Ingrown toenails can happen to anyone, and they can happen to you. Ingrown toenails can be painful and debilitating, making it difficult to wear shoes, stand, and walk. Fortunately, your podiatrist can help you heal from an ingrown toenail.
What You Need To Know About Ingrown Toenails
If your toe looks blue and swollen, you could have an ingrown toenail. Other signs and symptoms of ingrown toenails include:
- Toe pain, which can be severe
- Pressure around and under your toenail
- Swelling around your toenail
- Pus coming out from under your toenail
For mild, occasional ingrown toenail problems, you can try to treat the ingrown toenail yourself with a few simple treatments like these:
- Soaking your toe in warm water several times daily
- Placing a piece of dental floss underneath your toenail to guide it upward
- Applying antibiotic cream underneath and around your toenail
- Bandaging or taping the toe and toenail to protect it
For frequent, painful ingrown toenails, your podiatrist can help. Your podiatrist may recommend professional treatments like these:
- Gently lifting and separating your toenail from the surrounding skin so it can grow freely
- Trimming off the ingrown part of your toenail so the remaining toenail can grow freely
- Removing your entire ingrown toenail to promote the growth of a healthy new toenail that can grow freely
Remember that you can do a lot to help prevent ingrown toenails. You need to:
- Avoid cutting your toenails too short
- Cut your toenails straight across, with no rounded corners
- Wear shoes with a wide toe box, so your toes have plenty of room and don’t crush together
- Wear appropriate, protective shoes for the activity you are doing, to prevent toe and toenail injury
Want To Know More?
Ingrown toenails are a common problem, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them. Your podiatrist can help you and your toes get relief from ingrown toenails. To learn more about the prevention and treatment of ingrown toenails and how your podiatrist can help, call your podiatrist today.