Clipping Toenails


Clipping your toenails correctly is the key to avoiding an ingrown nail. But many people are misinformed about this basic aspect of footcare, and during the summer, people are paying more attention to their bare feet and wondering how to trim their nails correctly. If you’re diabetic, this may be something that you’ll always need to be cautious about, but for most people at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry in northern New Jersey, the following advice will keep their toes safe and presentable.


It’s a good idea to have separate clippers for the toenails and fingernails. Toenail clippers are a little larger, and using separate clippers will reduce the spread of bacteria. The toenails should be clean when they’re cut, but unless they’re extremely thick, they shouldn’t be wet. A wet nail is at greater risk of tearing. As you cut, go straight across, using a few small trims. You don’t want your nails to be rounded off, or they’ll be at greater risk of growing into the skin and causing a hangnail. Instead, you can file down the square edges to make them less sharp.


People with diabetes may be suffering from neuropathy and be unable to determine whether they are cutting too close. But everyone else should be careful not to cut all the way down to the nail plate; a bit of the nail’s white edge should remain across the front of the toenails. It is also important to never cut the cuticles, although they may be pushed back.


Dr. Frank Killian and Dr. Sameep Chandrani run Mercer-Ocean Podiatry. For the location at 2103 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, Hamilton Township, New Jersey, 08619, call 609-585-3200. For the location at 202 Rte 37 W, Suite 4, Toms River, New Jersey, 08755, call 732-557-4266. For the location at 666 Plainsboro Rd Suite 1050, Plainsboro New Jersey, 08536, call 609-269-5800. Visit New Jersey Foot.




 

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