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Any person with half a podiatry degree will almost fall over and gasp for air, if one even thinks about cutting a nail any other way than straight across.

When I cut mine, I cut it curved. Feels clean. Doesn't get caught on anything. Am I too courageous? Am I tempting fate. Am I dancing with the devil?

Where is the RCT outlining the detrimental catastrophic sequlae of cutting your toe nail in a curved manner?




Ron

The 'straight cut' rule is, in my opinion, there for the punters who cut their own nails. We have to give info thinking of the worst case scenario. I am sure if people could have;
i- detachable feet
ii- our instruments
iii- our expertise
they would cut them round and comfy and neat all the time!
Mahtay

I have never advocated this approach - sharp 90deg edges are bound to catch skin or hosiery and cause more harm than good.

I think podiatry schools and associations should dump this "foot health" fallacy.

Trim the nail following the natural curve of the free edge and don't go digging into the corners...that's about it really. That's how everyone cuts there fingernails isnt it? Its not rocket science.

Ahh, Monday morning is here - 1st patient waiting...

LL

As far as I am aware the disposition of the nail plate is governed by the superior surface of the distal phalanx, which lies below. Nail cutting approach between fingers and toes may be related to this. However I would agree with mahtay2000, and think the advice relates to self care

Cheers
Cameron

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Cameron Kippen, Podologist and Shoe Historian




Cameron Kippen

I think the cut toe nails straight and finger nails curved was first recomended by Baden Powel and the boy scouts. I remember from my scouting days that tif you didn't cut your toe nails staight across you would end up with the horrid ingrown toe nail!!!

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Stephen Tucker
Eastern Health
Podiatry Manager

My location

ditto.
I think the above is called cutting "straight" but isn't really...it's more not cutting down the sides.

Dear All,

The correct way to cut nails is as per finger nails.

To the same shape and just over the free edge of the nail.

Trouble is is that JOE And Mrs Public like to have their nails cut REALLY short so as to maximise interval between appts.

So they have problems with nails digging into the sulci and yes you got it they cut down into the sulcus to remove that pesky piece of nail.

Then they are as far back as the nail matrix.

So they visit us to fix it.

The fix is to let the nails to grow to the appropriate length of just beyond the free edge of the nail.

Again this is not whatv pt wants.

SO HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH.

regards David

I always tell people this .Start your cut at one side of the nail taking small cuts until you get to the other edge.Do not go into the corners.After your cut you should still be able to see the entire leading edge of the nail. If there is a section (ie.a corner) that you cannot see then you have cut it too short .Too long can be as bad as too short.Of course many an "ingrown" is merely sulci callous that needs paring away to remove the pain, almost the nail is an innocent by-stander .
Regards
Geoff Theakston
Hull Footman

Actually, at uni we're not taught to cut it completely straight, as I agree it causes more harm than good. We're taught to cut it according to the nail countour/shape and file the edges, as you guys have suggested as well.

Hi All,

Recommend a quarter pound engineer's hammer to flatten them out, nails I mean. Do you know they forget about straight across I can assure you!

Whats wrong with Baden Powell anyway, My scout master had actually served with him! I didn't believe him either!

Yours,

Colin.

Not at all.I usually cut my nails curved as well.I do so on my patients.And guess what?No one has lost a toe or gotten an infection.Fancy that....

what happened to good old common sense? the nail shape dictates how it is cut but dont forget the patients HUMAN RIGHTS. this could be a minefield. who will be sued first for causing damage to a pair of gucchi tights by leaving corners. we have to educate these people that we know best at least some of the time,kate

I am doing a short stint at a nursing home and require approx 15 extra pairs of clippers so as this is an almost charitable act and they will not be used a lot does anyone have any suggestion to where I can purchase some autoclavable reasonable clippers? Brand recommendation if possible and which ones to avoid cheers dears yvonnespod

You can get them at Dr.Leonard's.Justgo onto their website and order.they are about $10/per.That is inexpensive and for what you use them for,adequate.

We are taught to cut the nail straight and then to file down the edges. So the filing gives the curved appearance.

Hi when I went to school ( a decade and a half), the shape of the nail was determined by the flesh and bone structure underneath it. Cuttng into the free edge has no effect in most cases.....however if cut back too far the distal fleshy aspect of the toe can become bulbous which the free edge can't clear.

either the patient suffers with an ingrown or u clear it ...ps the shape of foot stucture can also cause ingrown in my option...HAV see how it pushes the flesh into the nail.

Brent

Trycare sell a publication called Nail Clippings that examines nail management in some detail - a good read.

Nail Clippings by TRYCARE sound interesting, do you have any more information about this publishication thank you

Hello Judy - Nail clippings has 34 pages and cost me £17.50. It's a new publication, comb bound, contains things I've never read in standard textbooks. Gets it all together.

I'm with Mahtay. I always advise the proles to go straight across cos i don't trust them not to leave sharp edges if they try the other way. I tend to go around cos i've got a blacks file and i know how to use it.

If the patient is particularly clumsy / thick i tell them to file instead of cutting. Then they CAN'T go down the edges nor do the whole "my hand slipped" bit when they come in with a raging OC after ignoring your advice!

Do as we say not as we do!

Regards

Robert

Quote from 'Nail Clippings':
"If a nail is cut straight across, as used to be taught, it must by definition present two sharp corners. These corners pose a threat to adjacent toes."