Should i cut nail with fungus

We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Part 1. Soak your nails for 10 minutes in warm water. Fungal infections can make your toenails thick and hard. To trim them easily, you may need to soften them first. Fill a basin or tub with warm water and soak your nails in it for 10 minutes before trimming them.

Make sure to wash the towel before using it on any other part of your body to prevent the fungal infection from spreading. Thin your nails with urea cream and a file if they are extremely thick. If your nails are too thick and hard to trim easily even after soaking them, you may need to thin them first. Use a cream containing urea to soften your nails. Put the cream on the affected nails at night and cover them with a bandage, then clean the cream off with soap and water the next morning.

Once your nails are soft, carefully thin them with a file or emery board. You can buy foot creams containing urea over the counter at most pharmacies. Use nail nippers instead of regular clippers. There are two basic ways to go about this. For many, simply having a shower will get toenails wet enough to be more easily clipped. Scheduling your trimming time for just after you have dried off can be a good move. If you need a bit more direct softening or just want to relax for a bit , a foot soak can be effective.

This is as simple as soaking in warm water for 10, 20, or 30 minutes, drying off, and clipping. Thick fungal nails have a tendency to crumble, too. If you try to take off too much at once, the fragile nail might split and fracture in various ways you did not intend it to.

Clip only a small part of your nail at a time, starting at one corner and moving straight along the nail. Make sure these clips are relatively straight and uniform to try to avoid any jagged edges that could snag against socks. Do not round your nails off at the corners, as this can increase the odds of ingrown toenails. Painful, inflamed, and potentially open skin is not something you want next to toenail fungus. Trimming your toenails is a fundamental part of normal hygiene, but complications such as fungal infections can make the task much more difficult.

If you ever have questions about how to best trim your toenails—fungal or not—we are more than happy to offer advice and help. There are several ways to remove them. We interviewed four experts on what to look for and what to avoid in a shoe if you have plantar fasciitis. Learn more about what…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. How to Cut Toenails. Thick nails Fungus Takeaway The best way to cut toenails Cutting your toenails properly is an important step in preventing painful ingrown toenails — a condition when nails curve and grow into the skin, which often leads to pain and sometimes to infection.

There are six main components or steps to cutting your toenails properly. Nail clippers The first step is to use the proper nail-cutting tool. Cut frequency The second step is the frequency of cutting.

For people with very thick toenails, cutting will be easier after a shower. Time between cuts The fourth step is determining how long to leave your toenails following the cut. Cutting the nail The fifth step is the actual cut. Filing the nail The sixth and final step is to file your nails with an emery board to smooth any jagged edges that could snag and potentially tear the nail as it grows. How to cut thick toenails. It can take several months to a year for the infection to go away.

This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. Paronychia is a skin infection around the fingernails or toenails. Ringworm is a skin infection that makes a rash shaped like a ring.

The rash can occur different places…. Jock itch is a fungal skin infection. It is caused by a fungus commonly found in gyms and locker…. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More. Food Poisoning. Acute Bronchitis. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Bursitis of the Hip. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. High Blood Pressure. Table of Contents. What is a nail fungal infection? Symptoms of a nail fungal infection Symptoms affect the nail and can include nails that are: Discolored usually white or yellow Brittle Crumbly, or have rough, jagged edges Thick Separated from the nail bed Curled up or down, or are distorted in shape The infection can cause pain if it is severe.