What’s the Right Way to Cut Toenails?

How hard can it be to cut your toenails?

Well, it isn’t. But that doesn’t mean that everyone knows how to do it properly! Taking a little extra time and care to cut your toenails the right way, of course, will certainly keep you looking stylish. More than that, though, it’ll help you avoid potential pitfalls like ingrown toenails and fungal nail infections.

Here’s your checklist:

• Only cut nails when they’re dry. Wet nails are far more likely to bend or even tear painfully. Dry nails will give you a nice, clean cut.
• Choose big enough clippers. Many people use the same pair of fingernail clippers for their toenails as well, but this generally isn’t a good idea. Toenails tend to be larger and thicker than fingernails, so they need a little more leverage. The cutting edge on the fingernail trimmers may be too curved as well. Which leads us to our next point …
• Don’t round the corners. With your fingers, you can contour the edge somewhat. With toes, you want to cut straight across. This helps reduce your odds of an ingrown toenail.
• Don’t cut too short. Try to keep the edge of the nail roughly even with the toe tip. This also helps prevent ingrown toenails.
• Disinfect your tools. This is especially good advice if multiple people in your household are sharing clippers. A little rubbing alcohol after you use them is a good policy.
• File afterward. Gently smoothing the edges of your nail with a nail file or emery board will help you keep your nails looking clean and reduce the risk of snags and tears.

With solid techniques like these, you give yourself the best chance to avoid injury and keep your nails looking great! If you do, however, develop any issues with the health or appearance of your nails, please call Family Foot & Ankle Care of Jasper. You can reach us at (812) 481-7200.