Caring for your toenails is important, but often overlooked.
Proper care can prevent ingrown toenails, fungal infections, and other conditions. There are a number of things that you can do to ensure that your toenails stay in good condition.
Here are a few steps for keeping your toenails happy and healthy.
Practice Hygiene
Most of the care that your nails receive is hygienic
- Take Care In Public Locations
When you use the public shower or go to the pool, or any damp environment, you’ll want to avoid going barefoot. Going barefoot in these environments is one of the best ways to pick up a fungal infection since fungal infections thrive in warm and damp environments. Take precautions and try to wear water shoes to help prevent this from happening.
- Trim Your Nails Properly
You should be careful to trim your nails properly. Clipping them straight across can help prevent ingrown toenails. You should also take care as to not let your nails grow too long. Long nails can trap dirt and cause illnesses. With long nails, also comes the risk of a nail ripping off too low causing pain and other potential problems.
- Moisturize
While you probably already know the importance of applying moisture to your feet –but did you know that your nails need moisturizing as well? Give them the moisture they need by applying cuticle cream, petroleum jelly, or olive oil.
Additional Care
Nails naturally become brittle over time. However, using nail polish over a long period of time can also cause your nails to become brittle prematurely since some ingredients in the polish can dry the nails out. If you wear a lot of nail polish, be sure to remove it after a short time and give your nails a long break in between coats.
If you are suffering from toenail problems contact Houston podiatrist Dr Lamarra of Shepherd Square Podiatry today.
Tags: Foot Care, Prevention, Toenail