Still, I know of many freaks - male and female - who polish their toenails, regardless of whether or not their tootsies will be making an appearance. I even enjoy polishing my toenails once in a while for a change of pace, or even just to test out a questionable color.

I was even surprised (and a bit weirded I must admit) to learn from letters this site has received, that some people like to grow long toenails... hey whatever works for you!

With this in mind, I decided to add this section on toenail care. Generally, the same nail care techniques can be applied to toe nails, including the weekly maintenance outlined on this site.

Here are a few other foot-specific tidbits you may find useful:

		Toenails should be clipped straight across so that the nail does not extend beyond the tip of the toe. Soften nails first by soaking them in warm water or using a softening cream (or after a shower).
		Feet are more susceptible to nail fungus since they tend to be in contact with the ground (duh!) and are often covered by shoes - providing a dark moist place for bacteria to thrive. Clean, dry feet resist disease; a strict regimen of washing the feet with soap and water, remembering to dry thoroughly, is the best way to prevent an infection. Shower shoes should be worn when possible, in public areas. Shoes, socks, or hosiery should be changed daily. As the fungus infects the toenail, it usually results in a dry, thickened and discolored nail.
		For ingrown toenails, soak the foot in warm water and remove the ingrown part of the nail. If pain and/or redness persists contact your doctor - don't start digging too deeply yourself. Carefully smooth the edges of the nail so there are no points left that can dig into the skin. I have found that also using an over-the-counter medication that eases pain, toughens skin and also has antibacterial works great. I tend to use Outgrow, which toughens the skin around the nail so that the nail grows out normally instead on into the skin.
		There's no sense making your toes look pretty if people run away every time you remove your shoes! Some ways of fighting foot odor include: Change socks often and stick with natural fibers, such as cotton Use a roll on antiperspirant to control sweat Use inserts that contain activated charcoal. Clean your feet thoroughly daily.
		It may take longer for polish on toes to dry than on fingers, this is mostly due to the fact that toes tend to be naturally cooler than hands. They may also be moist if you were wearing shoes/socks just before application. Make sure toes are clean and dry before applying polish.
		Having longish toe-nails is fine. They help keep your toes from getting bruised and look nice polished. Just remember to smooth the edges regularly. (Submitted by caera@att.net)
		To avoid ingrown toe-nails, never pick at the edges or allow the edges/corners to tear, if you developed a hang-nail, file it and leave it alone. If the corners of your nails tear too deeply it will allow them to grow out in all sorts of funky ways, including right into your skin. (Submitted by caera@att.net)