Why does the big toe nail become thicker

Nails are one of the important accessories of our body that protect the tips of our fingers and assist them in handling external objects. Nails are often the most "hard-working" part of our body on a daily basis. Whether it is grabbing things, simply prying or dealing with impacts, nails are the first to bear the brunt. There are actually quite a few nail diseases. The most common one is the thickening of the nail on the big toe, which is caused by onychomycosis.

Onychomycosis, commonly known as "onychomycosis", refers to a disease caused by dermatophytes invading the nail plate or under the nail. Onychomycosis is a nail infection caused by fungi such as dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte fungi. Onychomycosis is often caused by various fungi such as Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum. A few are caused by other filamentous fungi, yeast-like fungi and yeast, and occasionally by spore fungi, Fusarium and Aspergillus terreus, and are mostly seen in malnourished nails.

Clinical manifestations

1. Subungual onychomycosis

It often starts from the sides or ends of the nail plate, and usually starts with mild paronychia, which then gradually becomes chronic or subsides. Paronychia can cause pits or grooves on the nail surface, which may persist or gradually involve the nail root. Once the nail plate becomes infected, it may develop cracks, become brittle, or thicken and appear brown or black. Due to the deposition of keratin and debris under the nail, the nail becomes loose and becomes cloudy and thickened.

2. Fungal white nails (superficial white onychomycosis)

It is one or more small turbid areas on the surface of the deck with irregular shapes. They can gradually spread to the entire deck, causing the nail surface to soften and sink. There are no symptoms, no paronychia, and desquamation is often seen in the skin of the nail bed folds.

3. Onychomycosis caused by Candida albicans

It is more common in housewives, cooks and people who often come into contact with water. It is often accompanied by paronychia, which starts from the nail folds on both sides and may cause skin redness, swelling, pus accumulation and tenderness. The nearby nail becomes dark, rises, and separates from the nail bed underneath, and then the entire nail plate is affected.

If you find that your nails also have the symptoms described above, you should consider whether you have onychomycosis. Onychomycosis is stubborn and difficult to treat, so once you find yourself suffering from onychomycosis, you should seek treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will not only affect your appearance, but will also greatly affect your work and life convenience.