What are the best treatments for ingrown toenails. How can you prevent ingrown toenails from occurring. When should you seek medical attention for an ingrown toenail. What are the common causes of ingrown toenails.

Understanding Ingrown Toenails: Causes and Symptoms

Ingrown toenails are a common foot condition that affects approximately 20% of people at some point in their lives. This painful issue occurs when the corner or edge of a toenail grows into the surrounding skin, causing discomfort, redness, and swelling. While any toe can be affected, the big toe is most susceptible to this problem.

Several factors contribute to the development of ingrown toenails:

• Trauma to the toenail, such as stubbing your toe
• Wearing shoes that are too tight or constricting
• Improper nail trimming techniques
• Poor foot hygiene
• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
• Certain medications, including epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors

Recognizing the symptoms of an ingrown toenail is crucial for early intervention. Common signs include:

• Pain and tenderness along the nail edge
• Redness and swelling of the affected area
• Warmth around the toenail
• Possible pus or drainage if infection occurs

Home Remedies: Soothing Relief for Ingrown Toenails

For mild cases of ingrown toenails, several home remedies can provide relief and promote healing. These methods are often effective in managing symptoms and preventing further complications.

Warm Water Soaks: A Simple Yet Effective Approach

How can warm water soaks help with ingrown toenails. This simple remedy can reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Soak the affected foot in warm, soapy water for up to 20 minutes, three to four times a day. Castile soap is an excellent choice for its gentle properties. To enhance the soothing effect, consider adding Epsom salts to the water.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Nature’s Antiseptic Solution

Apple cider vinegar has gained popularity as a natural remedy for various ailments, including ingrown toenails. While scientific evidence is limited, many people report its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving properties. To try this method, prepare a basin of warm water mixed with 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Soak the affected foot for up to 20 minutes daily, ensuring to dry the foot thoroughly afterward.

Cotton or Dental Floss Technique: A Controversial Approach

Some experts recommend gently tucking small pieces of cotton or waxed dental floss under the edge of the ingrown toenail to encourage proper growth. However, this method is controversial. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons warns that it may increase pain and create an environment for harmful bacteria. If you choose to try this technique, consider soaking the cotton or floss in alcohol before application to reduce the risk of infection.

Over-the-Counter Solutions for Ingrown Toenail Relief

When home remedies aren’t enough, over-the-counter products can offer additional relief and promote healing.

Antiseptic Ointments: Promoting Healing and Preventing Infection

Applying over-the-counter antiseptic ointments or creams can accelerate healing and reduce the risk of infection. These products typically contain ingredients such as neomycin (Neosporin), bacitracin/polymyxin B (Polysporin), or mupirocin (Bactroban). Apply the ointment to the affected area up to three times daily, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Always bandage the toenail after application to protect it from further irritation.

Pain Relief Medications: Managing Discomfort

Over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage the discomfort associated with ingrown toenails. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is effective for pain relief, while ibuprofen (Advil) addresses both pain and inflammation. Follow the recommended dosage instructions carefully and consult a healthcare professional if you have any concerns or underlying health conditions.

Toe Protectors and Braces: Cushioning and Support

Toe protectors provide a cushioning barrier for ingrown toenails, reducing pressure and friction. These devices are available as rings that fit around the affected area or as covers for the entire toe. Some brands, like Dr. Scholl’s, offer toe protectors with medicated gel to soften toenails for easier trimming.

Toe braces are thin composite devices that hold the toe in place and shield the skin as the new nail grows. They can be effective in both treating and preventing ingrown toenails. These products are available online and in some pharmacies.

Professional Treatment Options for Stubborn Ingrown Toenails

When home remedies and over-the-counter solutions fail to provide relief, it may be time to seek professional medical attention.

Oral Antibiotics: Combating Infection

For severe ingrown toenail infections that don’t respond to other treatments, a doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics. These medications help reduce pain and swelling while fighting the infection. It’s crucial to complete the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if symptoms improve before finishing the medication.

Surgical Intervention: When Conservative Treatments Fail

In cases where conservative treatments are ineffective or the ingrown toenail is recurrent, surgical intervention may be necessary. There are several surgical options available:

1. Partial nail removal: The doctor removes the portion of the nail that is ingrown, allowing the nail to regrow properly.
2. Complete nail removal: In severe cases, the entire nail may need to be removed.
3. Matrixectomy: This procedure involves removing part of the nail bed to prevent the nail from growing back in the problematic area.

These procedures are typically performed under local anesthesia and can provide long-term relief for chronic ingrown toenails.

Preventing Ingrown Toenails: Proactive Measures for Foot Health

While treating ingrown toenails is important, prevention is always the best approach. By adopting proper foot care habits, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing this painful condition.

