Step-by-step guide on how to properly cut your fingernails and toenails

Nowadays, most girls prefer to visit a salon to have a nail technician quickly and carefully process her nails and apply a decorative coating. However, it is not always possible to visit it, then women are faced with the question of how to cut their nails correctly.

Despite the fact that the procedure seems banal, most girls do not know how to cut their nails so as not to damage the integrity of the stratum corneum and periungual area, which is quite common.

Content

• Human nail: growth features
• How to cut toenails and fingernails
• How to cut your nails
• How often to cut your nails
• Preparation is important for a proper haircut.
• How to cut fingernails
• How to cut toenails
• How to trim ingrown toenails
• How to cut children's nails
• How to cut children's nails
• How to persuade a child to cut his nails
• Is it possible to allow children to grow their nails?
• How to cut nails for a newborn: rules and useful tips
• What to do if a mother injures her child’s finger while trimming her nails?
• Nail cutting according to the lunar calendar
• Tips and tricks for nail care
• Conclusion

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Human nail: growth features

The nail plate is a collection of keratinized scales that are very tightly connected to each other.

Each person has their own nail shape, but the structure of the nail plate is the same for everyone. This:

• The root of the nail is located under the nail or protrudes slightly from behind the back roller;
• The lunula is the arched white part of the nail located at the base of the nail plate;
• Cuticle - keratinized epithelium that borders the hole at the base of the nail;
• The nail folds are the part of the skin that comes into contact with the nail on the sides and at the root;
• The free edge is the part of the nail that needs to be trimmed.

All people know that nails need to be trimmed regularly. Some people do hygiene procedures related to cutting their nails more often, others less often.

The growth of the nail plate depends on many factors. For example, in people with good immunity, nails grow faster, while in people who are on diets and do not adhere to the principles of a balanced diet, they grow more slowly.

An interesting fact is that men's nails grow slower than women's. If you are left-handed, then it is on your left (working) hand that your nails will be longer. In the winter season, the nail plates of all people grow more slowly than in the summer.

No matter how well your nails grow, you should know in detail how to properly carry out the procedure so that you do not suffer from unwanted consequences afterwards.

Pharmacy products for softening the nail plate

Traditional medicine will not always help soften a hardened nail, so you can use certain pharmaceutical drugs as an alternative:

1. Nailitis
   - the product contains urea, beeswax and tea tree oil. The drug has a softening and antiseptic effect.
2. Uroderm
   - the ointment contains urea, which has a mild effect on the keratinized cells of the nail plate. Apply a thin layer of the product twice a day to problem areas.
3. Fluconazole
   - the active ingredients of the product are salicylic acid, zinc oxide and potassium iodide. The product helps to quickly soften the roughened nail plate and eliminates the reasons that caused its thickening.

All the methods and techniques described above are aimed at eliminating the problem of hard and thick nails and alleviating the condition. But you definitely need to get rid of the reason that provoked this trouble, otherwise all efforts will bring only a temporary effect.

How to cut toenails and fingernails

Many women, and even men, are confident that they know everything about how to cut their nails. But today, every second person faces the problem of an ingrown toenail. This indicates that not everyone carries out the procedure of cutting the free edge of the nail correctly.

In fact, fingernails and toenails need to be cut differently. You can give your fingernails a rounded shape by cutting off the free edge in the shape of a crescent. And toenails can only be cut in a straight line, without rounding the ends.

Tools

The following tools are used to trim nail plates::

• nail scissors;
• scissors with rounded ends - for children;
• nail clippers;
• Spencers - clippers for cutting toenails.

Important! Using other sharp or cutting objects is unsafe.

Requirements for the selected tool:

1. the edges of the blades are sharpened and without jagged edges, they easily trim the nail plate and do not tear it;
2. blade closure is complete, without gaps;
3. comfortable fit in the palm of your hand;
4. made from quality materials;
5. Before the procedure, the instrument should be treated with a disinfectant solution or placed in a container with soapy water for 5–10 minutes.

You will also need an additional nail file to give it shape.

Preparation is important for a proper haircut.

The preparatory stage is no less important than the nail shortening procedure itself. The success of the entire “operation” depends on how carefully you prepare for cutting your nails.

