Easy Way to Cut Toenails

Cutting your toenails properly helps prevent ingrown toenails.

Feet are not necessarily on top of the list when it comes to personal grooming, often being forgotten because we rarely see them. However, when summer rolls around every year and it's time to break out your sandals, you may begin to think about trimming those overgrown toenails. Properly groomed and pedicured feet have the benefit of looking good, and cutting your toenails correctly also promotes healthy nail growth and prevents infection. Tight shoes and socks, combined with side-cutting and rounded corners, are the main reasons people get ingrown toenails in the first place. While you still have to wear shoes for most of the day, you can at least cut your toenails the right way to avoid future pain.

Things You'll Need

• Large, quality nail clippers
• Alcohol
• Cotton pad or swab

Instructions

1. Sterilize your nail clippers by either boiling them in water for at least 10 minutes or wiping them with alcohol.

2. Sit comfortably on a chair or on the floor, where you have easy access to all angles of your toes. Choose an area that has sufficient light to see what you are doing, such as the bathroom.

3. Wipe your toenails with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. You want to clean and sterilize the area before cutting.

4. Hold your nail clippers in one hand and grip your toe in the other.

5. Clip your toenail straight across so that it is slightly square. Stay away from rounded corners and clipping the sides, as this can cause ingrown toenails. Be careful not to cut your toenails too short; this exposes the delicate skin underneath and can cause inflammation and tenderness.

6. Use a nail file to even out the edges and top it off with a clear coat of polish.

7. Clean your utensils after use by scrubbing them with soap and hot water.

Tips & Warnings

• Soak your feet in water after clipping your toenails to make removing dead skin easier; soaking before will only increase chances of tearing or bending.

• Do not use nail scissors to cut your toenails; toenails are much thicker than fingernails, and scissors can tear your toenails or cut unevenly.

• Never clip the sides of your toenails because it can cause ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails can be extremely painful and have a tendency to come back once you get them.

References

• The Guardian: Life and Style: Dr Luisa Dillner's Guide To.... Cutting Toenails
• MailOnline: How To... Cut Your Toenails
• Everyday Health: Foot Health Center: Tips for Cutting Your Toenails