Home : Health : Remedies : Ingrown toenail : Ingrown toenail. Cut a V

Ingrown toenail. Cut a V and see it grow away

Submitted by sarah

My sister told me to cut a small v in the middle of the top of my nail, it makes the nail grow away from the sides more, it works!

Visitors comments

No V's Please! Comments By: Anon on 2005-03-18

I was told to do this also about 2 yrs.
ago and my toenail got very thick and still doesn't grow correctly to this day.
I could never recommend this to anyone.

Cutting a 'V' to remedy an ingrown toenail Comments By: J.M. on 2007-09-14

My mother had a Dr. tell her to cut the 'V' at the top of her toenail years ago, and she passed the information on to me when I had my first ingrown nail start. I have always cut a 'V' in the nail at the first sign of an ingrown nail and have never had my nail grow in an odd manner afterwards. I am sure, like all things, it varies from person to person. Good luck!

Uh-oh Comments By: Queen Elizabeth on 2008-02-13

So I get in grown toe nails ALL the time! I still don't understand the cutting the 'V' into the nail.
do you mean the sideS?

TipKing says: The tip is talking about the middle of the top of my nail

It worked for me Comments By: Lori on 2009-03-07

I had a very bad one years ago. Now it's back and I could not remember how I got rid of it. I was glad you posted this because it reminded me. Also, another time I had one and when I went for a pedicure, the girl told me to trust her and she cut away at it in a manner that was immediate relief and it went away. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Don't do it Comments By: Anon on 2009-04-06

I was told by a doctor and also on the nhs website not to cut a v in the nail, it's just a myth.

This is wrong Comments By: Anon on 2009-08-07

Recently went to a podiatrist, she cut away the spike that was sticking in to my big toe. It was very painful but better than surgery. She explained that cutting the V is a stupid myth, your nail grows from the bottom up so the V has no bearing on how it grows or moves.

toenail Comments By: just saying on 2010-11-15

you say your toenail grew thick after u cut a v in, thick toenails are heredity, look it up on the net.

Cut a Comments By: Ken on 2011-07-25

It has worked for me for many years -- if I do not do this, my toenails on the big toe grow into the corners & downward. Cutting a "V" in the middle of the BIG toenail after trimming the toenail slightly (and don't cut out the corners!!) works ... for me, for sure.