You’re here simply because your nails are beginning to curve inward and you’re probably looking for ways to get them to grow out straight again. Well, you are not alone. Curved nails are no joke and the pain that accompanies them is unbearable. Crooked nails are a result of the partial loss of your distal phalanx.
This can be caused by a number of reasons including vitamin deficiency and hereditary issues. There are also other possible causes of crooked nails which we will be looking at in this article.
It is very important to treat this condition as soon as possible in order to stop further damage to the nails. In this article, you will learn all you should about crooked toenails and how to treat them.
Why are My Toe Nails Growing Crooked?
Toenails just don’t curve on their own, they happen for a reason. Below are a few causes of curved toenails you should know today.
1. Genetics
Genetics is one of the major causes of ingrown toenails for some people. Once you have curved nails on your toes, whenever they grow to some certain length, they automatically begin to dig deep into your skin and when this happens, they become so painful until you trim them out.
So if it happens that your ingrown toenail is a result of genetics, you’ve got to be careful to prevent contracting serious fungal infections.
2. Incorrect Trimming Of Toenails
Some people make the mistake of cutting their nails too deep thinking that it’s the best way to go about it not knowing that they’re causing more harm than good to themselves.
Although it may look harmless at first after some time, the nails that are a bit too short will start digging their way into your toe.
One way to go about this is to cut them straight across and not too short, that way, they won’t grow out digging into the skin. So incorrect trimming is also a contributing factor to the toenail growing inward.
3. Trauma
Trauma is another cause of ingrown toenails. Trauma usually occurs in three ways. It can occur when you hit your toenails, when heavy objects fall on them or when you involve yourself in activities such as kicking that constantly adds pressure to the toes.
And when this happens, it can damage your toes and may invariably affect how your nails are growing and often time may cause them to grow inwardly.
4. Putting On Tight Shoes
Putting on tight shoes that are not your actual size oftentimes can as well cause your toenails to begin to grow inwardly.
Here’s what happens when you wear a tightly fitted shoe. They exert pressure on your toenails and may cause them to begin to dig deep into your skin causing you to feel pain.
That’s why It’s always advisable that you wear shoes that are your exact size so that you do not inconvenience your toenails in the process.
5. Poor Nail Hygiene
This is another thing that can make or cause your toenails to curve inward. If your nails are always wet, the possibility of them digging deep will be high also, when they’re too dry, they can as well lead to curved nails.
In other to avoid this, it’s best that you carry out proper nail hygiene. Ensure to keep your nails clean also, trim your nails every week to keep them safe and free from infection.
PS: Make sure that you don’t have toenail fungus before you do anything. If you observe any symptoms of nail fungus then before anything you must get a fungus treatment and one of the best ways is to get a laser treatment from bvfootclinic your nails will be free from fungus as fast as possible and then you can do the rest of the things as discussed here.
6. Onychogryphosis
This condition may arise as a result of injuries or infection and mostly affects the big toe. Another name for this kind of toenail growing upward is called ram’s horn because the condition makes the nails curve upward.
How Are Toenails Supposed To Grow?
The growth of nails begins from the matrix which looks like a pocket underneath the skin. Usually, a healthy toenail is supposed to grow out straight without any of its parts digging deep into the tissues of your toe.
So if you have a toenail that grows downwards instead of coming out straight, then you’re suffering from what is called an ingrown toenail. If it grows out facing upward, then it’s called a vertical nail.
Can Crooked Toenails Be Fixed?
Yes, crooked toenails can be fixed. But before you go ahead to fixing your crooked toenail, first you must find out what’s behind the bending. If your big toe is making a shift and then resting on a neighboring toe, then what you have is a bunion
So to fix crooked toenails, you need to act fast as soon as you notice that by making a switch in footwear. You can fix or correct a crooked toenail with the help of a pedicure toe separator or indulge in exercises that can help to stretch and make them flexible.
