How to Trim a Toenail Correctly
Many people are all too familiar with ingrown toenails, which can lead to annoying or excruciating pain and even infections. This condition is often caused by toenails that have been cut too short or in the wrong shape. In most cases you can prevent ingrown toenails by learning to cut your toenails correctly.
Instructions
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1
Take a long, warm bath to soften your toenails. If you don’t have time for a bath, soak your feet in warm water while you work on the computer or watch TV.
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2
Check the point where your toenail is no longer attached to the nail bed (the flesh right under your toenail). Many people cut their toenails too short, so keep in mind the rule of thumb that the end of your cut toenail should extend beyond the nail bed but not beyond the end of your toe.
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3
Use your small scissors, toenail clippers or bandage scissors to cut your toenail straight across the line you determined in Step 2. Make several small cuts instead of trying to clip the entire toenail in one cut.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use fingernail clippers to clip your toenails. These are too small and curved to work correctly on toenails.
Do not curve the toenail to match the shape of the end of the toe; the straighter the cut, the less likely it will become ingrown.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Stinkefüße image by MoniP from Fotolia.com
