How To Cure A Ingrown Nail

Overview

Ingrown toenail | Cleveland Clinic — Ingrown toenail

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail is a foot condition that develops when the corner of the toenail grows downwards into the skin. It unremarkably affects the big toe. Ingrown toenails often happen when people cutting their toenails by tapering the corner of their toenail. If the toenail curves with the shape of the toe, information technology can grow into your skin. Ingrown toenails are common and don't ordinarily pose a health adventure to good for you people.

Who is likely to have an ingrown toenail?

Anyone tin can get an ingrown toenail. People at higher risk include adolescents, athletes and those who have:

Diabetes.
Severe nerve damage in the leg or foot.
Poor blood circulation.
An infection around the nail.

How common are ingrown toenails?

Ingrown toenails are a mutual foot condition. Ii out of 10 people who see their healthcare provider for a human foot problem have an ingrown toenail.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail tin can have many causes:

Incorrectly cutting toenails. If y'all cut your toenails too short or rounded, the nail may abound into the skin.
Improperly fitting shoes.
Violent the corner of the boom.
Toe trauma, such as banging your toe or getting stepped on.
Built (your human foot shape) — for instance, if your nail is larger comparatively with your toe, or the surrounding tissue of the nail border naturally grows around your nail.
What are the signs and symptoms of an infected ingrown toenail?

At starting time, an ingrown toenail can feel hard and swollen. If the nail grows into the skin, or the skin grows over the smash border, bacteria tin enter. The boom may get infected. Signs of ingrown toenail infection include:

Liquid or pus coming out of the toe.
Pain.
Redness or concealment of the expanse.
Swelling.
Toe feeling warm or hot.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is an ingrown toenail diagnosed?

You can often diagnose an ingrown toenail yourself, based on your symptoms and how the toe looks.

Your healthcare provider (which may be your regular provider or a foot specialist called a podiatrist) volition probable diagnose an ingrown toenail past inspecting it. They'll examine the peel at the edge of the nail. They will diagnose an ingrown toenail if the skin is:

Growing over the nail.
Swollen, tender, warm and red.

What tests might I have for an ingrown toenail?

You typically don't need any tests or Ten-rays to diagnose an ingrown toenail. In rare cases, when the toenail is severely infected, your healthcare provider might take a sample civilization to identify the infection. 10-ray may too be required in more serious infections.

Direction and Treatment

How is an ingrown toenail treated?

You can treat an ingrown toenail at habitation. These steps help control the infection and forbid further pain:

Soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salts twice daily.
Continue the foot dry the residual of the time.
Gently elevator the edge of the boom and place some cotton or dental floss between the nail and the peel. Change the pad every twenty-four hours.
Use an antibiotic foam and a bandage.
Wear roomy shoes or sandals.
Use pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, if needed.

Tin I cutting the ingrown nail myself?

If y'all accept an ingrown toenail, do not effort to cut it yourself. If y'all cutting the nail, the status may become worse. If symptoms aren't getting amend with at-home remedies, see a healthcare provider.

Do I need a healthcare provider to treat an ingrown toenail?

If your symptoms haven't improved within a few days, or the blast looks worse, call your healthcare provider.

You should also meet your provider every bit presently as possible if you develop an ingrown toenail and you have:

Diabetes.
Astringent nerve damage.
Poor blood circulation.
An infection.

Does an ingrown toenail require surgery?

Nearly of the time, an ingrown toenail heals without surgery. In severe cases, your healthcare provider may need to remove part of the nail surgically. The procedure is called a nail avulsion. Surgery keeps the edge of the boom from growing inward and cutting into the skin. For children who proceed getting infected ingrown toenails, permanently removing the blast can help.

During a fractional or consummate nail avulsion, your provider injects an anesthetic (numbing medicine) in your toe. And then the provider cuts away office or all of the toenail. It tin take a few months for the nail to regrow. For recurrent ingrown nails these avulsion procedures can be washed permanently with the assist of a chemical to kill the nail root.

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Prevention

How can I prevent an ingrown toenail?

Y'all tin take these steps to prevent an ingrown toenail:

Soak the smash in warm h2o before cutting, or cutting nails after a shower or bathroom.
Clean your nail trimmer before using it.
Practise not tear or rip nails.
Trim toenails across the top. Don't round the corners.
Wear shoes that fit correctly. They should not be too loose or tight around the toes.
Avert repetitive trauma to the sides of the nails.
If y'all have diabetes, follow all foot care recommendations from your healthcare provider. With diabetes, do NOT be hesitant about seeking medical assistance.

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the outlook for someone with an ingrown toenail?

Most of the fourth dimension, an ingrown toenail is not a serious wellness problem. Ingrown toenail treatment usually works. The ingrown toenail won't grow back if you exercise good foot intendance.

You lot may need regular foot intendance exams if you have a condition that causes human foot bug, such as nerve damage or diabetes.

Living With

When should I run across my healthcare provider about an ingrown toenail?

Run into your healthcare provider for an ingrown toenail if you lot have:

Diabetes.
Signs of an infection (pus or liquid drainage, extreme pain or redness).
Poor circulation.
Tried topical antibiotic ointment, soaking and self-care merely the toe still hurts.

What should I ask my healthcare provider?

If you have an ingrown toenail, enquire your provider:

Is the nail infected?
How can I best treat information technology?
Practise I demand surgery?
How can I keep it from coming back?
Exercise I demand medication?
How should I cut my nails to avoid ingrown toenails?

A note from Cleveland Dispensary

An ingrown toenail is abrasive and painful only very treatable. Ofttimes, soaking the boom will better symptoms within a few days. If it doesn't get better, see your healthcare provider who can treat it. Don't effort to cut the ingrown nail yourself at home. In the future, to forbid ingrown toenails, clothing roomy shoes and cut your nails straight across, rather than tapering them to the shape of your toe.

Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17664-ingrown-toenails

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