Should You Cut Your Toenails Before A Pedicure?

How often do you treat yourself to a pedicure? These fantastic services are one of the most relaxing and soothing things you can do for some excellent self-care! However, what if you hinder your pedicure's potential by doing something you shouldn't right before you get it done? There are dos and don'ts surrounding a pedicure, and fiddling with your nails might be a don't! We have looked into what to do with your toenails before you get your pedicure done so that you can avoid any mistakes and get the most out of your pampering!

You can cut your toenails before going to the salon or spa for a pedicure, but it is unnecessary. The ideal shape of your toenails is straight across, not rounded. You have to make sure that you are cutting them correctly and avoiding common nail trimming mistakes. Cutting them incorrectly can be potentially dangerous and painful. The salon will trim your nails for you. 

It's easy to forget while you're getting your feet massaged that pedicures do have the potential to cause a wide variety of problems. These can range from minor inconveniences to major health scares. Toes may not seem incredibly important as far as your health goes, but they can get injured and infected just like any other part of your body! To be as safe as possible, make sure you keep reading down below!

Close up View Of A Beautician's Hand Cutting Client's Toenails, Should You Cut Your Toenails Before A Pedicure?

This article may include affiliate links and elements that were carefully created by our team using advanced ai to help you envision the best style advice.

Cutting Your Toenails For A Pedicure

While you can cut your nails before getting a pedicure, it's very important to know what you're doing. Many people tend to cut their toenails exactly like they cut their fingernails which is incorrect. Here are some things to think about before deciding to trim your toenails or not!

Why You Can Cut Your Toenails Before A Pedicure

Many individuals think that they absolutely can't cut their toenails before a pedicure. This is probably because their nail technician told them not to. However, they don't tell you that because you're cutting your nails. They tell you that because of how you're cutting them. As long as you know how to trim them properly, it won't cause any issue when you sit down to get your toes done.

How To Cut Your Toenails Properly

Everyone tends to cut their toenails too short and round them. Since your toenails and cuticles grow differently than your fingernails, it's important to know how to cut them. Instead of rounding them and cutting the sides of each nail shorter than the middle, you want to cut them straight across.

Using this technique will help to ensure that you don't cause any painful issues with your toenails. Also, be sure to use the correct tool for the job. No matter how tough your toenails might be, some clippers can get the job done!

Click here to shop for toenail clippers on Amazon!

What Happens When You Cut Your Toenails Incorrectly?

Cutting your toenails incorrectly can lead to ingrown nails, cuts around your nails, and infection. When you cut the edges of your toenails too short, the skin around them starts to grow over the nail. This is a very common issue with toenails.

When that happens, the toenail can easily become ingrown, leading to punctures in the skin around the toenails. This is a serious issue, according to this article on ingrown toenails from Mayoclinic.org.

There are a couple of reasons why your nail technicians don't want you to come in for a pedicure when this issue is happening to one or more of your toenails. The first is that if the skin is punctured, you can easily get an infection.

Spas and salons do their best to keep everything clean, but no one can guarantee that bacteria won't find their way into a wound. The second reason is that they can't very easily trim and shape your nails when they're like this.

You Don't Have To Cut Your Toenails Before A Pedicure

No matter how long your toenails might be, the chances are that your technician won't be fazed. Part of a pedicure is getting your toenails trimmed and shaped professionally. They expect to do that as part of the process, and it's part of what you are paying for.

If you are self-conscious of your toenails or prefer to cut them yourself, then that's perfectly fine as long as you do it correctly. However, it is not required to get a pedicure.

More Pedicure Questions

Manicure and pedicure salon serving customer in a spa salon, How Much Do You Tip For A Pedicure?

Unfortunately, there is more to nail care surrounding pedicures than just making sure they're trimmed correctly. Since there is the potential to get infections or other injuries from having ill-prepared toenails, you need to handle anything that may arise. Some other dos and don'ts are surrounding your toenails and pedicures that you should know.

How Long Should Toenails Be For A Pedicure?

Whether it's for a pedicure or just out and about, you don't want your toenails too long any more than you want them to be too short. When your toenails are too long, there isn't an obvious danger, like when they are too short. However, it can quickly turn into a bad situation.

With longer toenails comes a higher chance of catching them or hitting them and making them rip, tear, and chip. This is bad because they can easily tear down into the nail bed and cause all kinds of pain. That's why it's recommended that toenails be 1 to 2 millimeters long.

How Do You Know If Your Toenails Are Too Long?

While it differs depending on the person, you can usually tell when your toenails are getting too long. If you notice that they are hitting on things or getting caught, that's a good sign. Another is if your toenails hit the inside of your shoes. If they get really bad, then they will start to curl around the top of your toe. If any of these things are happening, then it's time to cut your toenails!

Can You Get A Pedicure With Bad Toenails?

This depends on how bad your toenails are and what salon you go to. Unfortunately, not all salons have as high of standards as they should for things like this. If your toenails are severely overgrown, ingrown, or have fungus, then you may still possibly be able to get a pedicure.

However, even if they allow you to, you should not get one done under these circumstances. There is a potential danger for you and others if you have a fungus or something that can be spread.

When Should You Not Get A Pedicure?

You should not get a pedicure if you have a fungal infection or some open wound, no matter how small. Fungal infections are highly contagious, and you can easily spread them to others. Make sure to get it taken care of by a doctor before getting a pedicure.

You should also never get a pedicure if you have a wound or an underlying issue. From a small cut to a nail falling off, they are all prone to infection, which can have very serious consequences. Some health problems that may affect your ability to get pedicures would be if you have foot issues from diabetes or are immune-compromised.

How Do You Prepare Your Feet For A Pedicure?

There are some things you can do to get ready for a successful pedicure. You can make sure to clean and moisturize your feet. You should do this in-between pedicures, too, but it helps a lot right before one also. Do not shave your legs right before you go in.

You shouldn't shave your legs within a couple of days before getting a pedicure because even the slightest cuts from shaving can get infected. The last thing to do is make sure that you wear the appropriate footwear!

Finishing Up

Close up View Of A Beautician's Hand Cutting Client's Toenails, Should You Cut Your Toenails Before A Pedicure?

In summary, you do not have to cut your toenails before getting a pedicure. You can if you would like, just as long as you cut them correctly. Remember to cut them across and not to cut the sides of nails short. If you do cut them short, then they are likely to become ingrown, and then it's not just a problem for your nail tech, but you as well!

If you're worried about cutting them incorrectly, your nail tech will regularly cut them when you go in for pedicures. Once you decide if you're going to cut your nails, all that's left to do is enjoy your pedicure!

Make sure that you click on the links below to learn even more about pedicures!

How Much Does A Pedicure Cost? [By Type Of Pedicure]

Does A Pedicure Include Polish?

How To Keep Your Feet Soft After A Pedicure

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *