How To Trim Toenails With Fungus
This article was co-authored by . Marta Nagorska is a Nail Technician and Nail Art Blogger based in London, UK. She runs the blog, Furious Filer, where she gives tutorials on nail care and advanced nail art. She has been practicing nail art for over 5 years and graduated from Northampton College with distinction with a Nail Technician and Manicurist degree in 2017. She has been awarded the top spot in the OPI Nail Art Competition.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 48,865 times.
Fungal infections can thicken your toenails, making them difficult to trim. You might also be worried about spreading the infection to your other nails during trimming. Fortunately, you can make the trimming process safer and easier by choosing the right tools and softening your nails before you trim them. You can also protect your healthy nails by properly disinfecting your nail care tools after each use.
Cutting Wet Or Dry Nails
The third step is answering a common question: Should I cut my nails before or after I shower? In most cases, the answer is before. Dry toenails are less likely to bend or tear when you cut them, so you will get a cleaner cut.
For people with very thick toenails, cutting will be easier after a shower.
How To Soften Toenails At Home
Many people try to cut their thick toenails and end up causing crumbling. It can even lead to cuts to the skin and even infection.
So its best to soften your toenails before attempting to cut them. Cutting thick toenails is easier to perform with a little softening. you can start by following these steps:
- You can start by soaking your feet in a gallon of warm water in your tub or basin, make sure the water is enough to properly cover your feet. Mix about 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt in it.
- Let your foot soak into the solution for about 20 to 30 minutes. You should let them soak for about 1 hour if your toenails are very thick.
- You can now remove and pat your feet and nails completely dry with a soft towel.
- Now you can apply Miracle Toenail Softening Cream. Then cut your toenails easily.
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What Is Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is a widespread fungal infection that affects the toenails. Less commonly, nail fungus infects the fingernails. Nail fungus is also called onychomycosis.
Toenail fungus happens when fungi get between the toenail and the toenail bed . This usually happens through a crack or cut in your toe.
What Causes Thick Toenails
Toenails tend to get thicker over time as you age, and this is different than fingernails which actually tend to become softer and weaker over time.
But, the most common cause of very thickened toenails is a toenail fungus, also called Onychomycosis.
Toenail fungus occurs often, with 3%-12% of the population affected.
- White, yellow, brown, or black discolorations
- Crumbling, brittle, ragged nails
- Debris building up under your nails
- Changes in the overall shape of your nails
- Unpleasant smells coming from your toenails
Other potential reasons for thickened toenails include:
- Onychomycosis
- Damage to the nail bed
- Shoes that are too small causing toenails to constantly hit the end of the shoe
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How To Soften Toenails
Many people try to cut thick toenails and end up breaking them. Instead of chipping away at them using a nail clipper, you should first soften toenails and then cut them carefully. Here is what you can do about it.
- Start by preparing the tub. You can simply pour a gallon of warm water into the deep basin, bathtub, or dishpan. Mix about 2 ½ tablespoons of salt in it.
- Soak your feet into the solution for half an hour. You should soak them for more than 30 minutes if your toenails are very thick.
- Get your feet out of the tub and pat them dry using a soft towel.
- Take a softening cream and apply it on your toenails. Cut your toenails right away.
Your toenails are likely to become soft after you soak them in the solution, but the treatment may not always work. If soaking and softening cream do not work, you may want to try the following:
What Is The Outlook For Someone With Toenail Fungus
While toenail fungus is common, its usually not harmful. Symptoms mostly affect the look of your toenail.
Toenail fungus may spread to the skin between your toes or other areas of your body. When getting dressed, put your socks on first to reduce the chance of spread.
Treating toenail fungus takes a long time, and it doesnt always work. Even then, toenail fungus often returns. Discuss the pros and cons of treating toenail fungus with your provider to determine whats best for you.
Practicing good hygiene and foot care reduces the chance toenail fungus will come back. If you have diabetes, getting regular foot exams may help you address foot problems before they get serious.
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How To Soften Toenails Fast Best Remedy For Thick And Hard Nails
If your toenails are hard and thick it can be really difficult to cut. Toenails become thick for several reasons including onychocryptosis, or what we commonly known as an ingrown toenail.
As we age, you may realize that your nails may become thicker which make them very difficult to clip. There are also several health conditions that can cause ingrown problems.
Thicken toenails may look quite embarrassing. However, when you avoid treating an ingrown toenail, it becomes painful. The degree of pain depends on the stage of the infection.
