No one likes having ingrown, broken, or jagged toenails. Even worse is the fear of accidentally hurting yourself with a pair of sharp clippers. Therefore, it’s important to know how to cut your nails correctly and safely. With the right tools and techniques you can keep your toes looking healthy and immaculate without any pain or damage. All you need is the best toenail clippers and a few simple tips to help you get started.
Finding The Right Clipper
The first step in cutting your nails painlessly is finding the right tool for the job. The best toenail clipper isn’t necessarily expensive but it should be made of high-quality materials such as stainless steel or titanium. Avoid plastic ones since they don’t stay sharp for very long and can cause tearing instead of clean cuts. Look for models that are designed specifically for feet rather than fingernails since they have larger blades and longer handles which make them easier to use on thicker nails.
Trimming Properly
Once you have the proper tools, it’s time to learn how to trim your nails properly. Here are some essential tips:
• Soak your feet in warm water – This makes your skin softer which helps prevent splitting or cracking when cutting. It also helps soften up thickened areas around the nail bed where ingrowns are more likely to form.
• Choose a comfortable position – Sitting down on a chair will give you better control over the clipper so that you can see exactly what area needs trimming while avoiding accidental nicks along the sides of your nail bed.
• Cut straight across – Aiming too far back towards the skin can cause painful ingrowns while trimming too close near the tip can lead to uncomfortable hangnails; therefore, always cut straight across at an even length above each toe’s natural curve line (which should be visible).
• Be careful not to snag any skin – Taking extra precautions while using the clipper will ensure that no unintended snags occur which could harm delicate skin around your toes. Make sure that no excess pressure is applied during each snip and go slowly if needed until all nails are trimmed evenly without any rough edges left behind.
Finishing
Once all your nails are neatly trimmed, take a few minutes to do the finishing touches, such as filing off any sharp edges, before drying off completely if you have soaked your hands in warm water beforehand (this will also help prevent infection from bacteria entering open wounds). Make sure you do not apply moisturiser near the cuticles as this can attract fungus; however, rubbing cuticle oil into these areas after washing your hands thoroughly can be beneficial as it helps to maintain healthy cells around the nail beds which will prevent them from becoming brittle over time due to exposure to hot showers/baths etc. Finally, allow them to air dry naturally so that moisture doesn’t get trapped underneath and cause fungal growth later on!
Long term toenail care
Avoiding nasty ingrown toenails or hangnails starts with practicing regular foot care at home, such as cleaning under toenails after showering daily with soap/water solution, then applying antifungal cream if needed (in cases of cracked heels) – this will help prevent fungus from building up in tight spaces between old layers of dead cells on the surface (elevate legs during treatment). In addition, wear shoes/socks made from breathable fabrics such as cotton blends as synthetic fibres trap moisture which leads to fungal build-up which in turn leads to uncomfortable infections later down the line). Ultimately, good hygiene combined with the right technique when clipping will result in happy feet now and in the future!