Thick\Discoloured Nails

Thickened and/or discolored toenails are a very common site in any foot clinic. Toenails can become thickened as we age, with injury, with some skin conditions such as psoriasis, and with fungal infections. It is best to find out what is making your nails thickened or discolored, there is help.

Often people attend the foot clinic for their nails, not because they are painful, but because they don't look the best. They can become discolored with yellow and browns and become difficult to cut. They sometimes do not feel comfortable in footwear if the nails thicken too much and their feet do not look great with sandals. Often any kind of nail cutting at home is impossible.

At the Kingston Foot and Ankle Clinic, we assess the toenails to find out the cause for the thickening or discoloration. In the case of thickened nails, we initially reduce the thickness of the nails in a pain-free way that immediately makes them look and feel better. Sometimes we will offer home care instructions, such as recommending a solution or a cream, for keeping the nails thinner. Sometimes we recommend using special nail nippers at home that are made to manage your type of problem.

We advise that you not spend a lot of money on off-the-shelf products before you know exactly what is causing the condition and how best to meet your individual needs. Unfortunately, there is plenty of dubious information on the internet and the sometimes deceptive advertising of large pharmaceutical companies can easily mislead or confuse.

If the nails are thickened and discolored due to a fungal infection, we recommend treating the fungus in order to restore the nails back to their normal state. There are many topical and oral medications as well as natural options available to treat the cause. The type of fungus found, the specific way in which it affects the nails, along with the patient's individual medical history will determine which options would be best for you. In most cases, we recommend starting with medication along with regular treatments of debridement (thinning the nails) along with some treatments to use at home.

Important Update: The Kingston Foot and Ankle Clinic now offers state of the art laser therapy for the treatment of fungal nail conditions. We have more details on the Services page.

We recommend that women do not wear nail polish when they have a known fungal infection. This practice will allow the fungus to spread more rapidly among the nails. Do be careful when seeking pedicures. Ensure that the service provider only uses STERILIZED instruments. Feel free to ask them how they sterilize their instruments. They must use an autoclave! Fungus is extremely contagious, and it is takes a long time to clear up in toenails. Some toenail treatments take over 2 years to completely be free of fungus.

Most thickened toenails require some type of regular treatments by a qualified professional Chiropodist for truly effective foot care management. Some patients need to come once a month for a period of time and some can come every 3 months depending on the condition. Our staff is highly trained in state-of-the-art techniques to ensure that we properly identify your specific condition, provide effective treatment and help you to avoid future problems. Contact us today and find out how you can take control.