How To Make Your Toenails Grow Straight
It’s really not that hard to get a curved toenail to grow out straight. Continue reading to learn how you can make your toenails grow straight.
1. Proper Trimming
The usefulness of trimming your nails the right way is such that can’t be overemphasized. How you go about it and how many times you trim them all matter a lot.
I’ve seen cases where people go over it the wrong way by trying to cut their nails too short. If this is you then you really have to stop right away. The best way is to cut them straight across, it shouldn’t be too short though as short nails can often time lead to infections.
If you happen to cut your nails too short, you may find them digging down into your tissue anytime soon due to the pressure from your shoes acting negatively on them and causing them to dig deep into your toe.
2. File Your Nails
Even after trimming your nails successfully, if you do not file out rough edges, they may end up digging deep into your skin so always accompany every cut with a smooth filing using nail files.
To ensure a smooth, fray-free finish, invest in quality glass nail files. Before you file, ensure that nails have been cut off or reduced to the nearest minimal, begin filling in one direction, and don’t sew.
Check to see if the edges of your toenails are smooth, if they’re not, file again until you achieve your desired results.
3. Wear Fitted Shoes
You already know by now that putting on tightly fitted shoes can exert pressure on your toenails and cause them to grow inwardly into surrounding tissues so to avoid such, always wear shoes that are your exert sizes with less pressure at the toe end.
4. Personal Hygiene
One of the surest ways to keep your toenails growing straight and not digging their way into your skin is through personal hygiene. How you pamper and care for your feet and toenails matters a lot.
Even if you do all that I have stated above, if you fail to keep your nail game in check with proper personal hygiene, you may be disappointed with the result you’re likely to get.
So how do you go about maintaining proper personal hygiene for your toenails? It’s easy. Firstly, make sure to wash, clean, and keep your feet dry always.
Secondly, cut them straight across every week, and don’t forget to keep them moisturized. Also, avoid wearing dirty socks as this may lead to infection.
5. Eat Healthily
Eating healthy diets doesn’t only make your nails grow out pretty fast but also causes them to grow out straight. So incorporating food rich in zinc, irons, etc into your existing diet will pave way for your toenails to grow straight as a lack of the aforementioned may cause your nails to grow inwardly or outwardly.
6. Use Orthotic Inserts
Another easy way you can adopt to get your nails to grow straight across is to learn to protect your toes. Using orthotic inserts will help to correct your ingrown nails over time. They will also protect your nails in the future from crooked nails.
7. Seek medical treatment
It is important to seek medical treatment for your nails especially if there is pain or infection now involved. Medical experts will show you the correct way to treat this condition and how to further protect your toenails.
The Importance of Having Straight Toenails
1. Improved foot health and appearance
Great feet are the foundation of a great-looking, healthy body. If your feet are in bad shape, so will be your posture, and so will your appearance. Having straight toenails is key to having great foot health and appearance.
Getting a pedicure is a good way to go about getting those nails done right. The nail technician can cut and file your toenails correctly, keeping them nicely rounded and smooth all the time. This will keep them healthy and strong. Looking after your toes is no different than looking after the rest of you it’s better to do it now than to wait until there’s a problem.
2. Prevent ingrown toenails and infections
Having straight toenails is important for reducing the chances of getting an infection or even having your nail fall off.
But it’s not just about preventing infections, though that is important. Having straight toenails means that you can wear shoes and sandals that expose your toes and look good doing it. You’ll never have to choose between showing off your pedicure or keeping it safe from the elements.
This all may seem like a minor concern, but in reality, it’s not. If you don’t keep your toenails straight, you could end up needing major surgery to remove your nail because of an infection or a problem with circulation. Infections can be painful and take months to go away. When they are severe enough, they can require amputation of the toe or even the whole foot.
You don’t want any part of your body to suffer because you couldn’t be bothered to keep your toes healthy.
read also: Do nails grow faster in water?
