I don’t really know how else to put this: I have strong toenails that grow rapidly. We’re three months into this pandemic, and without my biweekly pedicures, they’re looking an awful lot more like talons than human nails. And my claws aren’t just an eyesore — if I don’t diligently cut them, they dig into my shoes, and make my daily runs around the neighborhood incredibly painful.
Simple enough, one might think: Get some nail clippers, put them to use. Unfortunately, when I pulled my regular clippers out of my medicine cabinet and started attempting a trim, I found they simply were not strong enough for my current situation — in fact, they didn’t even make a dent. So I picked up a pair of cheap toenail specific clippers at my local CVS. Alarmingly, they couldn’t get through the nail smoothly either (they weren’t sharp enough; I had to pull and tug to get the job done). I assumed this was just a “me problem,” until two separate friends texted me that their regular toenail clippers weren’t doing the trick either, and that their inability to easily cut their toenails at home was resulting in painful ingrowns.
After some research (yes, I visited a few foot-focused Reddit forums), I discovered two things: One, thick toenails can be the result of too much friction from your shoes and, in some cases, a fungal infection (though if this is the case, you’ll notice cracks and discoloration, neither of which I had — if you do, call your doctor). Secondly, if you have uninfected but extremely strong toenails you should really consider these heavy-duty clippers made by a brand called New Huing.
The New Huings have fans on both Reddit and in the comments section on Amazon (as a reviewer put it: “these clippers saved my money, time, and most importantly, my FEET!”). They’re effective because they were designed especially for podiatrists to use on elderly clients, who tend to have thicker (and often ingrown) toenails. They have a sharp, curved blade that easily slices off any toenail, no matter how strong or hard or gnarly it has gotten, and a nonslip, cushion grip that allows for quick, clean trims. Unlike the other clippers I tried, you barely need to squeeze them for them to work perfectly. If your feet have been causing you trouble, and you’re feeling anxious about strapping on sandals, I strongly suggest ordering some Patchology exfoliant socks to deflake and smooth your soles, then finish things off with a quick New Huing trim — talons to human feet in mere minutes.
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