You’ve probably seen people with tiny pinky toenails. The term “thumb-nail” isn’t accurate, but it sounds better than “pinkie nail”, doesn’t it?
What is a pinky toenail anyway?
A pinky toenail is located on the small toe. It only has two sides, whereas all of your other toes have three sides. This means that your pinky toe is more likely to catch on to things than the rest of your toes.
A tiny little thing that can cause pain but isn’t something you should worry about (too much). Your pinky toenail can develop in one or two ways:
- Excessively long and curved at the point where your big toe joins the rest of your foot (usually this will happen because you have a big curved toe) or,
- Excessively short and weakly developed. What does it look like, and why does it cause such confusion?
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Microdactyly Might be the Possible Reason
It’s easy to get caught up in the details of your nails and forget that they’re all just a part of your overall health. But what does that have to do with your toenails?
The answer is microdactyly, which is a condition where you have unusually small fingernails or toenails. It can affect both males and females and can be caused by several factors.
It is often caused by a congenital disorder called Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). In PRS, there is a genetic mutation that causes mutations in both copies of the gene for keratins 6 and 8, which are responsible for making the outer layer of skin on your fingers and toes.
The defect results in several different types of microdactyly—some people get only one version of this syndrome and others have multiple types.
A very common genetic condition, and it causes your toenail to be smaller than normal. You can’t see it yourself unless you have the condition, but this condition is sometimes caused by a mutation in one of your parent’s genes. If both parents have the mutation, there’s a 50% chance that their kids will have microdactyly, too.
Microdactyly can also be caused by an infection or injury to the nail bed (or nail plate), which damages the DNA inside that part of your finger. When this happens, it can lead to microdactyly as well.
It’s important to note that most people with microdactyly don’t have any health issues related to their fingernails or feet at all! The health problems that do affect people with microdactyly tend to be more related to their heart and other organs—not their nails alone!
Cure for Microdactyly
There are many ways you can treat microdactyly, but they all depend on what type you have and how severe it is. If your microdactyly is mild enough, then there are no options for treatment other than waiting until it goes away on its own.
If your condition is severe enough (for example, if it affects both feet), then surgery might be required to remove the deformity entirely so that it doesn’t affect any activities such as holding objects correctly or using tools properly anymore.
There are treatments available that can help alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with this condition.
In general, treatment options fall into three categories:
- medical interventions such as hormone therapy to promote growth;
- surgical procedures such as tendon transfers;
- and physical therapy that improves mobility.
It might be Ainhum
Get to the bottom of your pinky toe’s smallness with a little help from Ainhum.
Ainhum is a fungal infection that causes your toenails to grow abnormally small. It’s also known as Onychomycosis and can be caused by several different types of fungus, including yeast, molds, and fungus-like organisms.
Symptoms of Ainhum include:
- Smaller than normal nails
- Thickening of the nail plate
- Yellowing of the nail plate (which may lead to discoloration)
You may notice these symptoms on the sole of your foot or toes, but they could also occur in other areas of your body such as your nose or ears!
FAQs on Why is My Pinky Toenail So Small?
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Is it normal to have a small pinky toenail?
As mentioned in the above article, it might be closely related to macrodactyly. Also, it is possible that the nail matrix might have been destroyed because of pressure.
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Why are my pinky toenails weird?
There is a heavy chance it might be an infection as a result of contact with some fungus. It acts like a slow poison as over time it causes greater damage to the nail.
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How can I grow my pinky toenail?
There are many medicines out on the market which you can use to simulate your nail growth. Also, there is one widely used remedy of soaking your toe/feet in lukewarm water and adding some tsp of salt to it.
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Why is my pinky toenail so thick?
The condition can be greatly related to onychomycosis due to a fungal infection.
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Why is my pinky toenail very small?
The pinky toenail is often smaller than the other toenails due to genetics.
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What is the tiny sixth toenail?
The tiny sixth toenail is an accessory nail that can sometimes grow on the pinky toe. It is not uncommon and is usually harmless.
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Why are my toenails really small?
There are many possible reasons why your toenails may be small. Some possible causes include: Genetics, Injury, Infection, Fungal infection, Psoriasis, Anemia.
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What does a healthy pinky toenail look like?
A healthy pinky toenail is pink, smooth, and free of cracks or ridges. It should be trimmed straight across and not too short.
Conclusion on Why is My Pinky Toe So Small
Indeed, there are chances that your pinky-toe nail’s shortness might be linked to the above-mentioned diseases but they are more related to genetic conditions passed out throughout generations.
With the advancement of medical science, remedies for this are nearer than we can imagine.
