Five myths about foot care

Myth 1: Cutting a notch (a “V”) in a toenail will relieve the pain of ingrown toenails.

Reality: “Ingrown toenails” is one of the most viewed topics on this Web site. When a toenail is ingrown, the nail curves downward and grows into the skin. Cutting a “V” does not affect the growth of the toenail. New nail growth will continue to curve downward. Cutting a “V” may actually cause more problems and is painful in many cases.

Next myth: My foot or ankle can’t be broken if I can walk on it.

Page last updated: August 28, 2007