Why are the sides of my toenails yellow, smelly, and hollow? What should I do?

The yellowing on both sides of the toenails, accompanied by a foul odor and hollow areas inside, may be related to factors such as onychomycosis, nail dystrophy, or psoriasis. Appropriate medical treatment should be actively pursued. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Onychomycosis

This condition is primarily a nail disorder caused by dermatophyte infection. It leads to rough keratinized debris accumulating on the nail bed surface, affecting both the nail plate and the area beneath it. This results in symptoms such as yellowing, thickening, detachment of the nail plate, and foul odor. Treatment should follow medical advice and may include medications such as itraconazole capsules, fluconazole tablets, or terbinafine hydrochloride gel.

2. Nail Dystrophy

If adequate nutrition is not maintained in daily life, nutrient deficiencies may occur, leading to nail atrophy and color changes to some extent, which may also cause localized unpleasant odor. Treatment under medical guidance may include fluconazole capsules, vitamin B2 tablets, or mometasone furoate cream.

3. Psoriasis

This is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Nail lesions in the toes can also appear as complications of psoriasis. Following fungal infection and persistent inflammatory stimulation, toenails may become thickened, yellowed, and hollow underneath. Treatment should follow medical advice and may involve medications such as acitretin capsules, tazarotene gel, or calcipotriol ointment.

Besides the above causes, similar symptoms may also result from chronic paronychia, subungual warts, or chronic eczema. When bodily discomfort occurs, prompt medical evaluation at a hospital is necessary to determine the exact cause and select appropriate treatment to promote recovery.