In my younger days, I suffered a toenail injury to the same toe 3 times. I know, how do you stub the same toe 3 times in a row? As a result, my toenail grows sideways and I now call this toe, “my crazy toe”.  This is my attempt to make light of my little disfigured toenail which actually embarrassed me for the better part of my twenties. I bring this up because I didn’t actually notice the toenail was growing crooked for a long time.

When I finally realized, I had to think back to piece together why my nail was rebelling and growing in a direction all its own. Had I noticed this sooner could I have intervened and got the nail to grow straight? Is there something that can be done today?  If I have the toenail removed, will a new nail grow back in straight?

In my case, it’s a toenail disorder consisting of mild disfigurement; however, medical conditions like poor blood flow or autoimmune diseases can cause toenail fungus, ingrown toenails, and other nail disorders. The condition of toenails can reveal a great deal about a person’s overall health and with simple observation of the nail, health professionals can pinpoint and address other health issues of the body. 

What Are the Different Types of Toenail Disorders?

Toenail fungus is a slow-growing infection of the nail and skin beneath it. A nail infected with fungus is thick, yellowish, or white in color, and more brittle than normal. According to Mayo Clinic, toenail fungus is one of the most common toenail problems seen and treated by foot specialists and effects more than 3 million Americans a year. Common places you may come into contact with fungus are warm, damp areas such as community showers, locker rooms, and swimming pool areas.

Untreated toenail infections, poor diet or illness, too much or too little moisture, or foot trauma such as running in ill fitted shoes can cause cracked toe nails (also known as Onychoschizia). Other causes are rheumatoid arthritis, fungal infections, psoriasis, poor circulation, medication side effects and thyroid issues. And for some simple genetics can cause cracking in the toenail.

Ingrown toenails (also known as Onychocryptosis), another very common disorder of the toenail, usually effects the big toe. Ingrown toenails occur when the nail grows into the skin causing pain, redness, and swelling of the toe. Lifting or removing the toenail can help alleviate these symptoms as well as antibiotics.

Yellow nail syndrome is a disorder in which the nail lacks a cuticle, grows slowly, and becomes loose or detached. Yellow nail syndrome is commonly associated with lymphedema of limbs and/or chronic respiratory disorders.

Onycholysis is the painless separation of the nail from the nail bed and is a sign of skin disease, infection (most likely fungal), or injury to the toenail. The separated portion of the nail may turn yellow, white, or green. Once the nail separates from the nailbed it will not reattach. It takes on average 18 month for a toenail to grow back. The normal average growth rate of toenails is 1 mm per month. Aging slows nail growth rate by .5% each year after age 25.

Spoon nails usually develop on fingernails, but they can also occur in your toenails. The most common cause of spoon nails is iron deficiency, or anemia.

Blue/purple nails = Cyanosis of the toenail. It is common for a nail to turn black after an injury. The black or purple-black color is caused by blood under the nail and will go away as the injury heals. Black, brown, or purple discoloration under a nail that has not been injured may be caused by melanoma.

Needless to say, there are many toenail disorders that could occur and having a general understanding of the different types could help prevent or treat the area before permanent damage occurs, i.e. loss of the nail completely.

What Can I Do to Avoid Toe Nail Disorders?

To maintain optimal toe nail health, it is best to change your socks regularly. The goal is to keep feet dry and clean. Keep your toenails trimmed using sanitized nail clippers. Wear proper fitting shoes no matter what. For example, if you have wide feet, invest in wide shoes. Especially, if you have a toenail growing sideways like me! Your toes need room to rest comfortably in your shoe. When your feet are subject to high impact moments, opt for breathable footwear to help with sweaty feet.

And finally, if you really want to pamper your feet, administer a spa treatment at home. First, bathe your feet in an Epsom salt bath, then once dried, mix a small amount of tea tree oil, peppermint essential oil, and lavender oil onto the skin of the foot. This blend of oils contains anti-fungal and increased circulation benefits making them perfect for maintaining optimal foot health.

**It is advisable to consult a health-care professional such as a doctor or podiatrist before taking action based on any information found on our website. Our goal is to provide information and educate others on a number of issues relating to foot health, not give medical instruction.

About author:

Derek Roach is a foot health specialist and has worked in the foot health industry for over 10 years. He is knowledge in various foot conditions and shoe features to help with those conditions. Also, he has been quoted on CNN, The Penny Hoarder, HuffPost, Dapper Confidential and other popular publications for foot and shoe-related topics.