How To Cut Fingernails And Toenails
Knowing how to cut nails, as well as doing it frequently, is useful not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for ensuring hygiene and health. Long nails can be a danger because they collect dirt and bacteria and can easily become ingrown causing pain.
Keeping the nails at the right length helps us to have beautiful and healthy hands and feet, as well as avoiding discomfort. And all this without necessarily having to resort to a manicure or pedicure. By learning how to cut nails, we will be able to do it ourselves quickly and at no cost.
How to properly cut nails?
Cutting nails is very easy, you just need a few tools and the right will.
Tools
- Exfoliating
- Cuticle oil
- Orange wood stick
- Nail clipper
- Thick cardboard file
- Nail clippers with straight and inclined edge
But before you cut your nails …
Before cutting your nails, it is advisable to soak them for at least a quarter of an hour in warm water, so that they soften and cut more easily.
In addition to this, keep in mind that fingernails are different from toenails, so you have to pay attention to how you cut them.
How to cut fingernails
- Before cutting your nails, soak your hands in water with exfoliating soap; massage them to leave them soft and clean.
- Apply some cuticle oil to the base of the nail and let your hands soak for a while longer.
- With the orange wood stick, carefully detach the cuticle from the nail and push it backwards with the flat part.
- If the cuticle is abundant or if you have annoying cuticles, you can use tweezers or cut them with a nipper. You can also use them to open the space between the nail and the finger.
- With the normal nail clipper, cut the nails in a curved or straight shape, leaving at least 3 millimeters to protect the fingers.
- Finally, file the nails with a file giving the shape you prefer.
How to cut toenails
- As for the hands, soak your feet, apply exfoliating soap and cuticle oil; repeat the procedure to remove cuticles and skin that may grow around the nails.
- Once done, you can cut your nails very carefully, as they are more prone to ingrowing.
- Use a straight nail clipper, as nails should be cut square, leaving no uneven edges or tips.
- To finish, you can gently file the nails, but leaving the square shape.
How to prevent ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenails are usually the result of a bad cut, tight or pointy shoes, football, or even a genetic predisposition.
It is important to intervene in time as the ingrown toenail could become an annoying or painful problem, which sometimes needs to be resolved surgically.
How to treat an ingrown toenail?
When a nail becomes ingrown, the area often becomes red, swollen, with signs of infection or even the presence of pus. It is advisable to soak the feet in warm water and coarse salt to soften the affected area.
In this way the nail can be lifted more easily with tweezers or clippers and then cut it and prevent it from becoming ingrown again.
Prevent ingrown toenails
Preventing ingrown toenails depends on our habits. Even after you’ve fixed the problem, it’s important to follow these tips:
- Trim your nails regularly.
- Soak your nails to soften them.
- Avoid wearing narrow, pointed shoes and high heels.
- If you can’t cut your nails properly, see a professional.
