Ingrown toenails are a common condition in which the corner or side of a toenail grows into the soft flesh of the toe .
Ingrown toenails usually affect your big toe.
The result is
- pain,
- redness,
- swelling
- infection
If you have condition that causes poor blood flow to your feet, you’re at greater risk of complications of ingrown toenails.
- Diabetes
- Peripheral Artery Disease.(PAD)
Common causes of ingrown toenails are:
- toenail trauma, such as stubbing your toe
- wearing shoes that are too tight
- cutting toenails too short
- cutting toenails at an angle
Ingrown toenail symptoms include:
- Pain and tenderness in your toe along one or both sides of the nail.
- Redness around your toenail.
- Swelling of your toe around the nail.
- Infection of the tissue around your toenail.
- Discharge around the ingrown nail.
Can I Treat It At Home? (Home Remedies)
You can treat most ingrown toenails at home. Here’s how:
- Soak your feet in warm water.
Do this for 15 to 20 minutes three to four times a day.
Soaking reduces swelling and relieves tenderness.
- Place cotton or dental floss under your toenail.
Put fresh bits of cotton dental floss(waxed) under the ingrown edge after each soaking.
This will help the nail grow above the skin edge.
- Apply antibiotic cream.
Put antibiotic ointment on the tender area and bandage the toe.
- Choose sensible footwear.
Wear open-toed shoes or sandals until your toe feels better.
- Take pain relievers.
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium may help ease the toe pain.
If the treatment does not work , then what?
If home remedies do not work then see your Surgeon for further treatment.
The surgeon will examine your foot and recommend
1. Lifting the nail.-(Redness and Pain)
2. Partially removing the nail. (Redness, pain and pus)
3. Removing the nail and tissue. (Recurrence)
Your doctor may also recommend using topical or oral antibiotics, especially if the toe is infected or at risk of becoming infected.
How will the surgeon Lift the nail?
Your Doctor will carefully lift the ingrown edge of the nail from the skin.
Then a splint or waxed dental floss will be put under it.
This separates the nail from the overgrowing skin and help the nail grow over the skin.
After this you will have to soak the nail daily and replace the splint till it is no longer required.
Partial Removal Of Toe Nail?
A local anaesthetic will be given to numb your toe.
The Ingrown part of the nail will be cut and removed.
A bandage will be applied.
The nail will grow back as normal.
Removing Nail And Nail Bed?
If you have recurring Ingrown Toe nail problem in the same toe.
The surgeon will remove the nail + tissue of nail bed.
It is done under local anaesthesia.
Dressings will be required on a regular basis till it heals.
Your doctor may also recommend using topical or oral antibiotics.
If I Leave The Nail Without Treatment?
Left untreated or undetected, an ingrown toenail can infect the underlying bone and lead to a serious bone infection.
Even after all the treatment it can happen again, at the same toe.
So try to recognize it early so that it can be treated quickly.
