You Could Be Cutting Your Toenails the Wrong Way
Have you ever had an ingrown toenail? Seventy percent of participants in our Instagram poll said yes, so my sympathies. If you said no, lucky you—congratulations on never having to experience that peculiar brand of pain.
Here’s how to make sure you don’t cut your toenails in a way that might lead to an ingrown nail, as well as how to treat one.
‘You Nailed This’
It wasn’t that long ago that I learned that I had been cutting my toenails wrong all this time.
I was already aware that I cut my nails probably way too frequently. What I didn’t know was that my preference for tapering my nail edges could lead to an ingrown toenail, which developed on my big toe.
An ingrown toenail is just like it sounds: a bit gross and pretty painful. And it’s what happens when a nail grows into the skin, usually at the sides. It often causes pain, redness, swelling, and warmth in the toe, possibly followed by an infection, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).
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