How to Cut Toenails Properly (Nakhun): How Often, Ingrown Nails (Video)

Transcript

Do you know toenails grow a third as fast as fingernails?

Do you know toenails grow a third as fast as fingernails?

Quick Nail Tips

Ever wonder why elders warned against cutting nails after dark? The old advice made sense when light was dim and blades were sharp, but today the rules are simple.

At a glance

Here’s a quick snapshot: fingernails need a trim every one to two weeks, toenails every three to six weeks, and both should be cut straight across, leaving a thin white edge level with the toe tip.

How often to cut

Nails grow from a hidden matrix under the skin, so cutting them isn’t painful. Fingernails grow faster, especially on your dominant hand and in summer. A good cue is when the white edge starts snagging your socks or pressing against the inside of a shoe.

Step-by-step trimming

First, soften the nail by cutting after a warm bath or a five-to-ten-minute foot soak, then dry it. Use straight-edged toenail clippers, not the curved ones for fingers. Sit with good light, foot flat on a stool or the edge of the bed. Cut the nail straight across in two or three small slices instead of one big snap, which can crack a thick nail.

Try on big toe

Before you trim, run a fingertip across the end of your big toe. The nail edge should end just where the skin stops. If you feel the edge sitting below that line, you’ve been cutting too short.

How short to cut

Aim to leave the nail level with the tip of the toe. Shorter looks tidy, but cutting back behind the fleshy tip or rounding the corners lets the skin push up and the nail grow into that fold, the usual start of ingrown nails. Let the nail extend slightly past the toe tip to avoid pressure from shoes.

Straight across, level with the toe, after a bath: three habits that stop most ingrown toenails before they start.

Ingrown nail start

Most ingrowns start on the big toe, where the side of the nail presses into the skin, turning it red, sore and swollen. Early home care includes soaking the foot in warm, soapy water for ten to fifteen minutes a few times a day, wearing open sandals or roomy shoes, keeping the area clean and dry, and letting the nail grow out past the skin. Avoid digging out the corner or cutting a wedge yourself.

Helping older feet

Older feet often have thick, yellow, hard nails that are harder to bend. When helping a parent, trim after their bath with them seated, the foot resting on your knee or a towel-covered stool. Use sharp, straight nippers and take tiny bites from one side to the other. While you’re there, check between the toes, the heels, and any existing sores.

Elders' nail customs

Many South Asian families still avoid cutting nails after dark, a habit born from dim lantern light and sharp blades. They also gather clippings and throw them away, which is good hygiene. With proper overhead lighting, cutting at night is safe, but respecting the tradition can be comforting.

When to see doctor

See a doctor quickly if you notice pus, spreading redness, red streaks up the foot, a hot throbbing toe, or a fever. People with diabetes, numb feet, poor circulation, or on blood thinners should seek professional care right away. Recurrent ingrown nails can be treated with a simple procedure under local anaesthetic.

Like, subscribe and comment

If this was useful, give it a like and subscribe to The Care Online. Tell us in the comments which remedy you want us to check next.

Read the full guide

The complete article, with the full details and FAQs, is waiting for you on thecareonline.com, and there's plenty more to watch on our channel. Remember, this is general information, not medical advice; your own doctor knows your situation best.