Ingrown Toenail Treatment - Be Proactive

Toenails can be very painful if they become ingrown and can hinder you from your daily activities. Ingrown toenail treatment can be very effective if you are proactive.

Ingrown toenails are when the edge or corner of your toenail grows down and cuts into the skin of your toe, causing your toe to become red, inflamed, swollen and tender.

When you are walking your toenail can cut into your skin causing your toe to be very tender. Normally the big toes are most affected. If you do not treat the ingrown toenail the inflammation of the toe can spread and cause an infection caused by bacteria which is very painful. This infection can cause a foul odor and can even ooze pus from the infected area. Once the ingrown toenail has become infected, the toe will begin to bulge into a moist swelling along the edge of the nail and will start to cover the ingrown toenail.

Our genetic make up can be part of the reason for ingrown toenails. You may have inherited the tendency for your toenails to curve into the edge of your toenail rather than growing straight. Also, wearing tight shoes, excessive sweating and cutting your toenails improperly can cause you to be more susceptible to have ingrown toenails.

Ingrown toenail treatment should begin by soaking your ingrown toenail in warm water at least 4 times a day for twenty to thirty minutes. After soaking, cut away the nail that is digging into the tender area of the toe and then wrap the toe in clean dressing. Keep an eye on the toe to make sure the toenail is not growing back into the skin. If the toenail does not improve you may need to contact your primary care physician or podiatrist for further treatment.

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Your primary care physician or podiatrist will examine the toenail and determine whether or not antibiotics are required and often you will need some type of pain medication depending on the severity of the infection.

After a course of antibiotics, if the ingrown toenail does not show significant improvement, under local anesthetic your doctor can partially remove your toenail and then allow the toenail to heal and grow back normally. The toenail can take several months to grow back.

Ask your primary care physician or podiatrist to teach you how to properly cut your toenails which will decrease the chances of you developing another painful ingrown toenail. Normally, the best time to cut your toenails is after the shower or bath when your toes are soft.

Once you have identified the ingrown toenail and met with your primary care physician or podiatrist you will need to start ingrown toenail treatment immediately so that the toenail does not become infected causing you severe pain. It is always better to be proactive.

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Ingrown Toenail Prevention