When you can't cut your own toenails any more
It creeps up. Bending gets harder, the nails get thicker, and one day the clippers will not do it. Plenty of people put up with sore, overgrown nails for months because they are embarrassed to ask.
Why it stops being safe to do yourself
Arthritic hands cannot grip clippers well. Thickened nails need a drill, not scissors. If you cannot see your foot clearly, it is very easy to cut the skin — and if you have diabetes or poor circulation, a small cut is not a small problem.
What I do about it
Nails cut and filed back to a comfortable length and shape, thick nails reduced with a drill so they stop pressing, and any corn or callus taken down at the same visit. It does not hurt.
Should a family member do it instead?
Plenty do, and there is nothing wrong with it if the feet are healthy. If there is diabetes, thin skin, poor circulation or thickened nails, it is safer to have someone trained do it — the cost of getting it wrong is high.
Common questions
- Will it hurt?
- No. Cutting and reducing nails is not painful. If a nail is already sore, treating it is usually what stops the pain.
- How often will I need it done?
- Most people every six to eight weeks. Thickened nails sometimes need it a little more often at first.