My baby toenail keeps digging into my fourth toe.

[Rosie]

It doesn't seem to matter how low I cut it or how wide my shoes are, I have this problem with my baby toenail irritating the toe next to it. It doesn't bother me when I'm just walking about town doing errands but when I'm out on the trail it can turn into a painful bloody mess. I've tried a bandaid on it but it just works its way off and then compounds the problem because then I have a bandaid ball rubbing on my foot. Any hikers have any suggestions?

 

[ChadTower]

Tape it. And when it works itself off stop and fix it. It is always worth taking a ten minute break to fix a problem with your boots.

It also probably means you need a boot that fits better.

 

[Lamebeaver]

You should have a little "wiggle room" for your toes in your boot. If you lace your boots tightly and stand on a steep incline (facing downhill) your toes should not touch the front of your boots.

Try duct tape instead of a bandaid.

 

[ChadTower]

Also, if the boots are too big, when she steps downward it will jam her toes into the front of the boot. That could be the cause too.

 

[IndianaHiker]

Cut it off the offending toe that is. Cant let little things like toes ruin a good hike.

 

[Grandpa]

A little extreme there Indiana:tinysmile_fatgrin_t but almost as extreme is a guy here went in and had the Dr remove all his toe nails. In his case he was tired of the fungus nails, and the new ones did come back in clean.

 

[ponderosa]

A little extreme there Indiana:tinysmile_fatgrin_t but almost as extreme is a guy here went in and had the Dr remove all his toe nails. In his case he was tired of the fungus nails, and the new ones did come back in clean.

My dad had his toenails all removed after a hike down the south fork of the Salmon. He was just tired of his toenails being black and painful for weeks until they fell off, after every big hike. He now has just nail beds, no nails. It's super creepy, but it apparently works for him.:tinysmile_fatgrin_t

My husband has weird toes. They grow straight for a bit, and at the knuckle they turn 90 degrees toward his big toe. There is no boot in the world that can help a problem like that. He is also diabetic, so keeping his feet in good shape is crucial. He tapes every toe where the next one rubs it, and takes off his boots and socks to check his feet many times during the day. Kind of tedious, but ya do what's necessary.

 

[firedancer]

I've had this problem before, although not to the extent of drawing blood. I carry a couple of corn pads in my First Aid kits - they are basically a little adhesive foam buffer that sticks between your pinkie toe and the one next to it.

 

[WildRover]

Is the hiking boot pushing your toe too close to the next one? Have you considered diabetic hiking boots? They are much less likely to cause any aggravation to sensitive toes.

 

[Theosus]

Go see a foot doctor. I kept getting ingrown toenails on my left big toe. He cut one out and now my nail stops at the edge - it doesn't curl under. No more ingrowns. If he cuts off the edge next to your other toe, right back to the nail bed, it might help. It hurts like hell though.

 

[dinosaur]

Go see a foot doctor. It hurts like hell though.

PODIATRIST. Go.

 

[Ready]

Is it only in certain shoes or do you notice the rubbing even when barefoot? My little toe is twisted and it digs into the toe next to it no matter what. I have to file off with a nail file. I pretty much have to file it right down to the nail bed to where it doesn't look like a toenail at all.

 

[Rosie]

Thanks everyone. It is definitely not my boots. I've tried various sizes and styles and I always have this problem. Even if I'm walking for any distance in sneakers I get this problem. I actually think Dinosaur might be right though. I've thought about going in the past but I've just felt like it's a silly thing to go to the doctor for, like I could take care of it myself.