Here's How to Clip Your Toenails To Reduce The Risk of An Ingrown Toenail

You have a sore toe. The skin is red and swollen around the side of the toe. It hurts to walk, so you really can’t enjoy a favorite sport right now or even a walk in the neighborhood. 

It’s time to seek help from a foot specialist. at Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey, our providers are going to likely diagnose your toe problem as an ingrown toenail. 

What’s an ingrown toenail? 

An ingrown toenail occurs when the skin on the side or the corner of your nail covers the nail. The nail then grows under the skin. Now you have a painful ingrown toenail. 

How did I get an ingrown toenail? 

Once you have one ingrown toenail, you don’t want another one. Cutting your nails too short is the most common reason for ingrown toenails. 

If you’re a woman and wear high heels or shoes that come to a point at the toes, your shoes could be the culprit. Tight shoes can force the skin on the side of your toe to cover the nail. The same can occur with shoes that are too short. 

Sports make your feet perspire, which softens the skin around your nails, opening up the possibility for an ingrown toenail. If you play an active sport like tennis in which your toes dig into your shoes repeatedly from quick twists and turns, you could get an ingrown toenail. Likewise, kicking a soccer ball over and over could potentially result in one. 

If you have diabetes, you need to take extra care of your feet. Blood flow to your feet can be compromised, leading to foot and toe injuries; an ingrown toenail is one example. 

How to clip your toenails 

When clipping your toenails, you may want to round the edges of your nail as you do when you trim your fingernails. Try to avoid that. 

Instead, always clip your toenails straight across. Avoid clipping them so that they’re too short. Leave enough nail so the corners of the nail protrude from your skin. 

How to avoid ingrown toenails

First and foremost, make sure you cut your toenails straight across, avoiding the temptation to round the edges. 

Next, take off your shoes after a workout and take a shower right away after playing a sport or engaging in any physical activity. Don’t let your feet sit in a bath of perspiration in damp shoes. 

Wear shoes that fit correctly. Have your foot measured at a shoe store and ensure you’re wearing the right size shoe for your foot. Avoid pointy-toed shoes that cram your toes together. 

If you’re diabetic, in addition to daily self-checks, schedule regular foot checkups with our office. We can catch a problem before it grows into a full blown infection.    

Call Family Foot & Ankle Center of South Jersey or book an appointment online at our Cherry Hill, New Jersey location today. We’re your partner in your foot health.