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Health

Cutting toe nails

(77 Posts)
ExDancer Sun 28-Apr-24 09:56:08

I know I'm not alone in finding it difficult to cut my toe nails.
I'm 85 with an arthritis which affects most of my joints including my spine and hands. I recently had a fall and fractured a vertebra which has not helped.

Ideally I would like to find a chiropodist or podiatrist who would undertake this chore for me but I have failed to find anyone who will do this. I have asked friends and tried yellow pages, AgeUK gave me a list of 3, but when I contacted them they all said they did not cut nails! (why?).
My GP cannot help.
I have some pretty hefty clippers from Amazon called "Dr Móde" and they are very sharp. Unfortunately I've nicked my toes a few times and made them bleed which doesn't seem the best way to go.
My diabetic husband sees someone at the hospital and they keep his nails short for him. She doesn't do this privately.
Can I buy some decent tools - preferable scissors, not clippers so I can keep my feet comfy?
Any hints and suggestions considered seriously.

silverlining48 Mon 06-May-24 20:22:52

Makes my £52 seem a positive bargain. smile

watermeadow Mon 06-May-24 20:20:40

Prices on here are staggering. I paid £65 to see a podiatrist because I had a very painful callus. She cut my nails and gave me things to go in my shoes (another £45)
When I later asked for an appointment just to cut my nails it would cost the same £65. I can’t afford that regularly and can’t either see nor reach to do it myself.
Toenail cutting for old people is another thing axed in broken Britain.

Grandmafrench Fri 03-May-24 00:00:20

I can confirm that a good Podiatrist can make you feel you have new feet! Never a waste of money or time.

Macadia Thu 02-May-24 22:00:32

This should be a free medical service for any elderly man or lady who needs this help, not just diabetics. It can be very painful for some, trying to reach their toes with decreased mobility, blurred vision and a very sharp instrument !

Floradora9 Thu 02-May-24 21:28:54

keepingquiet

I am booking an appointment for a pedicure soon as due to surgery I haven't been able to cut my toe nails either!

Diabetics are entitled to free foot care.

I agree our feet deserve a proper pamper from time to time!

Despite being diabetic I was told my feet were fine and not to bother them again.

Whiff Thu 02-May-24 16:36:41

Bumping this up

Justwidowed Mon 29-Apr-24 22:34:16

I see a NHS Podiatrist every 12 weeks,he checks my feet ,advises on dry skin and cuts my toenails.
I am a type 1 Diabetic for 70 years now and my feet are in good condition.I can feel the tiniest bit of grit in my shoes.

I have been having NHS footcare for probably 40 years now.

MissAdventure Mon 29-Apr-24 20:28:24

That's all some people need.
I could do with my nails cut, and the hard skin kept down.

I should try and book someone to come in and do mine, really.

flappergirl Mon 29-Apr-24 20:26:06

Astitchintime

There is a huge difference between a Podiatrist and a Pedicure therapist, the latter of which is not qualified in checking a pedal pulse, assessing the condition of feet in respect of damage caused by Diabetes, conducting a sensitivity check or even recommending corrective footwear for any potential problems with feet and posture etc.

I was about to post something similar and urge caution to anyone who thinks that a beautician in a salon can perform the same level of care as a podiatrist, the latter being a medical professional.

A beautician deals only in aesthetics.

Fairislecable Mon 29-Apr-24 18:25:46

I used to go to a chiropodist it was quite expensive and during lockdown I bought one of these:

www.beurer.com/uk/p/57400/

It is so good I never use scissors or clippers and it does the hard skin as well and even a little cuticle tool.

silverlining48 Mon 29-Apr-24 17:54:49

We should all be very careful how we cut our toenails. I had mine done by a chiropodist but she didn’t cut them properly and I ended up needing both sides of my big toe nail and nail bed removed, a painful and expensive process which took more than a year to properly heal.
I see a different chiropodist/ podiatrist now and pay £52 for my nails to be cut. I know it’s a lot and I don’t like it so wait til nails are quite long before I see him, but I trust him to do it properly so I pay up.

leeds22 Mon 29-Apr-24 16:39:55

I like a pedicure now and again. Between times I manage to keep my toe nails clipped except for my big toe nails which I keep short by using an emery board twice a week.

