Most ingrown toenails start at home, with a pair of scissors and a rushed Sunday evening. How you cut your nails has a lot to do with how they grow.
Cut straight across
A toenail rounded at the corners tends to grow into the skin at the sides, so cut it straight across and leave the corners where they are. This matters most on the big toe, which takes the most pressure from shoes. If a corner feels sharp, smooth it with a nail file instead of cutting into it.
Do not cut too short
A nail trimmed very close to the skin gives the edge no room, and the soft tissue can fold over its sides as the nail grows out. Leave a thin white edge, roughly level with the tip of the toe. If the nail presses on the skin right after trimming, it is too short.
Pick the right moment and the right tools
- Trim after a shower or a warm foot bath, when the nail is softer and less likely to split.
- Use a clean clipper made for toenails. Toenails are thicker and harder than fingernails, and small curved scissors make a straight cut difficult.
- Wash and dry the tools after each use, and keep them to yourself.
- Sit down in good light. While you are at it, look over the nails, the skin between the toes and the heels.
Things that make it worse
- Digging into the corner with a pin or the tip of the scissors to free the nail. This often leaves a small splinter of nail behind and irritates the skin further.
- Tight or narrow shoes that press the toes together all day, and socks that are too small.
- Tearing or biting the nail edge instead of cutting it.
- Putting off a sore corner for weeks. A nail that hurts today is easier to deal with than one that has been inflamed for a month.
When to see a podiatrist
Book a visit if the skin beside the nail is red, swollen, painful or oozing, or if the nail keeps growing into the skin even when you trim it properly. Nails that are very thick, curved or too hard to cut at home also need a professional. If you have diabetes or poor circulation in your legs, do not try to solve it yourself: even a small problem on the foot deserves a professional look.
Ask for help too if you cannot reach your feet comfortably or your eyesight makes trimming risky. Many older people and people with limited mobility choose regular professional nail care for this reason.
At PODOKOM in Rzeszów, ul. Lewakowskiego 4, we work with sterile instruments and take an individual approach to each patient. A podiatrist can assess the nail, remove the cause of the pain and show you how to trim at home so the problem does not come back.