Has anyone ever solved non-existent toenails?

[QuimReaper]

My little toenail basically doesn't exist, and the other ones seem to sort of Peter out into skin towards the edges, they have no substance at all. I was clipping them the other day and realised half of my big toenail on one foot fro, about halfway up wasn't attacked to the nail bed so I just clipped it off! The last few weeks I've been religiously creaming my feet and sleeping in socks (first flexitol, now the similar stuff but in cream form) in an effort to fix all the dry skin (my feet are a delight ) and I wonder if I've been sort of "melting" my toenails with all the moisturiser. I also aim for 15-20K steps a day and it's taking its toll. Last summer two of my toenails came off completely after a huge amount of walking.

Thing is when I get a pedicure they seem to "find" ten toenails, so I feel like they can be fixed. I'm useless at pedicure stuff but surely I can beef them up a bit. I've got Nail Envy on them right now but wondered if anyone else has come back from non existent toenails?

I have the little toes with no nail thing.
The toenails falling off with exercise suggests that you are leaving your toenails too long and your shoes too small.
Runners need to go up a half size in their running shoes.
How you lace your shoes is important - you can lace them in different ways to solve problems
www.self.com/story/lacing-hacks-running-shoes-more-comfortable
I would go to a running or outdoors shop to get my gait analysed.

I wouldn't put the cream on my toenails. I think that some handcreams wreck my fingernails.

I go up a complete size in running shoes, yet lost a toenail last week. At lest its winter and I can hide in boots

shitpark ugh!. I'd look at the lacing. It can make a difference.

I haven't run in years It's just walking. I do think my Converse were to blame last year though: in that insane heatwave my feet swelled and they were definitely tight.

My nails are never too long though, chance'd be a fine thing!

You need better shoes than converse for walking. They don't give enough support.

I habe tiny shrinking nails on all of my toes 😂 its weird and im glad im not the only one. When i cut them theres barely a slither left anymore.

Get yourself to a shop that does gait analyis and have them recommend shoes. Tell them that you want them for walking.
Neutral or cushioning. You can order them off the web.
Makes like asics, NB, saucony etc usually have nice ones but avoid the fashion ones.
Not tried them but merrell and salomon are meant to be good.

A podiatrist told me not to use Flexitol every day as the urea will soften the skin (and no doubt the nails!) too much. There is a reason we have tougher skin on our feet!

Interesting user! I've only been doing it 4 nights a week for a short while, so it's obviously not the whole story, but not helping.

Is it better when you have a pedicure because they push your cuticles back?

Chew I suspect they get rid of a lot of detritus to expose a nail! Especially my little toenail and the one next to it, but they seem to make my big toe look a lot neater and more present too. I honestly don't know how they magic a little toenail out to be able to paint it, it's witchcraft.

I've just had a lightbulb moment - I have a fungal nail infection! Explains the slight discoloration (which I thought was trauma) and the fact that a big corner of my big toenail lifted away when I was trimming last week!

Argh, in trying to make the bottoms of my feet look less like an elephant's hide I've probably fostered a whole colony of fungus!

Oh but apparently the urea will soften the nail and make any anti-fungals I use more effective.

But will also soften my nails so they keep growing all flaky and bendy.

DD2 has the non-existent little toe nail thing - she's really self-conscious about it, to the point where she won't wear sandals or flip flops. No idea what can be done, though.....if it ain't there, it ain't there.