What Is The Best Shape For Your Toenails When Getting A Pedicure

Getting a pedicure or doing one yourself can be a chance to relax and recharge. If you're a regular at a nail salon, your feet are probably in pretty good hands with your nail tech in terms of shaping your toenails the best and healthiest way. However, if you're doing an at-home pedicure or if you want to know what to tell your pedicurist to make sure your feet stay safe, you want to do more than just consider what color nail polish to use. You want to make sure you're treating your toes right, and the wrong shape for your toenails isn't just a cosmetic issue, it can lead to health problems as well.

Even though toenails grow slower than fingernails, don't neglect trimming them down. If you end up with cracked or broken toenails from not trimming them enough, that can lead to an infection (via Feet First Clinic). And if you trim them wrong, it can lead to ingrown toenails. If you've ever had an ingrown toenail, you know you never want one again — ouch!

So, here's the right shape for healthy toenails.

Cut straight across to keep your toenails growing straight and not into your skin is key. "It's important to avoid cutting your toenails round or angled to prevent the formation of ingrown nails," Dr. Miguel Cunha, a board-certified podiatric surgeon told PureWow. "Once the nails are cut flat and straight across, the edges on either side can be filed down so that the corners are less pointy and slightly beveled to follow the shape of the toe."

You don't want to round down the edges too much, just enough to make a smooth edge that won't snag on anything. You also don't want to cut them too short. Aim for the tip of your toe and not deeper, according to Feet First Clinic.

You want to make sure you're using clean tools and the right ones as well. Fingernail clippers are often smaller and more rounded than toenail clippers, and using them can make a straight cut harder (via Well + Good).