In some cases, a toenail fungus may be the cause of the infection. Whatever the cause of the infection may be i highly recommend that you get it treated as soon as possible before it gets any worse.
When To See A Doctor
People with mild symptoms of fungal infection may treat their toenails at home. But infections can lead to more serious problems, such as foot ulcers, in people with diabetes. Poor blood flow can keep infections from healing.
If your toenails continue becoming discolored, thicker, or deformed despite treatments, itâs a good idea to see a doctor. Make an appointment with your doctor if you have diabetes, as toenail fungus can lead to more serious infections and diabetic foot problems. Itâs possible that your thick yellow toenails are caused by conditions such as psoriasis, a skin disease.
Doctors can better diagnose the cause of your thick yellow toenails by collecting and analyzing nail clippings. They can then prescribe a treatment plan. Treatments may include prescription medicines you can take by mouth or removal of the damaged nail.
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The Solution For Toenail Trouble
As you would expect with such a wide variety of problems and causes, the treatment varies and we tailor that treatment to you.
We can diagnose fungal toenails with a quick, reliable test used in the clinic to accurately diagnose fungal toenail infection. We thin down these thick crumbling toenails and supply an easy-to-apply spray for troublesome fungal toenails.
We often carry out simple, painless treatments on troublesome ingrowing toenails. We can use a local anaesthetic if you are particularly worried about your painful toenail. If toenail surgery is required to permanently remove the side of the ingrowing toenail, we can sort that out quickly too.
Long toenails become troublesome when you have difficulty cutting them. If you are unable to get down there to cut them yourself, we can do that for you or we can show you how to cut thick toenails.
Thick toenails, along with injured, broken or damaged toenails need nurturing during their growing stages. We can cut and reduce the thickness or irregularity of these troublesome thick toenails. Our advice helps you to know what caused the damaged toenail and prevent further irritating problems. Sometimes, ongoing care from one of our experienced professionals is required long term to maintain these troublesome toenails.
If you have any questions about troublesome toenails and how we could help you, please get in touch today and we can talk about your specific toenail problem.
Foot Fungus: Causes And Risk Factors
A foot fungus is a fungal infection of the skin, better known as athletes foot, says Sundling. The fungus enters through cracks in the skin. Its known as athletes foot because athletes or anyone who is more active and sweats a lot is more at risk. Kids are also more at risk, because they dont tend to wear different shoes, and changing your shoes is one way to avoid foot fungus.
Foot fungus is very common. It does not mean that someone is dirty or didnt bathe, and if you have a compromised immune system, you may be more susceptible, says Sundling.
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Can I Wear Nail Polish If I Have Toenail Fungus
You may feel tempted to cover up a discolored toenail with nail polish. If you are using a topical antifungal, you probably should not use polish. Some providers may tell you not to wear it in any case. Polish traps in moisture from the nailbed . Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse. However, the nail continues to grow with or without polish.
What Happens If The Fungus Is Left Untreated
Hard fungal nails will need to be trimmed frequently in accordance with good hygiene practices. Long nails can pose many issues for health. For example, overly long toenails can harbor bacteria under them that can lead to other infections. Extremely long toenails will also increase the risk of forming ingrown toenails. Long toenails break very easily, and broken toenails tend to have jagged edges that tear into the skin of the toe easily. Long toenails are also often uncomfortable and push up against the shoe as you walk and stand. Excessively long toenails will be detrimental to your toe and nail health down the line.
For patients with hard fungal nails, letting the nail grow out may seem inevitable or unavoidable. Sometimes getting nail clippers to trim the nail effectively can be impossible because the fungus can make the nails hard to cut through. Even if the fungus isnt making the nail become harder, the nail can still become thickened because of toenail fungus. Nail clippers may not even fit over nails that have become excessively thick.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Toenail Fungus
The first indication that you have toenail fungus is a noticeable discoloration of your nail. Typically, an infected nail becomes yellowed or appears darker in color.
Other common symptoms of toenail fungus include:
- Brittle nails
As the infection gets worse, youll notice your toenails becoming crumbly and deformed.
Thick Clip Quick Tips
Before we get into it, we should note that fungal nails are not the only way toenails grow thickened and cumbersome to clip.
Trauma to the nails, tightly fitting shoes with small toe boxes, and general heredity can sometimes cause nails to grow thick, so many of the tips well discuss here can apply to these situations as well.
First, however, we should definitely clear some helpful, fungus-specific tips out of the way. There is one big difference between toenail fungus and the conditions we mentioned above: the fungus is alive, and it can travel.
