Thick Toenails
 
The most common cause of thick toenails is a fungus infection
similar or identical to the fungus that causes "athlete's foot." The nail usually takes on a
yellowish cast and may be difficult to cut. The problem usually becomes painful when closed shoes
are worn, since the thick nail is pressed down into the skin underneath.
Although the big toe (hallux) is most commonly affected, the
nails of the other toes are also often involved. In some cases, this problem may be best treated
with oral and/or topical anti fungal medicine. In other cases, laser surgery may be the best
option. The corrective method most commonly used at Center for Advanced Foot
Surgery is as follows. After numbing the toe, the affected thick toenail is removed, and a
chemical and Laser beam are used to dissolve the entire nail root so that the thickened nail will
not grow back. Then a porcine "pigskin" graft is placed over the end of the toe where the nail was
removed, which helps the skin underneath the nail to heal more quickly. After the skin heals, the
porcine graft simply falls off, leaving an area of skin which is pleasant in appearance and is not
painful. No skin incisions are made using this technique.
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