Keeping Your Toenails Healthy
Are you one of those people who regularly polish and take care of your nails because you want them to look great and wonderful? You usually go to salons to ensure that your nails are beautifully polished through a pedicure. But having great looking nails and keeping them healthy are two different things. In fact, a pedicure is a simple way of hiding toenail imperfections.
We often think that salons do a great job in taking care of our nails. But sometimes they can have a negative effect on your toenail’s health. Consult a podiatrist for information on how to keep your toenails healthy.
Trim correctly. Toenails can look great when trimmed on the sides giving it a more desirable shape. However, it is not advisable to trim the sides since it can cause an ingrown nail. The proper way of trimming is to cut straight across and not too short.
Often, when we go to professionals to get our nails done, they usually remove or do something about our cuticles. Keep in mind that this is not healthy. Our cuticles are there to protect us from bacteria and fungi. Taking it away means losing protection and may even cause infection of the nail beds.
Keep your nail beds and cuticle moisturized. Moisturizing helps your toenails look better. This also helps protect it from breakage since moisture will decrease chances of cracking and chipping of the nails.
Limit the use of nail hardeners.
Do not use rough emery boards. Filing your toenails using rough emery boards may cause the development of fissures that can result to cracking. It is important that you use a fine and soft emery board to prevent it from damaging your nails. You should also take note that it is best when you file in one direction only.
Contact James C. Ricketti, DPM and let us address all your foot and ankle needs. Our board-certified podiatrist will tailor treatments based on your individual needs and with our state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment options, we’ll help you get back on your feet in no time! Call our office today at 609-587-1674 to make an appointment at our conveniently located Hamilton, NJ office.