# Ugly toenails - sign of deficiency?



## flower01 (Aug 1, 2007)

I feel bad calling my daughter's toe nails ugly, but I'm not sure how else to describe them. They are not smooth and not uniformly shaped. the Big toe and little toes in particular are funky. My DH thinks it's just because of the way she walks, curling her toes under. She has always worn Robeez, so it's not hard shoes causing the problem. I have heard that nail problems can indicate a vitamin deficiency and wondering if that might be it. Her fingernails are beautiful, no white spots, grow fast so no problem there. BTW, she's 14mo and mostly BF still.


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## marimara (Jan 31, 2008)

My 21mo dd has really weird toenails too. They curl up and grow very strangely. She is very prone to ingrown toenails though I try to cut them straight across. I don't know if it's the same thing but the ped said it's normal and that she'll grow out of it. My neice had the same thing and DID grow out of it around 3. I was thinking vitamin def too but probably not if she's mostly BF. Maybe ask the ped next time.


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## Evansmama (May 13, 2007)

My son has funky toes too. They curl around at the edges. I'm interested in responses too...


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## orangekoolaid (May 21, 2006)

my Dd's are the same way-- THEY ARE EXACTLY like her dad's toe nails. so maybe it's genetic???


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## rhubarbarin (May 2, 2008)

I think in most cases it's just genetic. I have very strong, hard 'nice' nails, my sister has always had thin, brittle, cracked-looking nails.. we ate the same diet and took the same vitamins growing up, and our nails are still different to this day..


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## pbjmama (Sep 20, 2007)

I've heard some kids even grow out of ugly toenails. I've had my son tested for all sorts of things including deficiencies for other reasons and none have come up. His big toes are really bad.


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## heatherweh (Nov 29, 2007)

DS (2 yo) has funky toenails too- I've actually posted this question on here months ago. His fingernails also look great, but those toenails are funky-monkey. They curl up and are thick and gnarly and aren't smooth at all and his little toenail is pretty much disappeared completely under his chubby pinky-toe.

Should we be pushing back the cuticles or something?


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## SundayCrepes (Feb 15, 2008)

My 2.5 year old also has funky big toe nails. When he was a wee bit, I was afraid they were ingrown and took him to the ped just for that. She said that they're just really soft and that's how they grow.

Based on that (said about an infant) and the other posts, I'm not TOO worried. Sounds like he'll grow out of them.


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