• Step 1. Remove the varnish or its remnants with a special product. Read: How to remove gel polish at home
• Step 2: Wash your hands with soap. Thanks to this procedure, you will get rid of any remaining nail polish remover and pathogens. Read: How to wash your hands correctly
• Step 3. Make a nail bath . To do this, put a pinch of salt, soda or a few drops of lemon juice in a vessel with warm water. After this, dip your fingers there for 10-20 minutes. Thanks to the bath, the nail plate will soften well, and the upper edge of the nail will be easier to remove.
• Step 4. Dry your hands after taking a bath..

Pedicure at home: instructions

This is a completely simple procedure, it won’t take you much time, and the result will make others admire you! There are many ways to do a DIY pedicure at home. We'll look at step-by-step instructions on how to do it right!

Required Tools

For this you will need:

• high quality scissors and tweezers,
• orange stick,
• wire cutters,
• brush,
• file,
• cotton pads,
• and nail polish remover.

In addition to the above tools for pedicure at home, you must have a bath, scrub, callus and corn remover and, of course, foot cream. You can take any cream that you use daily, be it moisturizing or deodorizing.

If you have all these tools, then you can easily repeat the salon pedicure process. The main thing is to store them correctly. It is better to do this in a special cosmetic bag, clean and dry. After each use, thoroughly sterilize each item.

Pedicure: step by step

When creating a pedicure at home with your own hands, you should follow the instructions. So, let's consider all stages of the procedure.

Step 1: Start with a foot bath. Before performing this procedure, you should remove all nail polish. For it, you can use sea salt, soda, calendula or chamomile tinctures. Or you can buy a ready-made softener with an antibacterial effect. As the water in the bath cools, it should be filled with hotter water so that your feet are well prepared for the pedicure process. You should steam your feet for about 20-30 minutes, then wipe dry with a towel.

Step 2: removing corns. Next, you need to take care of your feet, removing all corns and calluses. They can be removed using a pumice stone or a razor specifically designed for this purpose. Walk the pumice stone in a circular motion over the entire foot - this will help get rid of dry skin. To give your legs a more well-groomed appearance, use a scrub. Distribute and massage it onto your feet, toes and between your toes. After this procedure, rub the cream into your feet.

If there are calluses and cracks, you can remove them using tweezers.

Step 3: prepare the nail and cuticle. Under no circumstances should you cut the cuticle, just push it back with a stick. You can apply an emollient cream or oil for this. Next, the nails should be trimmed and filed, but do not round their edges. This can lead to ingrown nails and you can’t do it without the help of a specialist.

Step 4: Applying varnish. The first layer is a transparent nail base. It will protect the surface. Apply colored varnish in one or two layers, allowing each of them to dry thoroughly. Apply a fixing varnish on top to prevent the color from chipping.

This completes the DIY pedicure at home! There is nothing complicated, the main thing is to learn how to do it correctly!

How to cut fingernails

After you have completed all the preparatory procedures and steamed the nail plate, you can proceed to trimming the nail.

• First, prepare the tool with which you will remove part of the nail.
• Be sure to disinfect your scissors or cutters.
• Decide on the desired shape and length of your nails. The shape can be absolutely any. The most comfortable are considered to be slightly rounded nails, the top edge of which follows the shape of the hole.

As for the length, you cannot cut the nail under the base. The minimum length is considered to be 0.5-1 mm. But too long nails do not look aesthetically pleasing and interfere with basic actions.

Having mentally imagined the desired shape and length of your nails, you can begin the procedure itself.

• Using the tips of the scissors, start cutting your nails starting from the edge and moving towards the middle. There is no need to cut off the entire free edge in one movement. This way you can cut off the excess. We advise you to take small steps. Thanks to this, your nails will not peel off in the future.
• After you have cut all your nails, file the free edge. This will prevent the nail from becoming brittle.

Agree that there is nothing complicated in the procedure itself, but many people miss small but very important details.

How to cut toenails

The procedure for cutting toenails is not much different from treating fingernails. Nevertheless, it is important to know some nuances and not forget about them during the haircut process.

