankle sprains

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  17. My toenails have curved so much inward that it looks like the outside edges will soon meet in the middle. It's starting to get uncomfortable, but doesn't really hurt like the ingrown toenails (to the outside) did about 20-30 years ago.

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  18. Toenails that have grown thicker over time likely indicate a fungal infection, also known as onychomycosis. Left untreated, upward curved toenails can become painful. Prompt treatment is key to curing the nail fungus.

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  19. I've had a curved thick big toenail for 40 years. Finally couldn't take it anymore and had it permanently removed! Thank you Lord!

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Thank you very much for leaving a comment. Due to my time restraints, some comments may not be answered.I will answer questions that I feel will help the community as a whole.. I can only answer medical questions in a general form. No specific answers can be given. Please consult a podiatrist, therapist, orthopedist, or sports medicine physician in your area for specific questions.