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Instructions To Soften Hard Fungal Nails
Fill a container with enough warm water to completely cover your feet, and soak your nails for 20-40 minutes. After soaking, try to trim them again. If the nails are still not trimmable, you can try soaking your toes again daily until theyre soft enough to cut. If your nail is particularly thick, you can try buffing off some of the nails thickness with a nail file or nail buffing tool as well.
While soaking the feet is helpful at trimming hard fungal nails, the best thing to do in this situation is to be seen by a licensed nail doctor near you. They will be able to provide effective care for the fungus, and hopefully treat the fungal infection itself once and for all. To learn more about this treatment or schedule a free consultation with a licensed podiatrist, give us a call at 1- 672-0625 or visit our website for more information.
How To Prevent Both Foot And Toenail Fungus
While toenail fungus and foot fungus arent the same condition, the following tips can help you prevent both, says Sundling:
- Practice good hygiene, such as keeping your feet clean.
- Alternate your shoes during the week. Your feet sweat all day long. Alternating your shoes allows them to dry out, so the fungus cant survive.
- Wear moisture-wicking socks that help dry out shoes and kill fungus. You can find these at running stores and athletic stores. If your socks are exceptionally sweaty, changing them more than once per day can help.
- Wear shoes in public places like locker rooms, pools, and gyms to limit exposure to fungus.
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By Step Guide To Soften And Cut Toenails
Thickened toenails look quite unsightly, but thankfully, there are ways to make your toenails look better. To soften toenails, you first need to determine exactly what is affecting your toenails in the first place. Thickened toenails may be the result of aging, but an injury to the toenail and toenail fungus can also be the underlying cause of thick toenails. Let’s find out what you can do to soften your toenails to make them look beautiful again.
What Is An Ingrowing Toenail
This occurs when the nail has been cut too short or down the sides leaving a sharp spike of nail. As the nail grows forward, this sharp piece of nail will dig into the skin at the side of the nail and eventually break the skin with resulting redness, pain, swelling and possible infection. Ingrowing toenails are more common if the toebox of your shoes is too tight as the toes press together and cause pressure on the sides or the nails. If your feet are regularly hot and sweaty and the skin is soft it will be easier for the nail to penetrate the skin.
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Toenail Fungus In Baby
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Your Options For Treating Toenail Fungus
If you think you may have toenail fungus, you should see a podiatrist or dermatologist, who will send a specimen or a piece of your nail to a lab. Different types of fungus are treated slightly differently, so its important to know which type you have, says Sundling.
Also, sometimes the root of the problem is not a fungus at all, but rather another condition, or some kind of trauma to the nail bed for instance, if you dropped something on your toe. There is no treatment for toenail trauma, but removing the nail may be an option if the nail is painful.
If you do have a toenail fungus, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatment options:
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Instructions To Trim Thick Toenails: 6
First, get the right tools. This is critical the right tools make for an easy job clipping even the thickest nails
The products below are the ones we recommend to our patients and they are also affiliate links so we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if your order from the link.
- Nail Grinding Tool: The most effective one we have found is the Beurer Electric Nail and Foot Care Kit a podiatry-grade electric nail grinder and thinning tool. It comes with bits specifically made to work on thick toenails. The large cone, small cone, and disc bits are made from long lasting sapphire and diamond chips. We have tried many of these units over the years and this is best one we have found and the one we recommend to our patients. The video below shows how to use the Pedinova Nail Grinder.
- Heavy duty podiatry-grade toenail clippers: We recommend ClipPro nail clippers for our patients.
Figure 2
The ClipPro Toenail Clipper is the best consumer nail clipper we have found for extra thick and irregular nails. Its jaw opens up to over 1 wide and the top of blades is slightly curved to contour around your nails. It is very easy to maneuver and provides a clean and smooth cut. Only use professional grade toenail clippers like these for thick nails dont try to thin thick toenails with fingernail clippers. Its usually more painful as they just dont cut these thick nails very well and you end up kind of gnawing at the nail with the nippers.
Signs And Symptoms Of Foot Fungus
Itchy skin is an early sign of foot fungus, or scaly, peeling skin, or tiny blisters on the skin that will pop at times, says Sundling. The skin tends to break out in the shape of a moccasin, or the area of the foot that a moccasin would cover. You dont see foot fungus on the top of the foot very often. Its common to get a fungal infection between the toes as well, she adds.
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