Cutting your toenails

I can still reach my feet quite well, but I cannot really SEE what I am doing when I try to cut my toe nails.

Yes, these kind of things are sent to try us, as we age, as are thickening toe nails.

Let's make a pagt to both make an appointment with a chiropodist and repeat it at the necessary interval of time.

I have a pedicure every five weeks at £22.00 including nail polish, worth every penny. I'm 84. Just do it.

I agree with everyone that have said to soak your feet first. It softens the nails and makes them so much easier to cut.

But if you can afford it go for the pedicure or Podiatrist option.

The Beauty Clinic, in my village, does a special Seniors package, for £15. This includes removal of hard skin on the feet, cutting of toenails and moisturizing. A bargain.

A bargain indeed Retired, until recently I was paying. £54 . Now after a change it’s £38 .

We had a mobile chiropodist who specialises in older people. She came to the house £15. We’re in the south so could well be less in other places

Me again
A podiatrist has a degree. A chiropodist practically disappeared as Podiatry became the term
A Foot Health Professional. Well trained in the practical basic care of feet, without a degree

I hope I never need a podiatrist on a regular basis as I hate people touching my feet. Had to see one several years ago to advise on my bunions and hated every second. Shouldn't have wasted my time as apparently they don't do anything for bunions any more apart from advising that I buy very expensive (£60-70 a pair) wide fitting shoes 😂

If you have an Age Uk Day Centre near, you may find they have a visiting chiropodist. Our local Centre does every week and you can book and I think it’s subsidised at £10.

Thank you for your post, Magenta - I'm off to buy longer scissors - genius idea !

I still cut my own with no problems, sitting on the sofa and cutting them over kitchen roll. Right height for me.
The nurse keeps suggesting that I should go to the podiatrist as I'm diabetic. I have no neuropathy, can feel all my toes and have never cut myself. I dread yet another appointment to have to organise and keep every 6 weeks. It's bad enough having to go to the diabetic reviews.
When I did use a podiatrist, she took so much skin off my feet that I ended up with calluses that were painful to walk and took ages to recover. I shall put it off as long as possible.

I am very lucky as I live near a training center, the SMAE Institute in Maidenhead and they need people to practice on for free. I go every 8 to 10 weeks and their work is overseen by a professional training person. I have been going for over 20 years here. If you live in this area I recommend it.

Wish I lived closer.
I used to go to the local further education college for hair and beauty treatment, we did pay but it was minimal. Treatment was supervised and it allowed me to enjoy facials massage etc manicure and pedicure etc for very little.
They also had a training restaurant which was reasonably priced where students cooked and served the food as part of their course, it was always very good,

I had a wonderful and properly qualified lady locally, pre covid, but since retired . All I can find now are ‘foot practitioners’, who are useless. The last one looked, did one corn, charged me £26. When I got home there was one on an adjoining toe, ignored. What are the qualifications necessary now for anybody to set up and call themselves ‘practitioners’, does anybody know? And what protection do we have against unqualified people who it seems can chop away at your feet regardless?

I posted about an acquaintance who completed her entire chiropody training by post.

Chiropodist

Yes it is an aging thing . I go to my chiropodist and she thins them out . The gp thought it was an infection at first but the chiropodist explained that it’s a very common thing as we age .

My mum used to get her toenails and feet done on the nhs 15 years ago, now you have to have diabetes before they will do anything. Obviously diabetes is serious so do understand that it must be monitored.

silverlining48

My mum used to get her toenails and feet done on the nhs 15 years ago, now you have to have diabetes before they will do anything. Obviously diabetes is serious so do understand that it must be monitored.

I think that getting this on the NHS varies according to what part of the country one is in. The NHS here (West Wales) will make you wait weeks/maybe a couple of months but will deal with something serious (eg ingrown toenails). But I won't use them any more anyway - after it really sunk in that one of their podiatrists had asked me the medical questionnaire on the phone beforehand and asked me if I had any allergies - to which I replied "LANAcane" and SHE went off on one and confused it with LIDOcane (which is a totally different thing) and proceeded to have a row with me and call me mentally ill!!!!!!!!! (gobsmacked - as I have no problems whatsoever in that respect - but I am in an agegroup that regards that as a problem and a worry and a downright insult if you've not got it). So I pay a hefty bill and a hefty taxi fare now to go to another bigger town and where I know for a fact HE definitely speaks 101% perfect English as first/only? language and there'll be none of that...or her pushing me to follow her decisions....rather than trying to find out what my decisions are (as she should!). We both function the same way as I'm used to - ie the patient is the one that makes the patients decisions and the medic presents options and leave them to do the choosing...as it should be - obviously....

I’ve got my own personal podiatrist- my husband 🤣🤣

I’m type 2 diabetic and disabled due to a knee replacement which didn’t work . I’ve looked after my own feet/nails but earlier this year I gave in and made an appointment with a podiatrist . The first appointment cost £45 but was comprehensive, checking for the pulse in my feet ,dealing with hard skin and cutting the nails . The podiatrist said that my feet are on very good condition and just to book for nail cutting in future at £20 ! I’m quite happy with that . I have no bunions , corns or hard skin but I’ve no idea how I’ve managed to that because I’m 72 and was a nurse for years and always on my feet .
Saying that my poor grandmother had terrible feet because her mum had made her wear too small shoes all the time she was growing up . My good feet are probably because my parents looked after us properly .

I see someone who is described as a podiatrist, although she doesn't have a degree (I know this as she often talks about her student daughter being the first in the family to go to university), and she is very good. The first appointment with consultation is £45, and subsequent ones £35 for 20 minutes in a clinic. There is no massage or anything - she cuts my nails, files down the hoof-like ones and removes any hard skin. I assume if I had other problems she would deal with them too.

I also have a Greek toe, and the nail seems as thick as it's long. According to the podiatrist, they thicken as they rub on shoes (even well-fitting ones) as it's Nature's way of protecting the toe from harm. It happens very gradually, so it's more noticeable when we are older.

I can still do my toenails with a nail clipper, but years ago I used to trim them with my teeth! I was hard up when younger, but surely could have afforded some nail clippers, but I vividly remember doing this.
Needless to say, couldn't do this now!

I have been only once to a podiatrist, I thought it is ingrown nail but he ( the owner of the practice is a she) but she was missing and she has a very young he who introduced himself as doing this for the summer break. LOL. He said it is not ingrown nail just my skin inflames on the side and all he did was take some cuticle away and I paid the whole fee of 55 pounds.

Definitely will try a pedicure, will buy long handled scissors, variety of files, creams and will try to keep force my bending which I do..

About researching my private health professional - completely agree. I have quite a bit of experience of other such things and so far have been finding the right ones after long looking and sometimes even prayers.

Thank you so far for the many wonderful posts, advice and general life experience ...

I get a chair and put it by my bed, sit on the bed and then place my foot on the chair to cut my toe nails. You can buy special toenail scissors at Boots but I found they hacked out uneven chunks to it was back to my old nail scissors!