Nail hygiene should always be maintained for both personal and health reasons, as many conditions affecting nails can cause discomfort as well as lead to severe health concerns.
Aside from visiting toenail care podiatry Woodville, implementing simple preventive foot care practices like washing and drying feet daily and inspecting them, can help keep toenails healthy.
Prevent Ingrown Toenails
Preventing ingrown toenails begins with regular nail trimming, using clean tools and not cutting your nails when they’re wet. In addition, make sure your shoes fit properly and avoid socks or hosiery that crowd your feet – ingrown toenails occur when an edge of a nail grows into the skin, usually the big toe; these conditions tend to affect those wearing narrow or tight shoes that put pressure on their toes, as well as people living with diabetes and circulatory issues who experience reduced blood flow in their feet and toenails compared with healthy individuals with poor blood flow in their feet and toenails.
An ingrown toenail can cause significant discomfort, redness and swelling. If this is your situation, see a podiatrist immediately as they will check for signs of infection such as foul odour or warm-to-touch rash; additionally X-rays or culture may be performed to determine the root cause, such as fungal infection.
Your health care provider may suggest home treatment options for mild ingrown toenails, such as placing cotton under the corner of the ingrown toenail and applying antibiotic ointment twice daily. For more severe ingrown toenails, ablation (which involves cutting away part of the nail and its supporting tissues) may be used. They’ll numb your toe before performing ablation using chemicals, lasers or other methods of removal.
Trim Your Toenails Properly
Trimming your toenails may seem like an easy and simple task but getting it right can prevent foot complications. Cutting them too short increases their susceptibility to ingrown toenails while trimming too curved or rounded at the edges can cause them to hit against shoes and cause trauma to your nails. So if you are having trouble trimming it correctly, visit toenail care podiatry Woodville as soon as possible. Also, keeping them trimmed properly prevents thickened nails that lead to fungal infections.
Keep your fingernails clean as well, since fungal infections can spread from skin to nails. Furthermore, inspect your feet daily for any redness, swelling or foul odour which could indicate infection.
Toenails tend to grow more slowly than fingernails, so trimming them less frequently may be enough. But when it is necessary, always cut straight across rather than rounding off corners, before smoothing any uneven edges with a file or emery board (careful not to file too heavily or this can weaken them further). Furthermore, for optimal results always perform nail trimming when your toenails are dry as wet nails tear more easily than dry ones.
Keep Your Toenails Clean
No matter whether you walk outside barefoot or spend all day wearing socks and closed-toe shoes, your toenails can accumulate dirt. “The space under your nails can become home to dirt, oil, food particles, carpet fibres, sock lint, moisturiser and nail polish,” according to podiatrist Jacqueline Sutera. These materials may irritate surrounding skin as well as lead to fungal nail infections such as toenail fungus.
Cleaning your toenails regularly should be part of your foot care routine, but make sure that when choosing a cleanser it’s safe for both hands and feet. A brush that can reach into corners of toenails and under them is also helpful; do this at least twice each week!
Moisturise your feet regularly as well, to maintain soft, supple skin around your toenails and prevent cracking. Consider applying some jojoba oil or another easily absorbable foot moisturiser beneath each toenail for optimal results.
If your toenails start looking infected or thickened, visit your toenail care podiatry Woodville as soon as possible for assessment and treatment, which could include topical medications or nail debridement depending on the severity of infection. Doing this will give your best chance at healthy nail regrowth.