How Can I Care For An Ingrown Toenail
Ingrown toenails, if caught early, can be treated at home without a doctor visit. If you notice a slight pain and see that your nail is starting to grow into the skin along the side, you can relieve the pain and try to avoid infection. Try soaking your affected foot in warm saltwater for 20 minutes at a time, 23 times a day, to relieve discomfort. To make saltwater, get a bucket of warm clean water or fill a bathtub just enough to soak your toe. Add 12 teaspoons of Epsom salt . Regular table salt works OK too if that’s what you have.
To prevent the nail from settling back into the skin, try to relieve the pressure by placing a piece of a dry cotton under the corner of the nail that is growing into the skin. Put antibiotic cream on the irritated area twice a day this can help prevent infection.
If the pain continues or seems to be getting worse, call your doctor right away.
What Are The Causes Of An Ingrown Toenail
An ingrown toenail can occur due to a number of causes.
- Badly cut toenails cutting your toenails too short or into the corners can break the natural skin barrier. This increases the risk of infection and allows your skin to fold over the nail edge and your nail to grow into it.
- Increased pressure from tight shoes, socks or tights.
- Foot injuries ingrown toenails can appear after injuring your toe.
- Sweaty feet.
- Fungal nail infections can cause a thickened or widened toenail.
- Genetics and natural toenail shape toenails that are more curved or fan-shaped are more likely to press into the sides.
- Medicines such as isotretinoin.
Soaking Your Ingrown Fingernail
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Address The Issue In A Timely Manner
If you suspect you have an ingrown toenail, its important to address the issue quickly. This is vital to preventing an eventual infection.
Keep in mind, if your toenail is oozing, hot to the touch or has a foul odor, it is likely infected. If thats the case, you need to seek our professional help. If you dont have these symptoms, though, you can use common home remedies.
For example, soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salts. After soaking it to soften the skin, you can often remove the affected area of the nail yourself with sterilized nail-cutting tools. We offer some home remedies to reduce your chance of toenail infection here.
What To Do For An Ingrown Toenail
There are a number of home remedies, which can be applied to heal and fix the problem of an ingrown toenail. Some home remedies to cure an ingrown toenail are as follows:
1. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt, or scientifically known as magnesium sulphate, has a range of different uses. However, there is a qualm whether the Epsom salt actually works for an ingrown toenail or not. But, it softens the skin of the affected area, which makes it easy to draw out the toenail from the skin. One can take treatment of Epsom salt by adding a large heap of it in water, and soaking in the foot for about 18-20 minutes. Repeat it two times a day. This is an effective remedy to heal an ingrown toenail.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide
Being a powerful disinfectant, hydrogen peroxide helps the skin around the ingrown toenail to get soft. It makes the lesion less painful and prevents further infection. Mix half a cup of hydrogen peroxide in water and soak your foot in it for 15-20 minutes. It will provide relief to some extent from the ingrown toenail.
You can also directly apply hydrogen peroxide with a cotton ball to the toenail, but, some doctors believe that direct application of undiluted hydrogen peroxide may rupture the healthy tissues of the skin.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
4. Vicks VapoRub
5. White Flower Oil
6. Tea Tree Essential Oil/ Lavender Essential Oil
These natural antibiotics can also be applied on the ingrown toenail to get immediate relief from the problem of ingrown toenail.
Notes:
9. Lemon
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Treating And Preventing Ingrown Toenails
An ingrown toenail is a common foot problem that occurs when the corner of a toenail, usually the big toe, grows into the skin. As you might imagine, this can cause pain and swelling in the affected area. If you are a healthy individual you can often treat the ingrown toenail with simple at-home care however, patients with diabetes, nerve damage in the feet or signs of a foot infection should always see a podiatrist as soon as possible.
Causes of an Ingrown Toenail
There are several factors that could increase your risk for developing an ingrown toenail. These include:
- Heredity: if your family has a history of ingrown toenails you may be more likely to develop them, too.
- Poorly fitted shoes: shoes that are too tight and cramp up the toes can also cause painful ingrown toenails, particularly in teens whose feet are still growing rapidly
- Improper nail trimming: if you cut your nails too short or if you cut them at an angle rather than cutting them straight across you could be leaving yourself prone to an ingrown toenail
- Injury to the toe: jamming or stubbing the toe can also increase the risk of an ingrown toenail
Treating an Ingrown Toenail
If you are experiencing signs of an infected ingrown toenail or if you have diabetes and develop an ingrown toenail its important that you seek a podiatrists care right away. A podiatrist can treat the infection while also removing part of or the entire nail so that it grows in properly.
Preventing Ingrown Toenails
Ways To Treat Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails can be very painful and at times need the attention of a professional, but there are some things you can do on your own.
Ingrown toenails are painful, and they can be tricky to treat because they can easily become infected and are often a recurring problem.
If your ingrown toenail has become infected, you shouldn’t attempt to treat it yourself. “The first thing is, if they’re infected, they need to be seen by a podiatrist,” says Alan K. Mauser, DPM, a podiatrist in Louisville, Ky.
If the ingrown toenail is not infected, you can try some at-home remedies to keep the pain at bay and prevent the ingrown toenail from coming back. Here are some ideas:
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Who Gets Ingrown Toenails
Anyone, at any age, can get an ingrown toenail. Even so, they tend to happen more often in teens and people over 65, says Shari Lipner, MD, a dermatologist, and director of the nail division, and professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell University in New York City. Hormonal changes during puberty, along with all the excessive sweating from doing sports, raise the risks.
