It Matters How You Trim Your Toenails – Here’s Why

There’s an art to trimming your toenails. But it’s not particularly artistic—no curves, no creative consideration of line, form, or angle. Just trim them straight and not too short. Anything else puts you at risk of getting an ingrown toenail.
What’s an ingrown toenail?
An infected, ingrown toenail can be very, very painful. Toenails typically grow straight and forward, extending past the edge of your toe, which is when you know they need trimming. Under some conditions, that straight path is thwarted, and the nail begins to grow downward into the skin beside your nail bed. At first, the skin at the side of your toe will redden. It may swell and become tender to the touch. As the nail digs into your flesh, your toe feels warm and may exude pus.
The most common cause of an ingrown toenail is improper trimming. You might reason that as long as you’re going through the trouble of trimming your toenails, you might make it last by cutting them short. Resist the temptation. Cut your toenails to match the length of your toe. Anything shorter encourages nail growth in the wrong direction. And again, don’t try to make rounded toenails, nor should you claim artistic license to chop off the ends at an angle. Trim your nails straight across, full stop.
Improper trimming isn’t the only culprit. Ingrown toenails can become a problem if –
- they run in your family
- you’ve had a traumatic injury to the toe or nail bed
- you subject your toes to repetitive stress – for example, running or ballet dancing
- you’re wearing socks or shoes that are too short or too tight.
When to see a doctor
People with diabetes should never treat an ingrown toenail on their own. Instead, request an appointment with our experienced podiatric surgeons, Dr. Craig B. Frey, Dr. Megan L. Oltmann, and Dr. Jim Swienconek. Anyone else who suffers from chronic ingrown toenails or whose ingrown toenail is showing signs of infection should call Foot & Ankle Associates of Cleveland in Solon, Ohio, at (440) 903-1041 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. We offer a modern office with the latest technology for podiatric patients in Portage, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Summit Counties, proudly serving our patients from Solon, Aurora, Bedford, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Macedonia, and Twinsburg.