Thick Toe Nails Trimming And Thinning

One of the most common ailments that can occur is the thickening of your toenail. A thickened toenail can be unsightly condition that, in many cases, occurs out of nowhere. 

You may not understand just how your toenail has come to be so thick, but, believe it or not, there are actually many reasons why this may have happened.

The reasons a toenail can thicken are many, shoes that fit poorly or tightly, different skin conditions, fungal infections, and/or injury. 

Although these, as well as many other reasons, may be behind your thickened toenails, the cause that is most common is a fungal infection known as onychomycosis

Should you find that your one or more of your toenails have thickened, don’t panic.

You may feel as if they will be too hard to take care of. If you do, you aren’t alone. The one thing that people most often find to be the hardest task is trimming thick toenails. However, with a few simple tips, you can quickly and easily care for your thickened toenails so that they always look their best.

Trimming Thick Toe Nails

Prior to trimming your thickened toenails, it is recommended that you soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes. Once they have been thoroughly soaked, pat your toenails and feet completely dry with a clean towel.

While your toenails are still damp and softened, gently use an emery board or nail file on the toenail’s surface to thin it as much as possible

After your nails have been properly thinned, you can begin to trim the nail using special nail trimmers.

If you don’t already have a pair of toenail cutters there are two types that work well for this type of cut.

The first is a podiatry-grade toenail cutter that is made to cut even the thickest of toenails. Cutters such as this are usually long, made of stainless steel, and have a cutting blade that is perpendicular.

The second type is a barrel spring cutter. This type of cutter often features a long body, steel construction, and sharp blades to cut thick toenails easily and efficiently. Both work well, but if you aren’t sure which is right for you, check with your doctor for his or her recommendation.

To trim, begin at the toenail’s corner. As you go across the nail, use smaller cuts so you won’t splinter the nail.

Make sure that you don’t round out the corners of your toenail.
The nail should cut straight with no round edges so you can help to prevent further ailments, such as an ingrown toenail.

Although not all your toenails may be thickened, each nail should be cut similarly. By following these steps, you should have no problem trimming thick toenails. However, if you do have trouble trimming them, or find that your thickened toenails are painful, consult with a podiatrist