Thick toenails are often the result of a toenail fungus. In some cases however toenails can thicken due to wearing tight shoes.
Some of the symptoms of toenail fungus include thickening of the nail, discoloration of the nail, brittleness resulting in crumbling, fogging of the nail, and spots. You may also smell a slight stench coming from under the nail. Often but not always you may feel a slight pain while putting weight on the infected toe.
Causes
Fungus can be caused by a few different things. Its important to understand the causes of toenail fungal infection in order to prevent it from coming back.
Moist public areas such as public pools, gyms, and locker rooms are the perfect breeding ground for fungus and can easily be spread. Make sure you always wear sandals around these places whenever possible. This will significantly reduce your risks.
Also important is to always make sure your shoes have dried out since your last use. Never wear sweaty sneakers left from yesterday. Equally important in preventing thickening of the nails and toenail fungus is making sure your shoes aren't too tight fitting. Try to wear moisture absorbent socks. This will take moisture of the toes and decrease risks.
Treatments
In addition to taking good preventative measures you'll need a remedy to treat your current fungus. Most treatments by themselves are ineffective. Prescription drugs that are ingested are dangerous and should be avoided. Not only do they attempt to treat your fungus but they also do serious damage to your liver and kidneys. In extreme cases this can result in liver failure resulting in death.
The best method I found for treating toenail fungus was by soaking my nails in hot water and then gently removing a thin layer of my infected nail with a file. I then applied a white vinegar and dark beer soak for about 30 minutes per treatment twice a day. After this I applied a natural treatment.
