Unexpected Improvement, And Proof I've Had This For Years!

[sreese68]

I got a very nice surprise this morning! I took off some month-old toenail polish to discover my problem toenail looks almost normal! For at least the last 7 years (probably longer - don't remember exactly when it showed up), my left big toe's nail hasn't been healthy. It's had a surface crack that runs horizontally across it about 2/3's of the way up. The top part of the crack was raised slightly to the point that I'd often get sock lint caught in it. The top of the nail was also thicker than the top of my other nails. It grew normally, but the raised crack always stayed where it was.

This morning I noticed that it's smooth! There's no crack at all through the middle. The sides still have a faint crack, but the nail above it is no longer raised! From a distance, my nail looks normal! I have done NOTHING at all to my nail! The only change I've made is my diet. I am thrilled! I'm hoping the remainder of the crack will disappear as the nail grows out.

I may have to use my nail as a barometer of my healing! LOL! For those curious, I started gluten-free 17 weeks ago. Then did a 4-day gluten challenge 9 weeks ago. So not sure if you'd call me gluten-free for 17 weeks or 9

[Sarah Alli]

Kind of like this:

?

Koilonychia. I have it too. It's caused by iron deficiency so make sure you're getting plenty of iron in your diet and you should continue to see improvement.

[Fairy Dancer]

I have issues with some of my toes nails. I have what looks like terry's nails and one of them is much thicker than the others. I am not sure if its a fungal thing or due to diet or related to the other symptoms I am getting. I am presently in the process of trying to get a test for celiac disease as I am getting a range of issues from fatigue to digestive disturbances and, because I have a half brother with it, wanted to rule any problems with gluten out. So for the time being I am still eating gluten until I've spoken to my dr.

I did try a brief gluten free diet for 5 days but went back to eating it for the purpose of possibly getting tested. I did get some mild improvements in the digestive issues and the dizziness/light headed sensation I am getting but right now its too early to tell if that was down to being gluten free or if it was just a coincidence. I do know it's day 3 of being back on gluten and the diarrhoea is back with a vengeance.

If it does turn out to be a gluten issue maybe going gluten free will help my poor toe nails as well!

[sreese68]

Koilonychia. I have it too. It's caused by iron deficiency so make sure you're getting plenty of iron in your diet and you should continue to see improvement.

No, it's not that, though I appreciate you posting it! I googled a lot yesterday and couldn't find anything that fit quite right. It seems closer to Beau's lines, but that isn't quite right either. It looked like I had had an injury to my toenail even though I hadn't. Every once in awhile, the part above the crack would come off when I trimmed my nail, and the part below the crack looked like it tapered down to my skin. Kind of hard to describe.

[Sarah Alli]

No, it's not that, though I appreciate you posting it! I googled a lot yesterday and couldn't find anything that fit quite right. It seems closer to Beau's lines, but that isn't quite right either. It looked like I had had an injury to my toenail even though I hadn't. Every once in awhile, the part above the crack would come off when I trimmed my nail, and the part below the crack looked like it tapered down to my skin. Kind of hard to describe.

I think I know what you're talking about. Those kind of things are usually caused by injuries to the nail matrix, but that sort of thing can actually still fall under koilonychia especially if you're sure you haven't been injured.

Here's another pic that might be closer to what you're talking about. I get deep vertical ridges in my big toenails, too.