The best time to trim your nails is immediately after taking a bath or shower. However, if that isn't possible, soak your nails in lukewarm water for a few minutes to soften them. Gather the proper tools.
Your nails will be softer after a bath or shower, so if you have thicker nails it may be easier to cut them then. With brittle nails, however, cutting them when they are soft may make things worse.
Trim your nails when they are dry, not wet. When your nails are wet, they become softer and are more likely to tear or become jagged. Don't cut them in one shot. Instead, make a few small cuts across the nail.
We all need to cut our toenails every six to eight weeks. You probably don't give it much thought, but it's easy to make mistakes that lead to painful problems. This makes things easier by softening the nails, and it keeps infection away.
It's important to make sure that you cut your toenails straight across, leaving them long enough so that the corners lie loosely against the skin at the sides. In other words, don't trim your toenails too short, don't round the edges, and also don't try to cut the toenails into a pointy V-shape.
Don't try to pull off any pieces of nail that are still attached to the nail bed. The dead nail will eventually completely detach and fall off on its own. However, you can safely continue to trim or file off new pieces as they come loose or grow out.
Clipping nails while wet
The trouble is, your nails are likely to bend or tear when you try to cut them, and you run the risk of injury. Unless you have thick toenails, which soften in the bath, you should cut them when they're dry to ensure a clean cut.
Even if you do not care to seek treatment for it, you may wonder why your toenails have gradually become thicker. Thick toenails are the common result of four different causes: injury, old age, fungal infection and psoriasis.
Nails are a very sensitive part of the body. “Much like the skin, nails can also absorb water, which contributes to the weakening of the bonds in your nails over time,” says Dr. Rachel Nazarian of Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.
“Nail keratin debris results from a fungal infection of the nail. In medical terms this is called onychomycosis or tinea unguium,” says Batra. The fungal infection breaks down the keratin in the nail to form a white or yellow chalky substance under the nail plate.
Yes, toenail fungus can cause a smelly odor that is often described as smelling like cheese. This is due to the potential for fungus and bacteria to grow and multiply under the nail, producing a strong and unpleasant odor.
“When they dry they return to their normal shape flexing the polish and making it more likely to chip.” The nail expert also warned that if you prefer to do your nails yourself, you should wait for at least an hour after bathing before applying polish.
So, in the absence of light, these unhygienic dead skin cells cut from the fingers and toes could contaminate food accidentally or could also get stuck to the clothes. In addition, these dead skins cells could also turn into a home for microorganisms that could cause illness and infections. Hence, the restraint.
This condition happens because the area under the toenail is frequently moist and warm. The fungus that attacks the toenails emits an unpleasant odor and turns them yellowish. This fungus can occur from an unhygienic pedicure, from the use of public showers or from walking barefoot around pools open to the public.
You should avoid waxing or shaving your legs for at least 24 hours before your treatment, since doing so can create tiny skin abrasions, opening you up to the possibility of infection. Here are some pointers for picking a pedicure spa: Come in first. Try to be the first customer of the day.
The Solution
In order to help prevent chipped nail polish in the shower, prepare your nail plate properly before polishing for ideal adhesion, then completely wrap your nails in base coat and topcoat to slow down water absorption.
The big question: Do your nails need to “breathe” between manicures or polish applications? In short, the answer is no. But there are caveats. Nails don't need surface access to air because they get oxygen and nutrients from your blood.
Showering before a haircut isn't just for your benefit but also for your barber's. Washed hair is more sanitary, easier to manage, and less painful to work with. Plus, you'll foster a better relationship with your barber if you don't keep showing up with dirty and smelly hair.
Cut them on Sunday, the devil will be with you all the week.” In some countries, family elders passed down these superstitions as a guide to new parents to know about their newborn's nails.
So, cutting your toenails the right way is important — both for your feet and your overall health — but how can you make sure you're doing it correctly? Start by making a habit of cutting your toenails about every six to eight weeks.
Although cutting toenails improperly causes a lot of problems, so does not cutting them at all. “If you were to never cut them, they would curve down and follow the toes. It would get pretty uncomfortable and dirty.” But not all toenail injuries are self-inflicted or inherited.
Some of these signs include a decline in the discoloration of the toenail. The toenail might slowly start getting less and less yellow, white, black, or brown. Additionally, another important sign to look for is the diminishing thickness of the toenail.
When toenails turn yellow, a fungus is usually to blame. This type of fungal infection is so common that you might not even need to see a doctor for treatment. Try an over-the-counter antifungal cream. If your nail is yellow and thick, gently file down the surface so that the drug can reach deeper layers.