Whether it's hands or feet, an ingrown toenail is often painful. Mostly leaving unsightly marks, it takes time and patience to heal it naturally. However, there are tips to treat it thoroughly. Here is a process to do it effectively.
Sometimes an ingrown toenail can lead to surgery. But there are procedures to be done at home to dislodge the ingrown nail and not to suffer every time you have to walk. Here are the steps to follow to treat it.
Step 1: Soak your ingrown toenail in hot water. Keep it 25 to 30 minutes in the water. This step is important because it helps to soften the nail. You can clean your hand or foot with antibacterial soap.
Step 2: Have all the manicure / pedicure equipment nearby. You need a nail clipper, cotton, a pair of scissors and tweezers. These instruments will be used to clean the nail that may be affected by the infection.
Step 3: After the footbath, dry the nail with a clean towel and cut it in a straight way, making sure the corners are a bit longer. Cutting one's nails in a round shape increases the risk of having an ingrown toenail.
Step 4: Use a sterile forceps to lift the nail and gently place a small cotton ball or piece of gauze between the nail and the skin. This step requires patience and delicacy. This action helps to prevent infection and irritation. You can now place a gauze around the nail.
If it is the foot, this step is very useful because it allows to isolate the ingrown nail of the other toes, which will be brought to sweat during the day.
Step 5: The toe must breathe. It is important not to wear shoes or socks once at home.
Step 6: Regularly follow the evolution of the ingrown toenail and change cotton at least once a day. If you follow this procedure regularly, the problem should disappear after two weeks, the time of growth of a new nail.
Tip: You can lemon juice in the water in which you soak your finger or toe that suffers from ingrown toenail. Lemon has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Caution :
In case of toe infection, it is imperative to consult a doctor who will prescribe appropriate treatment.
What is an ingrown toenail?
When the upper corners of the nail penetrate into the surrounding skin, an ingrown toenail may appear. This can cause redness and inflammation most often painful. An ingrown toenail can be responsible for an infection that will need to be treated by a doctor. There is no real cause for their appearance but the ingrown toenail can arise when it is cut too short or that the shoes are too small and therefore compress the toes. Sometimes, the ingrown toenail can cause a paronychia, namely the presence of pus in the skin.
Treating this infection as quickly as possible is basic especially when it comes to the toe as it can cause an infection of the foot or bones. It is important to treat it as soon as possible to prevent a potential infection most often responsible for the red color of the skin and it becomes hot and painful to the touch. Attention, people with diabetes do not have to carry out a home care, they must immediately consult a doctor.
