With the recent weather, it’s no wonder that many people are wearing open-toed shoes or not wearing any footwear at all. So, with our feet on show, many of us are wondering how we might make them look and feel their best. But, whether you’re flashing them out in the summer or hiding them away in the winter, taking care of your toes is something we should all be aware of. In this blog, we’ll look at some of the best ways to keep your nails looking attractive and healthy.
Maintain Clean Feet
Before you even consider the toenails themselves, consider the environment in which they exist. Because our feet spend a large amount of time locked in our socks and shoes, keeping this environment clean and healthy is critical to appropriate nail care. Most of us will find that cleaning and replacing our shoes and socks on a regular basis is sufficient, but if your feet are particularly damp or hard, there are a few further actions you can take.
Choosing open-toed shoes, such as sandals, allows the skin on the feet to breathe. Foot baths and moisturizing your feet will also help keep the skin supple, reducing the likelihood of cracking and even sweating. All of this reduces your chances of developing a fungal nail infection.
Clipping
Obviously, we all need to trim our toes. It’s simply a part of life, and we’ve been doing it since we were children. Despite how important this is and how long we’ve all been doing it, a large number of individuals have a fundamental but major misconception about toenail trimming. While we are accustomed to seeing rounder toenails that curve like the toes themselves, while clipping, a horizontal line should be employed. Cutting the nails into a curve increases the likelihood that they may grow outwards and cut into your skin, resulting in an ingrown toenail and even infection.
When your nails are warm and soft, such as after a shower or a foot bath, it is preferable to clip them. Make sure not to clip them too low, and while you should never cut your cuticles, you can push them back slightly to make them look more uniform. To accomplish this, cuticle oil can be used to soften them.
Take a Deep Breath
You may want to have your nails done up with lacquer and paint, depending on your own preference. This becomes much more common in the summer, which can present issues. Keratin granulation, which appears as hard patches of white along the nails, can develop when nails are regularly covered in cosmetics. This is because the nail paint is removing your otherwise healthy nail, and it can also cause your nails to become dry, discolored, or peel. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop for at least three weeks, or until the symptoms have resolved. To avoid this, you should leave your toes bare for at least one week each month.
Don’t Let The Ball Drop
It might take up to 18 months for a toe to entirely replace itself, so having healthy toes all year is crucial. Damaged, diseased, or discolored nails can be repaired, but the visual change is often only seen until the new material grows. You should check your feet on a frequent basis to avoid a situation in which you are waiting for the issue part to grow away. Changing and cleaning your footwear is especially important during the winter months. To allow your feet to breathe, wear socks made of natural materials such as cotton, sprinkle baking powder on your shoes when they begin to smell, and change your socks everyday. You should clip your nails once a month and handle any additional issues, such as hard skin or a verruca, as soon as you discover them.
Some people are more concerned about their toes than others, but we must all be cautious. Whether you care about how they appear or not, toenails are prone to problems such as infection or getting ingrown, and they can take a long time to cure. Following the recommendations above will help you avoid complications and allow you to select how much you want to show off.