In Home Pedicure
Prep before soaking feet
- Clip the nails with toenail clippers or nail nippers.
- File the edges of *ingrown toenails with an Ingrown Toenail file.
- Smooth the rough edges of the nails with a stainless steel nail file, glass nail file, or emery board. A glass nail file provides the smoothest finish and is faster than a metal nail file or emery board.
*Ingrown toenails: Scroll down to the bottom of the page for information about ingrown toenails.
Soaking and cleaning feet:
- Soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes. Adding a few drops of baby oil will help to soften the feet.
- Clean under the toenails with a nail file while soaking feet. The water loosens dirt and grime under the nails.
- Push the cuticles down to their proper position.
- Wash feet with a foot exfoliator.
- Use a pumice stone or foot rasp to slough away rough and dead skin cells around the heel of the foot and the large toe. If using a rasp, avoid pressing too hard or you may actually roughen the skin.
- Rinse feet well and dry thoroughly.
- Buff and Shine the nails with a nail buffer and shiner.
- Rinse feet in clean water and dry well.
After Soaking and Cleaning:
- Apply foot lotion to both feet. Don’t forget to work the lotion between the toes and up past your ankles. Give your feet a good massage.
- Rub cuticle oil onto the nail and cuticle.
- Trim away excess cuticle with a cuticle trimmer or nail scissors. Be extremely careful not to cut into the skin. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming your cuticles, don’t! Leave it to an expert manicurist.
Polishing nails:
- Wipe lotion and cuticle oil from nails before polishing.
- Insert a toe separator between the toes.
- Base coat the toenails and allow to dry.
- Paint the nails with two coats of your favorite nail polish. Allow polish to dry between each coat.
- Protect polish with two layers of clear top coat polish.
Pamper your feet every two weeks with a pedicure and your feet will be soft and beautiful.
Nail Polish tips:
Your nail polish will last longer if you allow each coat to dry completely before adding a next. This usually takes about 15 minutes.
Older polish takes longer to dry than new polish.
Apply thin coats of polish instead of thick coats for longer lasting nail polish.
Don't shake your nail polish, instead rub it between your hands. This prevents air bubbles from forming.
Ingrown Toenails: Ingrown toenails develop when the nail grows into the corner or side of the toenail and into the soft flesh of that toe.
If you are troubled by ingrown toenails, you could be cutting your nails too short. Try cutting the nail long enough so that the nail cannot move into the skin as it grows.
Shoes that are too tight or fit poorly around the toe area can push the nail into the skin. Try wearing a larger and/or wider shoe.
If you are still troubled by ingrown toenails, talk to your doctor about this sometimes painful condition. It is possible your ingrown toenail could be caused by a fungal infection or injury to the nail.
If you have diabetes keep your toenail trimmed properly so they do not cut into the skin of the toes. Infection can quickly and easily set in which can result in gangrene, surgery, a toe or foot amputation.
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