Why are my toenails so tiny

[ClumpingBambooIsALie]

My fingernails are pretty normal. My big toenails are pretty normal. But the other toenails? Absolutely minuscule. The nailbed of my non-big toenails is absolute maximum 2mm from base to… other end.

Now, technically, I could grow them longer and pretend I have normal toenails, but when I do that they grow up at an angle, like landed javelins, and being connected to my toe by the most whisper-thin of flesh-bands, will happily rip off at the slightest insult, at least, when they're not rubbing on the inside of my shoe — so I have to keep them clipped extremely short. At this point, some eagle-eyed readers might think, "Aha! That's why your nailbeds are so short!" but no, they've always been this tiny, even back when I left them longer and took the risk of pain. I only make sure I have no dead excess on there to avoid aforementioned excruciating off-ripping — I don't do anything to the bed itself.

I considered uploading a picture, but I had to zoom in so far to make the toenails visible that the toe-hair detail was grotesque.

I've looked online and no human foot I can find has toenail beds this short. Is there some magical way of growing toenail bed, or am I doomed to forever have vestigial little nubs for toenails?

Maireas I'm jealous of your long, elegant toes! I can only assume that there are millions of us out there dissatisfied with the aesthetic imperfections of our feet. Mine are indeed short, boxy and chubby I tried on a pair of Birkenstocks once, which have a ridge that's meant to go under your toes, and the ridge was positioned somewhere across the balls of my feet

I'm now intrigued as to what someone could've said on a "why are my toenails freakish and can I fix it" thread that was bad enough to get deleted.

All mine are OK apart from my little toe on both feet and the nail there is virtually nonexistent.

In summer I have to resort to applying nail polish to the skin above to make it look "normal" otherwise it just looks like I forgot to paint my little toe nail 🙄

My daughter's little toe nails are the same.

My toenails are okay but some of my toes are webbed so I'm like some secret sea creature trying to pass myself off as a human.

That's actually pretty cool in my book, but I'm guessing those freakish toe-shoes people wear are out of the question for you

I have the same.

When getting my nails done before holiday (hands) the beautician asked if i wanted my toes done as well. I told her that my toenails were non existant so thought it would be a waste, and she shrugged, said its really common and they just but the gel polish on your toes instead to look like a nail 🤣

Didnt take her up on the offer but was surprised that it seemed more normal than i realised!

I think you can get fake nails... but I would just paint over the whole nail area with a few coats. I doubt anyone will stare close enough to notice. Better having teeny ones than long curling ones!

I can't believe that a) people paint extra nail onto their toes and b) I never even considered that as an option Seems like there's lots of us out there and Big Foot has been lying to us in the stock photos…

only actual serial killing psychopaths wear those horrific shoes!

@ClumpingBambooIsALie

My daughter has short, plump, broad feet - she hates them. They look like Hobbit's feet 😬 (she's says).

Her big toes are 'normal' but the rest of her toes are tiny. This makes her big toes look like giant's toes. When she was born it looked like she only had big toes. She has no nail on her little (micro) toes. She has never worn sandals for this reason. She has hEDS.

There is a research paper which lists brachydactyly (small digits) as a sign of classical EDS.

Hm. Thanks for that information, I didn't know there was a potential link I suppose if it is an EDS thing, at least having short, nail-deficient toes is more benign than some of the things my family members have ended up with. I bet your daughter's feet are still cute, even if she gets annoyed at not being able to wear sandals.

Should be a full stop after link, sorry.

Which type of EDS is it in your family?

I don't know; the family member with the diagnosis was diagnosed at a London hospital many years ago and just told EDS I think, others have lots of the signs and are treated as though EDS by e.g. cardiologists (stuff like mitral valve prolapse) but haven't been evaluated specifically. I only have traces of it, probably wouldn't meet criteria.

Oh, right. In that case it certainly could be cEDS or clEDS in the family. Definitely don't worry about it, but good to be aware of!

I guess these days they probably do genetic tests but that wasn't a thing back then

@ClumpingBambooIsALie

Definitely not cute 🤔 She hates, loathes and detests her feet.

Remarkably odd maybe 🤣

Strange looking 🤔

She won't go swimming either, which is a shame because it's very good exercise for someone with this condition.

I have similar problems to you OP.
All my nails grow up into the air at an angle which means they look awful and catch on things. They are weak and i don't seem to have the half moon at the nail bed.
My little toe nail is barely there.
I also have webbing between two of my toe nails.
I'm a freak!

Ah poor kid :( It's horrible being self-conscious about your body.

Mine are oddly very robust and strong, which is better in some ways but means the weak point, the bit that rips if they catch on something, is the nail bed rather than the nail itself.

Sticky-up toenails of any kind are also deeply unpleasant for anyone you're sharing a bed with; I've practically taken chunks out of people 😅

I bet you're a good swimmer.

This thread is enlightening. I also have tiny toe nails, so small on the smaller toes that they almost completely disappear when I cut them. My toes are also tiny, the smaller 3 are so small that they don't touch the ground unless I'm standing. I too have some hypermobility problems, I can place my hands flat on the floor while standing with straight legs, but not enough to reach any diagnostic stage. Never realised there was a connection.

Mine are very small too. I just assumed because I have small feet (size 4) and short toes, so they are kind of in proportion. I don't particularly like wearing sandals though to show them off... They have always been like that and I'm nearly 40 now, so I don't think it's related to any health issues. My fingernails are normal and actually very strong and healthy.

Your feet sound quite sensible! Mine are triangular HH-width size sixes, so the tiny toenails are perhaps a little less proportionate Still, join the tiny toenail club. We save money on nail polish.

The nails on my last two toes on each foot are like this, and I have possibly got EDS (have many symptoms and it's in my family) so that's interesting.

Same ... maybe little ones are like this picture , the rest normal
Really attractive pedicure 🤨