How to soften and trim hard nails. To soften and trim hard fungal nails is often a difficult task. The toenail fungus can cause changes to the texture of nails. While toenail fungus is normally an aesthetic issue that causes a change in how the toenail looks, there are functional issues that can arise from this type of infection as well.
Particularly, many patients struggling with toenail fungus feel like their nails are too hard or thick to cut. When this happens, regular grooming of the nail can become difficult. This can make the aesthetic appearance of the nail deteriorate even faster as the nail grows excessively long.
Why are my nails hard?
Hard fungal nails are an example of a symptom of toenail fungus; normal nails should not have this issue. Normal, healthy nails should look a certain way. Normally, the nail should be clear and expose the pink skin underneath it. The nail should be thin, even in texture, and completely connected to the nail bed.
Additionally, there shouldn’t be any debris buildup under the nail, cracking on the surface of the nail, or any other sort of damage that is visible. The nail should grow at a normal rate and be structurally sound, but still be soft enough to trim without a problem.
Symptoms of Hard Nails
Hard fungal nails are just one symptom of an otherwise long list of toenail fungus symptoms. For one, nail fungus causes changes in the coloration of the toenail. The changes in the color of the nail normally first appear as a white, yellow, brown, or black dot or stripe of color on the nail’s surface. When the toenail fungus infection is allowed to progress without effective treatment, the discoloration can spread to cover a larger portion of the nail. In cases where the fungus is left untreated for a long period of time, the entire nail can often become covered in the color.
Maintenance of Nails
Aside from changing the color of the nail, toenail fungus can cause other damages. For example, fungal nails often become brittle, cracked, and lifted from the nail bed. They can also become hard and thick, which poses a unique concern as it affects the ability to groom the nails effectively. When this happens, it is necessary to take other measures to trim the nails regularly.
Hard fungal nails still need to be trimmed frequently to keep up with good hygiene practices. When nails are left to grow very long, it can pose many issues for health. For one, extremely long toenails can harbor bacteria under them that are unhealthy. Additionally, extremely long toenails can increase the risk of an ingrown toenail formation.
Why should I try to cut my hard nails?
Long toenails can be prone to breakage as well, which can be both painful and can form jagged edges alongside the toenail. Long toenails can push up against your shoes, causing discomfort and lifting of the nail from the nail bed. In general, having excessively long toenails is a bad idea that can cause problems down the road.
However, for people with hard fungal nails, sometimes letting the nail grow out seems like their only option. Because the fungus can make the nails hard to cut through, sometimes getting nail clippers to trim the nail effectively can be impossible. Additionally, even if the fungus isn’t making the nail become harder, the nail can become thickened because of toenail fungus.
This can make it difficult to cut through the nails as well, and can even prevent people from getting their nails to fit between the blades of their nail clippers.
Soften Nails
Because of these difficulties, softening hard fungal nails is essential to their regular maintenance. While getting the nail fungus infection itself cured is the only way to permanently return the nail to a trimmable condition, there are other ways to help in the meantime. For example, softening the nail using a foot soak is an effective way to groom hard or thickened fungal nails. This is an easy method that can be done at home with little tools necessary.
How to soften and trim hard nails. Simply fill a basin with enough warm water to completely cover your feet, and soak your nails for 20-40 minutes. After soaking, try to trim them again. If not, you can try soaking your toes again daily until they’re soft enough to cut. With thicker nails, you can try buffing off some of the nail’s thickness with a nail file or nail buffing tool as well.
Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus
While soaking the feet is helpful at trimming hard fungal nails, the best thing to do in this situation is to be seen by a licensed podiatrist. They will be able to provide effective care for the fungus, and hopefully treat the fungal infection itself once and for all. To learn more about this treatment or schedule a free consultation with a licensed podiatrist, give us a call at 1-(800) 672-0625 or visit our website for more information.