For some older people, taking care of feet and nails becomes a bit more challenging with aging. Its just more difficult to reach the feet and toes, let alone trim the toenails properly. Plus, toenails get thick with age, presenting a challenge to squeeze down hard enough to clip the toenails properly.
How Do You Stop The Pain Of An Ingrown Toenail
Is Neosporin good for an ingrown toenail?
ingrown toenailsingrown toenailtoenail
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Nailed It 3 Ways To Prevent Ingrown Toenails
In medicine, the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are three ways to help prevent ingrown toenails altogether:
Use proper nail cutting techniques
Clip your toenails using toenail clippers , trimming them straight across and not too short.
Avoid ill-fitted shoes AND socks
Wear shoes that have a good size toe box that allow your toes to rest flat. And slip on moisture-wicking socks that allow your toes to move around freely.
Check your feet
Dont forget to check in with your feet on a regular basis for ingrown toenails or other foot problems, especially if you are prone to ingrown toenails or have diabetes.
How To Cut Your Toenails To Avoid Ingrown Toenails
Chances are you havent given your toes much thought today. That is unless youre dealing with an ingrown toenail. When the edge of a toenail starts growing into the surrounding flesh, you may develop a painful problem thats hard to ignore.
While some ingrown toenail issues respond to home care, serious cases may need the attention of a specialist. Dr. Errol Gindi and the team at his podiatry practice can help ease your foot pain. In the meantime, heres what you need to know to avoid an ingrown toenail disaster.
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Nagy Footcare Can Help You
When you are experiencing toe pain or discomfort, you might be in the early stages of an ingrown toenail. You should immediately begin the home treatment methods mentioned above in order to prevent the problem from getting worse. If you have any questions or concerns, or are unable to properly cut the ingrown toenail by yourself, call Nagy Footcare. We firmly believe you should not have to suffer from foot or toe pain offer the most advanced treatment options available in a professional, caring environment and make it our mission to exceed your expectations in every way. Are you in the beginning stages of an ingrown toenail? Contact Nagy Footcare today!
At Nagy Footcare, our best day is when you wake up with no foot pain.
Its Time To See Your Podiatrist
If you notice excessive growth and redness, or oozing pus where your toenail meets your toe bed, it is time to make an appointment with your New Hampshire podiatrist. This is the third stage of an ingrown toenail during which you have an infection. An infection must be treated with antibiotics prescribed by your podiatrist. You might have a fever by this point, and the toe will probably feel warm and tender to the touch. It is best if you can see your foot doctor before your ingrown toenail gets to this stage if home treatment has not worked.
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What Are Ingrown Toenails And Why Do They Form
Ingrown toenails are a common foot condition. They form when the corner or edge of your toenail starts to grow into the soft flesh of the toe. Though the big toe is most commonly affected, you can develop an ingrown toenail on any toe.
Some of the most common reasons you might develop an ingrown toenail include:
- Family history
- Wearing shoes that dont fit right and crowd your toes
- Injury or trauma
- Pedicures with aggressive trimming
- Trimming nails too short
In addition, youre at greater risk of developing ingrown toenails if you have diabetes or another health condition that affects your blood circulation.
Helping The Toenail Heal
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Using Cotton Or Gauze
If soaking alone does not bring relief within a day or two, a person can try gently encouraging the nail to grow upward with cotton or gauze.
After soaking, take a tiny piece of clean gauze or cotton and insert it under the nail. This can help relieve pressure and pain, separating the nail from the skin slightly.
Replace the cotton at least once per day until the nail has grown out and healed.
What Is An Ingrown Toenail
An ingrown toenail occurs when the side of the nail curls down and grows into the skin around the nail.
Any toe can be affected but it commonly occurs in the big toe.
An ingrown toenail can become painful and inflamed .
Sometimes, it can become infected, which, if left untreated, can spread and infect the underlying bone.
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How Can I Prevent Ingrown Nails
Proper grooming is the first step in preventing ingrown nails.
- Soak your feet first to soften the nails.
- Always cut the nail straight across using nail clippers, and leave enough nail to cover the toe to protect it. Smooth sharp edges with an emery board.
- Wear socks and shoes that fit properly. Be aware that tight, pointed, high-heeled shoes and tight stockings can cause ingrown nails by putting pressure on the toes.
- Parents should groom young children’s nails. An older relative may need help, too, because of weakened vision and greater difficulty reaching their feet.
How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail
By Kyra Oliver
If youve ever had an ingrown toenail, you know the pain that it can cause. Not only that, but its annoying we use our toes in some way or another as part of our usual daily movement, and this use and constant knocking seems to aggravate the nail even more. It makes the pain more noticeable and seems to last forever!
An ingrown toenail, or onychocryptosis, may occur at any age and is one of the mostly common toenail problems. It can be a painful condition that can easily become infected without proper care. While more studies need to be conducted, there are a few that suggest a slightly higher male-to-female ratio, particularly in the 1425 age group however, it can affect patients of any age.
There are multiple reasons why an ingrown toenail develops, including:
- improper nail-cutting technique
- pressure from abutting digits caused by hallux valgus or lesser toe deformities
- the presence of a subungual exostosis
- occasionally, the use of isotretinoin in the treatment of severe acne
Something thats often forgotten is that toenail fungus can become part of the problem too. Usually, nail fungus occurs when fungus enters the nail through a small trauma, such as a cut or break in the nail. Though often a misconception, nail fungus is not caused by poor hygiene. However, if you have an ingrown toenail, you need to be conscious of keeping the area clean.
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