One easy, effective way to prevent ingrown nails is to change the way you cut your nails. If you ordinarily cut your nails with a curved or crescent shape, try to start cutting them straight across. This makes it less likely for the nail to grow into the skin and develop into an ingrown nail.
 One of the most common causes of ingrown nails is excessive cutting or clipping. Toenails that are too short can be pressed into the skin of the toe by the pressure that comes from wearing shoes, leading to ingrown situations. Toenails should be clipped so they're even with the tips of your toes. Clipping toenails shorter than this can lead to ingrown nails.








If you have a habit of picking or biting your toenails, this can make it hard to let your toenails grow to the edge of your toes. In this case, you may also want to talk to a doctor, counselor, or therapist about habit reversal training, a psychological technique that can help control bad habits., Another common cause of ingrown toenails is injury. Usually, you injure your toes either from something falling onto the foot or smashing into it from the front. If the toenail is damaged, it may not grow properly and can easily become ingrown. If you spend lots of time in situations where toe injury is a major possibility (like working at construction sites), invest in a sturdy pair of steel-toed boots to lessen the risk of the sorts of injuries that can lead to lasting toe damage.
 If you wear tight shoes that constantly squeeze your toes, this may be the cause of your ingrown toenail.Try switching to a looser-fitting pair of shoes or wearing less-constrictive shoes like slippers around the house to lessen your chance of ingrown nails in the future. If you're very prone to ingrown toenails, you may even want to visit a specialty shoe store for people with foot problems to get a professional's opinion.








Another way to get the same effect is simply to switch to open-toed shoes like sandals and flip flops. These shoes put no pressure at all on the toes, so there's no risk of them causing an ingrown nail.
Cut your toenails straight across.
Keep your toenails at a safe length.
Protect your toes from injury.
Wear the right size shoes.
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