This Reviewer-Beloved Toenail Brace Legitimately Changed My Life

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For those who have them, ingrown toenails need little introduction. They occur when the corner of the nail grows and curves into the skin, the result of too-tight shoes, incorrect trimming or injury to the nail. They cause inflammation that is notoriously uncomfortable: Ingrown nails can make it painful to simply wear shoes, and even cause pain when the affected nail so much as brushes against bedsheets.

Discomfort from ingrowns can permeate even banal aspects of everyday life, and as a result, many folks with ingrown toenails learn to simply live with this inflammation and pain. I spent years hoping-slash-deluding myself into believing that my own ingrown big toenails, caused by years of too-tight cleats and heels, were not that disruptive to my life and would eventually improve on their own. Yet one day last year, I brushed one of my ingrowns against my carpeted floor and found myself doubled over in pain. I was forced to acknowledge that my ingrowns were not sustainable, and they were not going to get better by themselves.

I combed the internet for the best home treatment for ingrowns, and found the CurveCorrect ingrown toenail treatment kit on Amazon. I’m protective over my money and was wary of spending $45 for the kit, but after reading through testimonials from reviewers who, too, were initially skeptical but were ultimately “gobsmacked” and “delighted” at its results, deeming it “worthy every penny,” I decided to take the plunge — and I’m so happy that I did.

The kit is designed to treat and correct the root of the problem: a nail that is literally growing and curving incorrectly. It works by using thin tension braces, which act like springs, to slowly and gently straighten the nail. The brace also relieves pressure from the ingrown, helping ease discomfort within days, according to CurveCorrect and the experience of myself and many reviewers. The brace attaches to the affected nail using a high-bond adhesive.

“For a simple, non-infected toenail that tends to become ingrown near where the nail grows out beyond the nail bed, this type of product could be helpful,” Dr. Howard E. Friedman, a podiatrist at Suffern Podiatry in New York State, told HuffPost.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to visit a podiatrist if you’re experiencing pain from an ingrown toenail. If your ingrown is particularly severe, it will require surgery or an in-office procedure in order to correct it. You should not opt for home treatment if your ingrown shows signs of an infection, fungus or open wound, or if your nail has extreme curvature (greater than 180 degrees). In addition, folks with limited mobility may benefit from a second person’s help to apply the brace. The kit is not suitable for children under 8 years old. For more information, check out CurveCorrect’s website.

For my purposes, I found the CurveCorrect brace to be a game-changer. Within a week of applying the brace, my ingrowns had noticeably improved and flattened. A year later, after having worn the braces for several months, I still can’t quite believe how much better my nails feel and look. Both my big toes are now even and flat, and they don’t hurt anymore, which feels like something of a miracle.

Before applying the brace, I — and many reviewers — recommend that you read and re-read the instructions. The home treatment is simple enough, but should be done carefully.

The main thing to keep in mind is not to push your nail to correct too quickly, so you should err on applying the brace toward the wider end of your toenail to start, where the brace will be longer and thus hold less tension. Very slight discomfort is normal when you first apply the brace, but pain is not normal. If pain does occur, take the brace off immediately. Then, if you want to continue, apply the brace with less tension — cut it longer — and apply it further down your nail, towards the wider end of the nail.

As for preventing future ingrowns? “The best prevention is to allow the corners of the nails to extend beyond the nail fold and cut the nail straight across. Most ingrown nails that I see are due to people who cut the nail too short,” said Friedman over email. “Only ballerinas and sprinters need short toe nails.”

Check out what reviewers have to say about the CurveCorrect kit, or grab your CurveCorrect kit now from Amazon.