1. After you steam the nail plates, you need to take nail scissors or special tweezers (nippers), the blades of which are located parallel to each other (spinser) and disinfect them.
2. Now you can begin the procedure of shortening the nail. When cutting a nail, you need to move in a straight line. If you round the ends of the nail, this will lead to ingrown nails.
   

   When it comes to the shape of your toenails, you have little choice. In order to avoid the problem of ingrown toenails, you need to make a square shape.

3. After you have trimmed your nails, you can file the edges a little.
4. The final stage is to treat the skin of the feet and nail plates with a nourishing cream.

How to trim ingrown toenails

Most often, nails grow into the skin on the feet. This happens for several reasons.

1. Uncomfortable, tight shoes.
2. Irregular nail shape.
3. A nail cut too short.
4. Genetic predisposition.

If you encounter this problem, then it needs to be solved as quickly as possible, otherwise it may lead to surgery. We are not exaggerating, but warning about possible complications.

If you feel discomfort and pain in the nail area, you can try to deal with the problem yourself.

1. Steam your feet in water with furatsilin. This solution will disinfect the treated area.
2. Dry your feet.
3. Lubricate the area of ​​skin where the nail is ingrown with antifungal ointment.
4. Try to pry the nail with an orange stick and file its ends.
5. File or cut the free edge of the nail vertically. Thanks to this, the nail will be pulled towards the cut.
6. Place a piece of bandage or gauze under the edge of the nail.
7. Do not cut the nail at the root.

If all your manipulations did not bring the desired result and your condition is only getting worse every day, be sure to seek help from surgeons.

More details about the procedure in the next video.

Pedicure appointment

Pedicure is a foot care technique that helps keep them healthy. The purpose of the procedure is often misrepresented. Many women believe that pedicures should be limited to just painting the nails, but this is not true.

The master faces not only aesthetic tasks, although they are certainly important. The procedure should solve several issues at once:

• removal of rough, keratinized skin;
• protection of feet from cracks and wounds;
• control of the occurrence of calluses and corns, their timely removal;
• control nail growth and prevent ingrown nails.

As foot problems develop, painful and uncomfortable sensations arise. Cracked heels cause pain when walking, and their healing takes a very long time, since the damaged area is under constant pressure. Ingrown nails are no less painful, often resulting in inflammatory processes and the development of suppuration. With such problems, people turn to podologists - specialists in medical pedicure, and in especially advanced cases - to surgeons.

But if you regularly and correctly do pedicures at home, these problems can be avoided. And the beauty of your nails, their spectacular or original design will be the right addition to the health of your feet.

How to cut children's nails

The rules for cutting children's nails are the same as for adults' nails.

Parents must remember that the child must have his own scissors, which neither mom nor dad use to cut their nails. This tool must be in a case and kept out of the reach of children.

The main problem that parents face is the inability of young children to sit in one place. They can struggle, be capricious and even scream, jerking their arms and legs, which often leads to undesirable consequences.

Advice from experienced parents on how to cut a child's nails.

How to cut children's nails

Parents have the right to choose for themselves how to cut their children's nails. These can be either scissors with rounded ends or wire cutters. The main thing is that the blades are well sharpened and the tool itself is disinfected.

How to persuade a child to cut his nails

If your child does not allow his nails to be cut, we recommend using a few tips that will help you carry out the procedure easily and painlessly.

• Trim your child's nails while he sleeps. 10-15 minutes after falling asleep you can begin the procedure. This is exactly how long it takes for a baby to fall asleep soundly.
• Try to come to an agreement with the baby. Tell him that after cutting his nails, a surprise awaits him, and to get it, he needs to be patient a little.
• Keep your child busy with cartoons.

Every mother knows her baby better than anyone else. Therefore, decide for yourself which recommendations are right for you.

Is it possible to allow children to grow their nails?

Very often, girls, imitating their mothers, decide to grow their nails. Experts do not recommend doing this. Long nails on young women look unnatural and cause a lot of inconvenience.

Mothers in such a situation should talk to their daughters and tell them that they have not yet reached the age when they can grow their nails. Try buying false nails for your daughter, after sticking them on she will feel discomfort and the desire to have long nails will quickly disappear.