Nannashirlz Mon 29-Apr-24 16:07:50

I actually get mine done at a nail salon and I get my toenails painted at same time as it was only place that does them. But on qvc they have a long handle nail cutter Ive also got arthritis so I know how you feel. Or if you live near a college etc they tend to have a beauty salon where students are in the last year and you get hair feet etc done really cheap. I used to get my hair cut and blow dry for £15 and the same girl used to do it.

tattygran14 Mon 29-Apr-24 16:01:41

We had a wonderful fully qualified podiatrist here, she retired during lockdown, sadly.
Since then it’s just been ‘foot care specialists’. One was a drippy girl who faffed around and charged £30.00 for doing very little.
The second one I tried chopped my nails so short they are even more weird looking than they were before.
I’m able to reach my toes, so I can manage for cutting, but I’d love to find a proper podiatrist. Where are they, the NHS appointment I had was useless, they just copied my old orthotics with Blue Peter stuck together bits of something, uncomfortable and useless.
It’s all gone to the dogs!

MissAdventure Mon 29-Apr-24 15:55:50

I'm a trained "footcare" person.
Just a shame I can't reach mine.

I can assess feet and recognise what is just feet being feet, and what is more serious.

It's an out of date thing by now, I'm sure, but feet are probably the same as they ever were

Newatthis Mon 29-Apr-24 15:53:20

Maybe you could find a mobile beauty therapist who does pedicures. Ask at the beauty college at your local further education college. I use to have a lovely student come to my house.

Astitchintime Mon 29-Apr-24 15:51:00

There is a huge difference between a Podiatrist and a Pedicure therapist, the latter of which is not qualified in checking a pedal pulse, assessing the condition of feet in respect of damage caused by Diabetes, conducting a sensitivity check or even recommending corrective footwear for any potential problems with feet and posture etc.

Grammaretto Mon 29-Apr-24 15:48:04

I think I pay £35 a time. It's cheaper than the hairdresser and let's face it, a much less pleasant job. 😖

suelld Mon 29-Apr-24 14:36:07

This is very interesting to me … I’m 78 and able to bend etc, but like one of the posters above I am unable to sustain the bending down and cut two of my toes last time I tried… so looked locally and found a chiropodist who will check and cut my toe nails…but it costs £40 a visit…
I go every 3 months , so not too bad but do find I occasionally have a nail that grows faster than others so have to do a little ‘pruning” in between. Tho I like him a lot maybe I should look for a podiatrist…or just go in for a pedicure… I’ve only ever done that once before, as tho our local ‘nail bars’ are staffed by nice Thai girls, all the rest of the clientele are generally younger having all manner of fancy finger and toe nail treatments and I felt very out of place!

crazyH Mon 29-Apr-24 14:01:20

lizvick - £29.50 for both of you ? (bargain !) Or each ?

jojochurchy Mon 29-Apr-24 13:59:24

In our County, the local Carers provide this service for a small fee. Might be worth enquiring.

crazyH Mon 29-Apr-24 13:58:26

I love a pedicure - she soaks my feet in a foot-spa , (bubbles and all😂) massages my feet, trims my nails, uses nail polish , does my eyebrows, all for £38. I give her £40

rowyn Mon 29-Apr-24 13:57:56

Whiff, please can you tell me what model your Scholl hard skin remover is - have just googled and there seem to be a lot of similar, but different models.
And, generally speaking, it's kind of cheered me to know that I'm not alone in my regular dread of having to attack my toe nails. Like some of you, my eye sight is poor , so sometimes it's very much a gamble when trying to clip!!

Spec1alk Mon 29-Apr-24 13:46:02

My husband had a podiatrist who cones to the house every 8 weeks to cut his nails and manage his feet. It is £42 each visit. We could go to their surgery in the local town but my husbands mobility is poor so this arrangement is ideal.

LizVck Mon 29-Apr-24 13:36:53

Contact Age Concern we have a lovely lady who comes around every 6 weeks to do our nails and it is cheaper than a chiropodist, she charges £29.50.and that includes a foot massage.