How to Cut Thick Toenails Correctly at Home (Step-By-Step)

If you want to groom your toenails at home, knowing how to cut thick toenails correctly is your first priority.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, “if you trim your toenails too short, especially on the side of your big toe, you may set the stage for an ingrown toenail.”

To prevent damaging your nail bed or tapering the corners of your toenails too closely, use expert techniques to trim and groom your toenails.

What is the safe way to trim toenails?

When clipping my toenails, should I cut straight across or in a rounded shape (and does it really matter)?

It does matter.

You should cut them straight across and let them extend slightly beyond the tips of your toes. Rounding off a nail or cutting it too short can allow a corner to curve into the skin, causing a painful ingrown nail, a problem especially common with the big toe.

If you get a mild ingrown nail, you can probably treat it yourself by soaking your foot in warm water, clipping off the ingrown portion, and placing a small piece of the dry cotton ball under the nail’s edge to keep it from turning back in as it grows.

Nails that are very deeply embedded or have become infected may require minor surgery.

People with diabetes, poor circulation, or compromised immunity should seek professional care for even minor ingrown nails due to the heightened risk of infection, as should those with arthritic hands or poor eyesight.

Things You’ll Need to Shape, Trim, and Cut Your Thick Toenails

1. Small basin
2. Warm water
3. Mild liquid soap
4. Epsom salts
5. Large towel
6. Toenail clippers
7. Nail trimmer
8. Emery board or nail file

How to Cut Your Toenails at Home

1. Wash your feet in a small basin filled with warm water and mild soap to soften your toenails.

If you want to give your feet an extra treat, add a cup of Epsom salts to the water for a relaxing soak.

2. Dry your feet with a large towel.

Dry your toenails completely.

3. Use toenail clippers to cut nails straight across.

If your toenails are thick, use a nail trimmer to cut the nails The Mayo Clinic recommends you proceed with caution if you are trimming thick nails with a nail trimmer. If you have been diagnosed with “diabetes mellitus or peripheral vascular disease.”

4. Use an emery board or nail file to shape the nail.

File your toenails in one direction, moving the nail file from each side toward the center of the nail. For a square shape, smooth the edges and gently round the corner with the emery board.

5. Use your nail bed’s natural shape to create the best nail shape for your toenails.

Avoid cutting nails from the side, which may cause ingrown toenails.

How to Trim Thick Toenails Correctly

If you have thick and coarse toenails, clipping and cutting your nails effectively is a task usually performed by a nail technician, pedicurist, or podiatrist.

1. Soften toenails in a large basin filled with liquid soap and warm water.

Let your feet soak for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help soften the nail and allow you to easily maneuver the clippers to cut your toenails.

2. Pat your toenails and feet completely dry with one large and clean bath towel.

Make sure that the spaces between each toe and your toenails are completely dry.

3. Trim the edge of the nail with a nail trimmer.

If you don’t already have a pair of toenail cutters there are two types that work well for this type of cut.

• The first is a podiatry-grade toenail cutter that is made to cut even the thickest of toenails. Cutters such as this are usually long, made of stainless steel, and have a cutting blade that is perpendicular.
• The second type is a barrel spring cutter. This type of cutter often features a long body, steel construction, and sharp blades to cut thick toenails easily and efficiently.

Both work well, but if you aren’t sure which is right for you, check with your doctor for his or her recommendation. For at-home care, select the largest pair of toenail clippers you can find.

Never attempt using fingernail clippers on thick toenails.

4. Begin clipping the very tip of the toenail at the toenail’s corner.

Thick toenails tend to break further in as you clip. As you go across the nail, use smaller cuts so you won’t splinter the nail.

5. Don’t round out the corners of your toenail.

Clip the edges of the nails straight across shorter and shorter until you have reached your desired length.

6. File jagged ends of your thick toenails with a nail file or emery board to avoid snags on your clothes.

Your tights or socks will thank you for the extra effort.

How to Cut Thick Toenails on Elderly People Do’s & Don’ts

• Keep the white edge of your toenails less than 1/8 inch long.
• To discourage breaking of the toenail, do not allow nails to extend past the tip of the toe.
• File the edge of the toenails with a clean emery board.  Always shape and file the nail by moving the file from the outer corners of the tip to the center of your nail.
• Avoid cutting the toenails into a rounded shape, which may result in painful ingrown toenails.
• If your thickened toenail is causing your pain or discomfort when cutting, see your physician for treatment.

Conclusion -How to Cut Thick Toenails at Home 

To groom your thick toenails yourself, however, knowing the best way to trim your toenails easily without damaging the nail bed is a high priority. Use a few expert tips you can trim and snip your toes in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

Although not all your toenails may be thickened, each nail should be cut with care. By following the steps above, you should have no problem trimming thick toenails.

However, if you do have trouble trimming them, or find that your thickened toenails are painful, consult with a podiatrist.