Toenail Care - How to Give Our Nails Some TLC
Often, we neglect our nails. Our toenail care, especially, can be the last thing on our minds. Out of sight, out of mind.
Our toenails can
be all but forgotten until...
an occasion makes us want to wear those fancy, open toed heels...or the weather makes us want to bare our feet in sandals or at the beach. Now, what do we do??
No worries! It is easy to get your toenails and nails back into shape for showing off.
Getting started:
Wash your feet or hands in warm, soapy water.
Dry your feet or hands thoroughly with a clean towel.
Optional: Use a cotton ball dipped in tea tree oil to gently swab around nails, this gets rid of any bacteria that might
cause a toenail infection.
Take a look at your cuticles - you can use a cotton ball dipped in olive oil, and dab the olive oil on your cuticles,
first - gently massage the oil in, then -gently push cuticles back in place on your
nail using an orange stick or a Hindu stone. Keeping your cuticles in good health helps them look good and may prevent infection and bacteria
from getting in.
If you have damaged cuticles - very carefully trim any hanging or snagged cuticles if needed. Be careful not to draw blood!
You can file down any thick areas - some people feel the best files look like paddles and are 2 sided with sand paper and glass paper
What Supplies You Need:
There are two main types of nail clippers that you could use.
You could get a straight edged toenail or fingernail clipper.
There are many different variations on this type of clipper. And, it is readily available at many stores and online. Just be sure to get the
the right size - a larger
one for toenails or the smaller one specifically sized for fingernails.
The other type of nail cutter is called a barrel spring nail cutter.
This is a little less common type of nail cutter for home use, but it works very well.
It has a long body and usually is made out of stainless steel or carbon steel. The sharp blades on a barrel spring clippers are great for cutting
thick toenails.
How To Cut Your Nails:
You want to keep your nails short, but don't cut them too short so that you expose the skin underneath.
As mentioned already, use clippers designed specifically for toes or fingers. There are fingernail clippers for these smaller sized nails.
Using improperly sized clippers can make it difficult to trim the nails squarely.
Podiatrists and doctors
recommend a square cut - it reduces ingrown nails which can happen when the nail grows back unevenly. Uneven growth can happen when the
nail is cut unevenly - like in a rounded manner.
begin at toenail's corner
use small cuts as you cut across the nail - this helps prevent splintering the nail
don't round the corners of your toenail
cut your toenail straight across to avoid ingrown toe nails
cut all your nails the same way
clean your nail cutters
You can get a podiatrist to help you with your nail care if it is too difficult or awkward for you.
More Ways To Care For and Protect Your Nails:
wear waterproof gloves for washing dishes or other wet work
wear shoes with a wide toe or open toe
wear fresh cotton socks and properly fitted footwear
use cotton socks, wear clean and dry socks, changing if necessary
can even protect hands with cotton gloves
don't walk barefoot in public areas or showers, use sandals
go to reputable nail care salons, some people even bring their own nail files and trimmers from home
apply a moisturizing lotion or cream on the nail margins and skin
specific foot lotions tend to work better than general creams or lotions
inspect your nails for any spots, discoloration, thickening, injury or changes in appearance
go see your doctor if you observe anything out of the ordinary and if you have difficulty caring for your nails on your own, a podiatrist can help you
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Toenail Care and Fingernail Care
by Lisa Geary B. Ed., M.A. Health Researcher
www.yeast-infection-answers.com
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