Preventing and Treating Ingrown Toenails

A toe may be small part of the body, but it can seem like a big problem if it has an ingrown toenail. This happens when the edge of the toenail grows into the soft skin of the toe — typically the big toe. Most often to blame are nails that curve or are trimmed improperly, shoes that squeeze the toes, or a toe injury. The result is pain along one or both sides of the toenail, redness, and swelling in the area around the nail. This can sometimes lead to an infected toenail.

Preventing Ingrown Toenails 
By taking a few simple precautions, you can help keep toenails from growing where they shouldn’t:

• Wear shoes that fit comfortably. Footwear that pinches your toes or that’s too short may not give your nails the space to grow properly.
• Keep your toenails short, but not too short; hey should be even with the tips of your toes. Trim them straight across rather than curving them to match the shape of your toe — curving them is more likely to lead to ingrown toenails.
• Protect your toes from injury. Stubbing your toes or getting your toes stepped on can contribute to ingrown toenails. If your work or hobbies increases the risk of injury to your feet, it may be a good idea to wear steel-toed shoes.

Home Remedies for Ingrown Toenails 
In most cases, you can treat ingrown toenails on your own. Start by soaking the foot in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes three times a day. This relieves swelling and soreness. After soaking, gently lift the affected nail from the skin and put a small piece of cotton under the ingrown edge. This will help the nail grow out above the skin. Change the cotton every day until pain and redness are gone.

It also helps the healing process to apply a topical antibiotic to the area and cover it with a bandage. For pain, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. And as long as the toe is sore, it may feel better to wear sandals or shoes with plenty of room for the toes.

When to See Your Doctor
For ingrown toenails that don’t improve in a few days or get worse, a call to your family doctor or a foot doctor (podiatrist) is in order. He or she may prescribe oral or topical antibiotics. Your doctor may also need to trim the nail or remove part or all of it. Sometimes part of the tissue near the nail is removed, too. If ingrown toenails are a recurring problem for you, your doctor may suggest using chemicals or lasers to remove that part of the toenail and keep it from growing back.

If you have diabetes, it’s important to see your physician at the first sign of an ingrown toenail. People with diabetes can have problems with blood circulation to their feet, and even minor cuts, scrapes, or ingrown toenails may be likely to lead to an infection.

Treat your toes and toenails with care. In most cases, that’s all it takes to keep them healthy and problem-free.