Did you know your toenails can grow upwards of 1 mm, if not more, per month? With that type of growth, regular trimming and cutting is essential.
Proper nail care is a critical part of your overall hygiene. Healthy nails are smooth, and free of spots whereas signs of nail problems include pitting, ridges, streaks, yellowing and other forms of discolouration. Proper nail care is particularly important because nails act as a protector for the delicate tissues at the end of your toes. Think of them as a shield.
Trimming your nails is one way to keep your toenails healthy. Proper nail care reduces the risk of trauma, Cracked Toenails, infected toenails, and limits the build-up of Nail Fungus. A weekly routine of checking on your nails allows you to stay on top of its health at a rate that’s both manageable, and not too stressful.
Below, you’ll find our picks for the best products, how to cut your toenails properly, how often you should cut your toenails, and much more.
Top toenail clippers: Our picks
Seki Edge Stainless Steel Professional Nail Nipper
If tough and thickened nails are a challenge, the Seki Edge Stainless Steel Professional Nail Nippers offers a clean trimming for fresh feet.
Revlon Toenail Clipper
Revlon’s classic toenail clipper has curved blades that follow your toenail shape for easy, accurate trimming. Plain, simple, and affordable.
Nippes Solingen Stainless Steel Toenail Nipper
Shape tough and thick nails with the Nippes Solingen Stainless Steel Toenail Nippers. Its spring and lock mechanism, along with its expert sharpness allow for precise cutting.
Seki Edge Stainless Steel Toenail Clipper
The cutting edge is hand-grinded and honed for precise cutting. Tempered-twice to be long lasting and have a sharp edge. Little effort required to cut through the thickest nails.
Premax Stainless Steel Toenail Clippers
Premax’s Stainless Steel Toenail Clippers feature a classic swivel top, sloped for best ergonomic hold. The blade is polished, sharp, and crescent-shaped, allowing you to clip through the toughest of nails while keeping them properly contoured.
Erbe Solingen Nickel-Plated Pedicure Scissors
Erbe Solingen Nickel-Plated Pedicure Scissors are designed to cut tough nails cleanly and carefully. The angle of the blades of this well-engineered scissors encourages a straight-across cut to reduce the likelihood of ingrown toenails. The handles are made to enhance the strength of the hand and the power of the cut, assuring a clean and even trim every time.
Niegeloh Solingen TopInox Stainless Steel Toenail Clippers
Niegeloh’s TopInox Stainless Steel Toenail Clippers features a sharp and curved cutting edge, allowing these clippers to cut through hard and difficult nails. product expertise, items individually tested.
How to cut your toenails like an expert
As simple as it may seem, Trimming and Filing your Toenails correctly is an important part of maintaining proper foot health. It can save you from pesky and rather painful nail problems, such as ingrown toenails, broken toenails, and toenail related infections.
- Wash and Dry Your Feet: Thoroughly cleaning and drying your feet will also ensure your tools do not slip and you are able to see the nail edge clearly. Without regular hygiene, harmful microrganisms including bacteria and fungi may develop.
- Have the Right Tool(s) Available: To trim your toenails, you will need a pair of sharp nail clippers or professional nail nippers if you have very thick nails. You will also need a nail file.
- Clip Nails Straight Across: When cutting the toenail, the safest way to do it is to cut the nail straight across. This will ensure the toenail continues to grow forward, rather than outwards. Then, if necessary, cut along the straight line of your original cut to trim the edges while following the natural shape of your toe. Examine twice, cut once, instead of cutting too deep.
- File Sharp or Jagged Edges: Always file any sharp corners or jagged edges to ensure the nail edge is smooth. Sharp corners can catch on socks or even poke the surrounding skin. This also ensures you do not leave a nail spike behind to grow into the skin and cause a very painful ingrown toenail.
For our comprehensive guide on trimming your nails, read How To Cut Your Toenails Like a Professional.
How often should you clip your toenails?
Toenails can grow about 1 mm a month, so trimming your nails every 6-8 weeks, if not more regularly, is ideal. Other factors including your footwear and activity level can vary your frequency, and it may be advisable to trim your nails more often. If you’re a runner, for example, you may be more comfortable with regular trims as you want to avoid toenail conditions like Toenail Fungus and Black Toenails.
Did you also know that your toenails grow faster in the summer than in the winter?
Cutting your toenails too short could heighten your risk for Ingrown Toenails. If you leave your toenails too long, they may tear on your socks, shoes, or another object. Trim just the white part of your nail, and avoid the pink-coloured nail beneath that line.
Toenail clippers vs. toenail scissors
First off, use tools that are specifically designed for your toenails. Avoid tools such as regular scissors or knives that aren’t specifically designed for cutting nails.
Precision is greater with toenail scissors, as the gentle curve of the blade makes it easier to shape your nails. You can also cut from the side which puts your nail into plain view better than clippers. Lastly, scissors cause less trauma to the nail as the smoother cut is more accurate.
However, trimming your nails with scissors can be difficult on your non-dominant side.
Both have their pros and cons, and it comes down to personal choice. Ideally, you have both, in case you need to make more precise cuts, or if you have difficulty on your non-dominant side, you can turn to nail clippers.
Straight vs. curved clippers: What’s the difference?
Your fingernails and toenails are different, and require different tools for the job. You may be tempted to use fingernail clippers for your toes, but because of the different shape, and width of the nails, you should avoid using curved fingernail clippers for your toes.
Look for toenail clippers with a straight edge. Using a curved tool for your toenails puts you at risk of digging into the tender sides of your nail bed and increases your risk for ingrown toenails.
By following these tips, you’re well on your way to proper toenail care.
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