What to Do with Ingrown Toenails

An ingrown nail is a disease medically called Onychocryptosis. It is caused when the nail grows down or out into the skin or bed of the nail which becomes very painful. It also can become infected. As it gets infected it may have drainage, turn colors and have some swelling. Onychocryptosis can happen in the hand and foot, but most often happens in the toenail. This can occur in any toenail, but more often it is in the big toe. Adults get them more often.

Wearing tight shoes, cutting it round or too short most often causes this to happen.
Also when having an injured toe you will sometimes get an ingrown nail.

There are some ways to relieve the pain before it becomes infected. You can soak the foot in warm water until the nail softens. Soak it for approximately 10 to 15 minutes then slide a nail file down the side that is in pain, or has a little pinker skin at the end of the toe, this at times will break the small piece of nail that is causing the pain by sticking into the skin. You will feel the pain leave. This helps more often of it is only about half way down the nail bed. Most times if you succeed the first time doing this then you can continue doing it until it grows completely out over the end of the toe.

If the ingrown nail is toward the back of the nail bed you will need to call the Doctor and have him to take a look at it. Usually when down in the bed that far or infection continues by getting a darker red, swelling, and drainage. You may need to take an antibiotic and they may suggest that the nail will need to be removed. This can be done in the office and not always does the whole nail need to be removed. On the side that the ingrown or infection is will be the half or piece that will be taken off. Then you will need to be careful not to bump it and wear open end shoes for a few days so that it will not tough the toe. The recovery does not take long.

These are some things to do to prevent the nail or nails from becoming ingrown again. You will need to wear loose socks and shoes, steel toe shoes at work. Also cutting the nail straight across the end of the toe will most often prevent this from occurring. Taking care of the nails is very important by not cutting them to short. A nail growing out thick can cause this to occur to the nail, so you may want to get a professional to take care of them.