How to Get Rid of Thick Toenails with Simple Home Remedies

Updated on January 28th, 2020
how to get rid of thick toenails

Thick and greenish toenails are not only ugly but can be painful too. They occur as a side effect to fungal infection of the toenails that make the nails thick, hard, and brittle.

The nail cuticle swells and becomes painful due to the fungal infection or toenail fungus that settles in the sensitive skin under the toenails. This can happen due to a lack of proper foot care. But no worries whatsoever as you get to read and find out a host of surprising ways on how to get rid of thick toenails at home.

What causes thick toenails?

Some of the general causes of the development of thick and painful toenails are listed below.

  • Psoriasis of the toenails
  • Yellow Nail Disease
  • Paronychia
  • Aging
  • Injury to the toenails
  • Fungal infection of the toenails
  • Poor blood circulation in the toes
  • Eczema on the toes
  • Infection of the toenails caused by Lichen planus
  • Diabetes
  • Splitting of toenails caused by Lupus

Top 5 Home Remedies on How to Get Rid of Thick Toenails

1. With Foods That Work Effectively

● Garlic and White Vinegar

garlic benefits
Image:ShutterStock

You can administer raw cloves of garlic for the natural treatment of thick white toenails that possess a brittle and crumbly texture.

How to use?

  • Chop the garlic cloves and pound the pieces into a paste
  • Add 2-3 tablespoons of plain white vinegar to the garlic paste in the jar
  • Apply the mixture to the thick, discolored toenails
  • Wrap the toenails with a sterile gauze
  • Let the mixture seep into your skin for about 3-4 hours
  • Do this twice or thrice a day for the natural treatment of hard thick toenails

Benefits of using garlic and white vinegar

Garlic is incredibly beneficial for the cure the inflammation and pain of the thick brown toenails. Garlic contains phytochemical compounds such as ajoene and allicin that are highly effective in the natural inhibition of thick toenails fungus. The topical application of the mixture helps in the alleviation of pain and enhance the healthy circulation of blood in the affected areas.

Precaution

Conduct a patch test on the skin to ascertain that the paste is not too harsh for your skin.

Foods to eat

Incorporate the following foods into your diet to beat the infection and brittleness of nails and make them grow long and shiny.

  • Foods rich in zinc like pumpkin, kidney beans, flax seeds, soy milk, nuts, etc.
  • Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like chia seeds, walnuts, fattty fish oils, etc.
  • Foods rich in folic acids such as avocado, citrus fruits, spinach, beetroot, etc.
  • Foods rich in biotin like milk, oats, cucumbers, lettuce, etc.
  • Foods rich in proteins like eggs, fish, meat, soy, etc.

Foods to avoid

Avoid the following foods to get rid of thick toenails.

  • Alcohol
  • Sugary beverages
  • Fast food
  • Processed food
  • Sugary food
  • Oily foods
  • Caffeinated drinks
  • Sodas and carbonated beverages

2. With Herbal Treatments

● Snakeroot Herb

snakeroot
Image: Shutterstock

The use of the snakeroot herb is a fantastic way of how to treat hard thick, crumbly toenails and thick, brittle toenails.

How to use?

  • Fill a cup with hot water
  • Add a few tablespoons of the extract of snakeroot herb to the water to make a paste
  • Smear your thick, brittle toenails with the snakeroot herb paste
  • Wrap your thick toenails with sterile gauze
  • Rinse your feet with lukewarm water after about an hour
  • Do this twice daily for the cure of thick toenails

Benefits of using the snakeroot herb

Snakeroot herb takes a few weeks to cure the pain and brittleness of the herb. The topical application of the herb helps in enhancing the regular flow of blood. Snakeroot herb gets steeped in phytochemical compounds that aid in the alleviation of pain, swelling, inflammation, redness, and other symptoms of thick toenails. The paste can also help with the prevention of toenails growing thick and promote the growth of long and healthy nails instead.

Precaution

Make sure that your skin is not allergic to the snakeroot herb by conducting a patch test on an unaffected part of the skin surface before using the remedy.

3. With The Use Of Essential Oils

● Tea Tree Essential Oil

teatree oil
Image: Shutterstock

Tea tree oil is one of the best essential oils for the cure of discolored, thick brown toenails.

How to use?

  • Add half a teaspoon of tea tree essential oil to a tablespoon each of orange oil and coconut oils to make an oil mixture
  • Massage the thick, discolored toenails for about 15-20 minutes with the oil mixture
  • Rinse your toes with lukewarm water
  • Apply the oil mixture to the toenails in every alternate hour
  • Massage your toenail cuticles with the oil mixture
  • Do this on a daily basis for the natural treatment of thick toenails

Benefits of using tea tree essential oil

The anti-inflammatory properties of the tea tree essential oil are incredibly useful for the natural cure of the different symptoms of thick yellow toenails. It can cure the inflammation, and its analgesic nature is highly beneficial for the alleviation of the pain and swelling of the affected area.

The application of diluted tea tree essential oil improves the flow of blood in the toes and inhibit the swelling and foul odor of the nails(1) as well. The topical application of diluted tea tree essential helps in restoring color to the nails and promotes the growth of healthy nails by the inhibition of the action of the thick toenails fungus.

Tea tree essential is incredibly useful for the natural treatment of the fungal infection of the toenails.

Precaution

Make sure that your skin is not sensitive to the tea tree essential oil by conducting a patch test on an unaffected part of the skin surface before using the remedy.

4. With Home Remedies

● Apple Cider Vinegar

apple cider vinegar
Image: Shutterstock

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective home remedies of whitish thick, crumbly toenails.

How to use?

  • Blend a cup each of warm water and apple cider vinegar to make a solution
  • Dip your toes in the lukewarm solution and make sure that the thick, brittle toenails get completely immersed in the solution
  • Keep your toes dipped in the solution for about 30 minutes or until the solution becomes cold
  • Do this in every couple of hours to get rid of thick toenails

Benefits of using apple cider vinegar

Dipping the toes in the warm apple cider vinegar solution promotes the healthy circulation of blood in the toes which is highly beneficial for the alleviation of pain, swelling, inflammation, and infection of the toenails. The anti-fungal and antibacterial properties of apple cider vinegar aids in the inhibition of thick toenails fungus and cures the crumbly and brittle texture of the toenails.

[Read: Apple Cider Vinegar for Toenail Fungus]

Precaution

Do not apply raw apple cider vinegar to the skin as that may cause blisters.

5. With Natural Treatments

● Epsom Salt

epsom salt (1)
Image: Shutterstock

Epsom salt is one of the most effective home remedies.

How to use?

  • Fill a bath-tub with warm water and add a cup of Epsom salt to the water
  • Dip your toes in the lukewarm solution and make sure that the thick white toenails get completely immersed in the solution for about 30 minutes
  • Do this twice on a daily basis for the cure of white hard thick nails

Benefits of Epsom salt

Epsom salt helps in the exfoliation of the affected areas of the skin, inhibits the secretion of pus from the thick toenails, does away with the foul odor and cures the brittleness of toenails.

How to cut thick toenails?

It is necessary to soften the thick yellow toenails before cutting and trimming toenails into shape.

  • Dip your feet in a tub filled with lukewarm water
  • Keep your toes immersed in the warm water for about 20-25 minutes
  • Clip at the softened nails by using a nail cutter
  • Make sure that you do not clip the nail cuticle
  • File your toenails into shape
  • Moisturize your toes with coconut oil after cutting the toenails

The home remedies to get rid of thick toenails are quick, efficient, effective, and nourishing for the skin as well. Follow through with the home remedies to soothe the pain and cure the discoloration and hardness of toenails.

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