Tips for Preventing Crooked Toenails
1. Wear properly fitting shoes
Wearing shoes that aren’t a perfect fit for your feet can create problems for your toes, including curved nails or hammertoe. The extra space in the shoe can cause your toes to bend and rub against the shoe, causing irritation and inflammation. If you see a too-loose shoe rubbing against your pinky toe, it’s time to get a new pair.
If you’re already experiencing the discomfort of curved nails or hammertoe, there are a few things you can do to help relieve the pressure. First, make sure that you are wearing shoes that are wide enough for your feet and toes.
This will give your toes more room to move around without rubbing against the sides of the shoe. Second, try wearing cushioned insoles to keep your foot supported as it moves within the shoe. This will help reduce any pressure on the nail itself and help eliminate pain.
2. Keep toenails trimmed and clean
Curved toenails can be very unattractive and painful. Curving can be caused by a variety of factors, such as wearing shoes that don’t fit properly or having an irregularly shaped nail bed. The most important thing you can do to prevent curving is to keep your nails trimmed.
If you have the time, it’s best to visit a manicurist who can cut your nails in a clean line across the top. However, there are also many at-home remedies available. For example, you can use nail clippers to cut the nails straight across.
You can also try soaking your feet in warm water with some sea salt added; this will help soften any calluses that may be causing your nails to curve and will soften the skin around the nail bed so it is less likely to snag when you trim.
3. Avoid tight hosiery
When you wear tights or socks that are too snug, you’re putting pressure on your toes and the sides of your feet. This can cause your nails to curve inward. Instead, make sure to buy socks that are neither too tight nor too loose, and make sure your hosiery fits well.
Alternative Solutions To Treat Curved Toenails
1. Artificial nails
If you’ve ever had a toenail that grows in at a slight angle and refused to grow straight or out, you may have considered some sort of treatment like surgery to correct it. But, if you’re thinking about it, there’s another option that’s far less invasive and also less expensive: artificial nails.
When the nail is curved because of an overly-curved nail bed, the curve can be corrected by using artificial nails. The reasoning is that the artificial nails might help push the real nail bed into a straighter position.
2. Cosmetic Procedures
A common problem people experience with their nails is that the curve of the nail may be too extreme. These nails can occur on any of the toes, and even toenails that have a slight curve can cause significant problems for people and make them feel self-conscious about their appearance.
You can treat your curved toenails with a cosmetic procedure called, modified osteoplastic reconstruction. This procedure helps to regrow your nails correctly and treat your curved nails.
When to Seek Professional Help
Treatments for curved nails are usually very mild, in fact, some require you to only improve your personal hygiene or cut your nails correctly. However, if symptoms persist even after you have done all the treatments you need for the curved nails then you might need to seek professional help as soon as possible.
It might be a result of more serious conditions in the body.
Wrapping Up
Getting your toenails to grow straight isn’t such a difficult task and that’s precisely what I’ve done justice to in this article.
First, you should understand that proper trimming, filing, and general personal hygiene is the key to maintaining healthy toenails that won’t grow out and then begins to curve.
So it’s best that you have background knowledge of the symptoms and how to prevent it which will put you ahead of others and prevent you from passing through the pains others are facing.
So how can you correctly trim or straightened ingrown toenails that have grown deep into the skin? It’s simple. To trim, make sure to cut toenails straight across with a sharp nail clipper and not with scissors. Also, to straighten curved toenails, you can use cosmetic procedures or artificial nails.
Sources
1. Toenails That Grow Upward
2. Correction of crooked nail deformity by modified osteoplastic reconstruction
3. What causes curved nails?
Thank you.
This was actually very helpful and informative. More recently my toe nails started to change, curl up, and become ingrown. I take good care of my feet, almost never wear high heels, never tight shes, never smelly dirty shoes, I have meticulous hygiene and regular pedicures, I like my nails neat and pretty, but the problems persists and seems to worsen. I do take beta blockers so I wonder if that is the cause of it.
Well, you need to see a doctor asap because I do think something isn’t right. All the best, dear.