Table of Contents
Introduction
Ingrown toenails are painful and can lead to infections in your toes.
Toenail infections are usually caused by ingrown nails or bacteria that gets under your nail. To treat an ingrown toenail, you’ll need to remove the dead skin around the nail or cuticle, disinfect any wounds and cover them with antibiotic ointment. You may also need oral antibiotics if there’s pus present in the area surrounding the nail bed.
What is an ingrown toenail?
Ingrown toenails are caused by a nail that grows into the skin. Ingrown toenails are most often the result of wearing shoes that are too tight. As your foot rubs against the shoe, it can cause the nail to grow into your skin.
Ingrown toenails can be painful and lead to infections, so you should get them properly treated as soon as possible.
Symptoms of an ingrown toenail
- Pain, which can be mild or severe, is typically the first symptom you’ll notice. It may feel like you have a splinter that won’t come out and will get worse if you don’t treat it.
- Swelling of your toe and surrounding tissue can happen when an infection occurs. The swelling may make walking difficult or painful until the infection is treated.
- Redness around your nail bed is another sign that something’s wrong with your toenails (or toenail beds). The blood vessels in these areas are more visible than normal because of all the activity going on under the surface, making them appear redder than usual.
- Fever above 100°F (38°C) will accompany most ingrown toenail infections; this indicates that there’s an infection in your body as well as locally around your toe or heel area, which makes sense since bacteria love warm temperatures! You’ll also likely notice some itchiness around this time too—and who doesn’t want relief from itching?
Causes of an ingrown toenail
- Poorly fitting shoes. If you wear shoes that are too tight on your feet, they can cause a lot of discomforts and even create ingrown toenails. The friction between the shoe and your toes can lead to inflammation that causes the nail polish to become infected under the skin.
- Tight shoes. In addition to poorly fitting shoes, wearing tight boots or other footwear can also lead to an ingrown toenail because they put pressure on your foot and toes as you walk around all day long. This pressure will eventually lead to an infection if it’s left untreated for too long without proper treatment from a podiatrist or foot doctor (podiatrist).
- Wearing the wrong shoes for the activity you’re doing; includes running Shoes with high heels tend not only to put pressure onto our heels but also push them forward causing them to rub against other parts of our feet such as toes thus causing irritation which may result into an ingrown nail infection if left untreated for too long without proper treatment from a podiatrist or foot doctor (podiatrist).
How to prevent ingrown toenails
- Keep your toenails short.
- Use a small nail file to smooth the edges of your nails.
- Avoid wearing tight shoes or socks. If you’re going to wear sandals, opt for open-toe styles that don’t rub against the skin on top of your toes.
- Avoid picking at your nails: It may seem like an easy fix, but picking at ingrown toenails can only make them worse by increasing pressure on the nail bed and causing infection in surrounding tissues (and even deeper infections).
How to treat ingrown toenails
To treat ingrown toenails, you must first remove the portion of the nail that is ingrown. This can be done with a sharp nail file or by using an emery board (if you have one). Once this part is removed, soak your toe in warm water for 10 minutes and apply a warm compress to it for several hours each day. You can also use topical antibiotic ointment on your affected toe until it heals or sees a professional like this ingrown toenail treatment in Sydney.
To keep your entire foot clean and dry, wear shoes that fit well and have smooth soles. Avoid wearing sandals or flip-flops because they will allow dirt and bacteria to build up under your nails. Also, avoid walking barefoot on surfaces such as concrete or tile floors at home so that you don’t risk getting another ingrown nail!
When to see a doctor for an ingrown toenail
If your nail is infected, painful, or red and you don’t see any improvement after four weeks, it’s time to go see a podiatrist.
Ingrown toenails can be treated at home with simple and inexpensive remedies.
Ingrown toenails are caused by the nail growing into the skin, creating an unsightly and often painful condition. Ingrown toenails can be treated with over-the-counter remedies or at home with simple techniques.
There are several ways you can treat ingrown toenails at home. The first step is to soak your feet in warm water for about 20 minutes each day until the infection clears up on its own, which may take a few weeks. Wearing shoes that don’t fit properly or squeezing your toes into pointy-toed shoes can also cause ingrown nails, so be sure that your footwear doesn’t put unnecessary pressure on any particular toe as this could make things worse. If these measures do not help ease pain and itching associated with an ingrown nail then it’s best to consult a doctor who may prescribe antihistamines or topical creams like lotions containing tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia).
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of ingrown toenails and their treatment. If you are suffering from this condition, know that many effective home remedies can help alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with them. If your symptoms do not improve after trying these methods, consult your doctor who may prescribe medication or recommend seeing a podiatrist.