How to cut nails for a newborn: rules and useful tips

Almost all children who have just been born have rather long nails.

Doctors do not recommend cutting nails in the first 3 weeks of a baby’s life. This is because the nail plate is still too soft and the finger can be injured by cutting the nail too short.

But if the free edge of the nail is too long, the baby can scratch himself. In this case, we recommend putting scratch pads on the handles.

Sooner or later, the nails still have to be cut off. This should be done using a special children's manicure set, which is sold in pharmacies or children's stores. It consists of safety scissors, wire cutters and a file.

Attention! All instruments must be disinfected before the procedure.

It is better to trim a newborn's nails when he is in a good mood. Some parents carry out the procedure while the baby is sleeping. The main thing is not to make the baby hysterical and if he cries, bends over and does not give his hand, it is better to postpone cutting.

Now we’ll tell you how to cut children’s nails.

1. Disinfect tools and wash your and baby's hands.
2. In order to conveniently cut the nail, you need to move the skin under the nail (bundle) slightly in the direction of the palm. Then the nail will protrude well and be easy to cut. This movement is done with two fingers of the mother.
3. Take the scissors with your other hand and, using forward movements, moving from the edge to the middle, cut off the nail.

Important! You cannot cut the nail at the root. Leave 0.1-0.2 mm of the free edge of the nail.

1. Move on to the next finger.

If you are performing the procedure on your hands, then your nails should be shaped like a crescent. If we are talking about feet, then cut the nail only in a straight line.

What to do if a mother injures her child’s finger while trimming her nails?

There are situations when a mother accidentally cuts off excess hair and blood appears on the child’s finger. No need to panic, just treat the wound, for example, with hydrogen peroxide and lubricate it with fucorcin.

Why do modern people need this?

Everything is clear with the past - then a long nail on the little finger could be a distinctive sign of belonging to the aristocracy, a requirement of etiquette, or a “tool” for work. But why are they growing it now, when there can be no talk of anything like that? Several of the most plausible versions can be identified.

1. An attempt to distinguish yourself from the rest, to give the impression of an original person. Indeed, very often it is stylish young men and women who grow one nail.
2. Please note that a long nail on the little finger can often be seen on the hand of guitarists. They use it instead of a pick. They are very convenient for picking up strings, especially when the fingers are in a difficult position.
3. Many men grow their nails for practical purposes. According to them, this is a very convenient tool that is always “at hand.” They can easily unscrew a small bolt, pick up the edge of a part, or something else, depending on the work being performed.
4. If you notice this feature in a teenager, then everything is simple - most likely, this is imitation of adults. This is how boys and girls try to appear more “cool” and gain authority among their peers. Perhaps they saw something similar from someone they knew, or simply spied it in a movie.
5. Those who like to play cards also often grow their nails. It helps them separate the deck while dealing cards and playing.
6. Superstitious people claim that it can bring good luck to a person.

These are only some of the versions. If you delve deeper into the topic, you can find many more explanations for such a strange habit. Most likely, each person is guided by his own motives.

In this article, we tried to figure out why some people grow a nail on one finger and found many interesting versions. And now we invite you to watch a video in which Konstantin Melnik will consider several more explanations of this phenomenon, incomprehensible to many.

Nail cutting according to the lunar calendar

Astrologers are confident that in order for nails to be healthy, they need to be cut on favorable days according to the lunar calendar. More precisely, during the new moon or in the waxing moon phase.

Favorable days	Unfavorable days
Day of the week	Monday.	Friday. Sunday.
Lunar day	5, 8, 11, 13, 14, 21, 28 lunar days.	Other.

Tips and tricks for nail care

Our nails need the same careful care as any other part of the body. That's why we've put together recommendations to help keep your nails healthy.

• Wash dishes and clean the apartment only with rubber gloves.
• After washing your hands, lubricate your skin and nails with moisturizer.
• Don't forget to massage your nails.
• Polish your nails.
• If you decide to apply varnish, then before doing this, apply a base for the varnish.
• If you are going to do dirty work (for example, replanting flowers), run your nails through the soap. It will be under your nails and no dirt will get there.