“I wish I’d taken a ‘before’ picture…these strips works exactly as I hoped (but doubted) they’d work! They take a little practice to get on just right. You need a steady hand, a bright light, and a gentle squeeze on the glue bottle so you don’t apply too much glue. If you get the strip applied properly, it’ll last a week or two before it comes off. They do stay a little “catchy” on the ends, even with filing, so I apply a bandaid over the strip to make sure my socks don’t catch and encourage the strip to come loose. My big toes had such a tight curl at the end that the corners were nearly meeting in the middle. After wearing for only a few days there was a noticeable change. After a week or week and a half, the nail has a very natural gentle curve at the end. I’ll wear the strip/brace until it reaches the end of the nail. I may reapply another strip closer to the nail bed to encourage correct growth until I feel certain that my nails won’t revert back to the curve. The strips don’t hurt to wear and have relieved any pain from the nails biting into my toes. I can’t be any happier with this product!!!” — Michelle

“I don’t gush about products, and am hesitant to believe gushy, exclamation point laden reviews. But this darned little system worked for mr, almost instantly. Advice – read the various reviews that go into detail re what to expect and best way to succeed. I am elderly, stiff of joint, too much belly, and can’t see worth beans. I read reviews, read through the instructions twice, and set up a sort of dry run to see where I might run into trouble. If you can possibly find one, get a helper. BUT, it can be done alone if you follow the directions. When placing the first glue laden end of the brace strip, I advise starting with the side of your toenail that is more difficult to see and reach. My ingrown nail on the big toe hurt a lot at each corner where the nail was digging in as well as on the bottom of the toe. In less than an hour after the brace was glued into place, nothing hurt. I kept poking and squeezing, not quite willing to believe. This was a toe that was so sore that even the sheet on it would increase the pain. Shoes were limited to thongs and clogs. Three days after I applied the little strip, I went for a pedicure, fully expecting the brace strip to fall off in the swirling foot bath. Nope. The tech filed down the blunt ends a bit then treated the nail like the other nine. 52 hours later and all is well.” — Stephanie L.

“I highly recommend this product. I learned about it online and had only other reviews to convince me if it works or not. I took the chance and I am so glad I did. My guess is you will be, too, but they have a satisfaction guarantee so it’s really no risk. I always thought the shape of my toes was just one of those things that I couldn’t change about myself and that occasional pain & pressure from my toenails getting longer was inevitable. I put these braces on two days ago. Within 2 hours on the first day I could already feel tremendous relief on my left foot- like the edge of my toenail was being gently lifted away from my toe…not at all painfully the way it feels when something is beneath the nail pushing it up. I wore socks and shoes yesterday and the braces didn’t snag or feel uncomfortable. I didn’t know if I got the edges all the way glued down so I was worried, but they were fine. Today I can feel the differences on both feet, and my left foot already seems like I have a whole different toenail shape. It used to start wide at the base and then get narrower toward the tip but now it’s the same width all the way up and I am 100% PAIN FREE for the first time in probably 10 years.The difference is so noticeable that I’ve come to realize my former version of “normal” was actually barely tolerable and I’d simply grown accustomed to it. I hate that it took me this long to find a product that could help. But I also LOVE that this product exists.” — Julie H.

“I was very dubious about this product initially. I’ve had ingrown toenails on both big toes for around 15 years and I’ve tried everything in the past including removing both nails, seeing podiatrists etc, all whom have said the only way to fix permanently was to have the ingrown part surgically removed to stop that area of the nail growing back. Whilst this may seem like a good option for some, I just didn’t want to have narrow big toenails, so I declined each time and carried on with my severely curved nails. As the ingrown part did not hurt I guess I just put up with it! Last year my nails also started to grow ridged and very thick, which was awful for me and I needed to come up with another plan. After researching loads of products/tools/creams/remedies etc I came across this product and thought I’d give it a go. I was not disappointed. In fact I was shocked at how good it has worked. I’ve needed to use 3 times (on both toes), but after just the first time i could see huge improvements in just a couple of weeks. The strips stayed on for around 4-5 weeks each time, and now I can say for the first time in years and years, I finally have semi-flat big toe nails and I’m DELIGHTED with this product. I had to pay for shipping to the UK as the product is not available here, but it was worth every penny. I just wish I had found it years ago. Be patient with the process, follow the instructions VERY CAREFULLY, in fact read them over and over before you start and it will make sure the application works and fits first time. Don’t hesitate, this product has changed everything for me, I can now wear pretty open toed shoes and sandals without embarasment for the first time in over a decade. Very Happy.” — Mrs P