How to take care of your nails: +Dos and Don’ts
Discover essential nail care tips with key dos and don’ts to keep your nails strong, healthy, and looking their best every day.
Healthy Toenails: The Dos, Don'ts, and How to Maintain Them
Foot care is an aspect of healthcare that often gets overlooked. Looking after your feet should be a priority. From color and texture to shape and strength, healthy toenails are clean,smooth, and fungus-free.
If you neglect foot hygiene, there’s a risk of infections and developing symptoms of unhealthy toenails, such as discoloration, brittleness, and thick toenails. In this handy guide, we’ll outline some key dos and don’ts for healthy toenails and share some easy hacks to keep your toenails in tip-top condition.
What Makes a Toenail Healthy?
Healthy toenails are important for protecting your toes and reducing the risk of infections. Signs of normal, healthy toenails include:
- Light pink or peach color with a whiter nail tip
- Smooth surface
- Strong with no signs of brittleness or damage
- Thin nails that lie flat against the nail bed
- Consistent color with no discolored spots or patches
- No signs of infection, such as redness, pus or swelling
- Odor-free
- No signs of debris underneath the nail
Fun fact: A healthy nail grows ~1.5 mm/month; slow but steady.
Healthy Toenails vs. Unhealthy Toenails
It’s important to keep an eye on your toenails and inspect them regularly to look for signs of infection or injury and symptoms that could be linked to underlying health issues. The table below outlines key differences between healthy and unhealthy toenails, highlighting warning signs to look out for:
| Healthy Toenails | Unhealthy Toenails | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Light pink or peachy color with white tips | Discolored: Black, purple, yellow, brown, white or green |
| Strength | Strong | Brittle |
| Texture | Smooth, even surface | Ridged surface, pits or grooves |
| Thickness | Lies flat to the nail bed | Thick or bulky |
| Debris | No debris under the nail | May have debris (thick, white debris is common with fungal infections) |
| Circulation | Good circulation with no tingling or numbness | Cold to the touch, tingling, numbness |
| Odor | No odor | Unpleasant or foul-smelling odor |
| Cuticle/Nail fold | Intact | Inflamed or pulled back |
Tips to Get Healthy Toenails
Understanding how to get healthy toenails can help you lower the risks of nail infections and boost overall foot health. Here are some top tips:
1. Prioritize foot hygiene
The best way to maintain healthy toenails is to prioritize foot hygiene. A simple routine can help you reduce risks dramatically. Key steps include:
- Washing your feet at least once a day
- Changing your socks daily (change socks more frequently in summer and after exercising)
- Drying between your toes
- Wearing socks with your shoes to reduce sweating
- Washing your towels regularly
- Avoid sharing towels with others
- Avoid walking around public areas with bare feet
- Soak your feet in Epsom salts: This is a great example of how to get healthy toenails naturally at home
2. Learn how to trim your nails safely
Trimming your nails can help prevent discomfort, lower the risk of ingrown toenails, and keep your toenails short, smooth, and even. To trim your nails safely, it’s best to bathe your feet before clipping and use straight cutting motions. Cut straight across the top of the nail with your clippers before smoothing the edges using a file or buffer.
If you have thick toenails, it’s beneficial to use specially designed heavy-duty toenail clippers.
3. Choose comfortable, well-fitted shoes
We all want to look good, but being stylish can come at a price when it comes to our feet. Try to avoid tight shoes that cause you discomfort. Try shoes before you buy and spend as much time as possible with bare feet or shoes that feel comfortable. If you have to wear smart shoes for a meeting or presentation, for example, or you enjoy running long distances, take a pair of more comfortable shoes to slip into after you finish.
4. Address warning signs
It’s always beneficial to address warning signs as early as possible. Symptoms, such as discolored toenails, pain, discomfort, thick toenails, and swelling around the toes, can indicate infections and injuries. Treating problems swiftly will prevent recurrent or more severe symptoms.
Signs of Unhealthy Toenails
Understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy toenails can help you tackle abnormal symptoms quickly and maintain healthy, strong toenails. Signs of unhealthy toenails include:
- Toenail discoloration: In most cases, discolored toenails are yellow or brown. They can also be green, white, black or purple depending on the cause of discoloration.
- Thick toenails: The toenails thicken naturally with age, but thick toenails are often a sign of a fungal nail infection. If the toenail is bulky, discolored, or there’s white debris underneath, it’s best to get treatment as quickly as possible. Using anti-fungal nail care product bundles can help you ease symptoms and address the root cause.
- Weakness: Healthy nails should be strong, not brittle, crumbly or weak.
- Rough, uneven surface: Unhealthy nails may be rough, uneven, ridged or pitted
- Unpleasant odor: An unpleasant or foul-smelling odor is often a sign of an infection.
If you notice any of these symptoms, consult a podiatrist or dermatologist.
The Dos and Don’ts for Toenail Health
| Dos | Dont’s |
|---|---|
| Wash and dry feet daily | Don’t cut nails too short or curved |
| Use antifungal powder if your feet sweat | Don’t use nail polish on discolored nails |
| Wear flip-flops in public showers | Don’t ignore pain or changes in color |
| Let nails “breathe” between pedicures | Don’t wear tight or non-breathable shoes for long periods |
The Best Ways to Achieve Healthy Toenails
Healthy toenails are an integral part of good foot health. It’s important to look after your toenails by washing your feet regularly, drying between your toes, washing towels and socks frequently, trimming your toenails properly, and wearing comfortable shoes.
Seek advice if you spot any signs of unhealthy toenails, such as discolored, brittle, ridged or thick toenails, and inspect your feet regularly. Swissker’s effective nail and foot care tools are ideal for keeping your toes in tip-top condition.
FAQs
What does a healthy toenail look like?
Common signals include smooth texture, light pink color, no discoloration, no thickening, and no separation.
Can I restore unhealthy toenails?
Yes, with consistent care and early treatment, it’s possible. When the damage is caused by underlying conditions like fungus or psoriasis, the damage might take longer to recover, but it’s possible. Remember that early treatment is the best treatment.
How often should I cut my toenails?
Every 4 to 6 weeks in normally growing nails, or when the nail reaches the tip of your toe.
Do vitamins help with nail health?
They do. Biotin, zinc, and vitamin E may support stronger nails over time.
Adrian Fuentes
Lead Product Engineer
With a strong background in engineering and a passion for creating user-focused solutions, Adrian leads the Swissker development team with precision and innovation. Over the past decade, he has helped design and refine tools that combine cutting-edge technology with everyday practicality. Adrian is dedicated to improving quality of life through well-engineered, safe, and effective solutions, backed by rigorous research and a deep understanding of user needs. When not in the lab, he stays current with emerging trends in personal care, wellness, and health-tech innovation to ensure every product meets the highest standards.
Table of Contents
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