Proper Nail Trimming Techniques

How should you trim your toenails to prevent ingrown nails. Follow these guidelines:

• Cut nails straight across, avoiding rounded edges
• Keep nails at a moderate length, neither too short nor too long
• Use clean, sharp nail clippers or scissors
• Trim nails when they’re dry, not after bathing

Footwear Choices: Prioritizing Comfort and Fit

Selecting appropriate footwear is crucial in preventing ingrown toenails. Choose shoes that:

• Fit properly, with enough room in the toe box
• Allow your feet to breathe
• Provide adequate support for your foot type
• Are appropriate for your activities

During the healing process of an ingrown toenail, opt for open-toed shoes or sandals when possible to reduce pressure on the affected area.

Foot Hygiene: The Foundation of Healthy Toes

Maintaining good foot hygiene is essential for preventing ingrown toenails and other foot problems. Incorporate these habits into your daily routine:

• Wash feet daily with soap and water, drying thoroughly
• Change socks regularly, especially if your feet tend to sweat
• Keep feet dry and use antifungal powder if prone to excessive sweating
• Inspect feet regularly for signs of problems

When to Seek Medical Attention: Recognizing Serious Symptoms

While many cases of ingrown toenails can be managed at home, certain situations require professional medical attention. Seek help from a healthcare provider if you experience:

• Severe pain that interferes with daily activities
• Signs of infection, such as pus, warmth, or spreading redness
• Fever or chills
• Recurring ingrown toenails despite preventive measures
• Diabetes or poor circulation, which can complicate healing

Early intervention by a medical professional can prevent complications and ensure proper treatment.

Living with Ingrown Toenails: Lifestyle Adjustments and Long-Term Management

Dealing with ingrown toenails may require some lifestyle adjustments to ensure long-term foot health and prevent recurrence.

Activity Modifications: Protecting Your Toes

During the healing process, it’s important to modify activities that may put pressure on the affected toe. Consider the following adjustments:

• Avoid high-impact activities that stress the toes
• Opt for low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling
• Use protective padding when engaging in sports or activities that risk toe injury

Foot Care Routine: Ongoing Maintenance for Healthy Toes

Establishing a regular foot care routine can help prevent future ingrown toenails and maintain overall foot health:

• Regularly inspect your feet for any signs of problems
• Moisturize feet to keep skin supple, but avoid between toes
• Massage feet to improve circulation
• Consider regular pedicures from a professional who specializes in foot care

Diet and Nutrition: Supporting Nail Health from Within

A balanced diet rich in certain nutrients can contribute to stronger, healthier nails. Include the following in your diet:

• Protein for nail structure
• Biotin (Vitamin B7) for nail strength
• Omega-3 fatty acids for nail flexibility
• Zinc for nail growth and repair

By addressing ingrown toenails promptly and adopting preventive measures, you can maintain healthy, pain-free feet. Remember that while home remedies and over-the-counter treatments are often effective, persistent or severe cases warrant professional medical attention. With proper care and attention, you can keep your toes comfortable and free from the pain of ingrown nails.

10 Remedies for Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails cause pain, redness, and swelling. Home remedies and medical treatments can help relieve symptoms and prevent future infections.

Ingrown toenails are a common problem, especially for people who wear shoes that are too tight or don’t allow their feet to breathe.

Around 20 percent of people experience an ingrown toenail at some point in their lives. Symptoms of an ingrown toenail can include pain and swelling of the toe. Sometimes, the nail may become infected.

There are many treatments for ingrown toenails, ranging from home remedies to surgery. In most cases, you can treat an ingrown toenail at home with over-the-counter medication or home remedies. However, if the nail is infected or causing severe pain, you may need to see a doctor for treatment.

An ingrown toenail happens when the corner or edge of your toenail curves and grows into the surrounding skin. This may cause pain, redness, and swelling. The condition is very common in both men and women. Your big toe is most likely to be affected.

Common causes of ingrown toenails are:

• toenail trauma, such as stubbing your toe
• wearing shoes that are too tight
• cutting toenails too short
• cutting toenails at an angle
• poor foot hygiene
• excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
• certain medications, including epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors

To prevent infection, it’s important to treat ingrown toenails as soon as they occur. Mild cases may require minor treatment with home remedies. Serious cases may need surgical intervention.

The following treatments can help relieve pain and promote the healing of an ingrown toenail.

Soaking the affected foot may help reduce swelling and ease the pain. You can soak your foot in warm, soapy water for up to 20 minutes at a time. Castile soap is a good option. Adding Epsom salts to the water may bring additional relief.

Apple cider vinegar is a folk remedy for almost everything these days, including ingrown toenails. It’s believed to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving abilities, although scientific evidence is limited.

To try this remedy, prepare a basin of warm water combined with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Soak the affected foot for up to 20 minutes daily. Dry your foot thoroughly after soaking.

Some experts recommend tucking small bits of cotton or waxed dental floss under the edge of an ingrown toenail to encourage proper nail growth. Not every medical group agrees.

According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, placing cotton under your nail may increase pain and allow harmful bacteria to thrive. Soaking the cotton or floss in alcohol before application may help reduce this risk.

Using over-the-counter antiseptic ointment or cream can promote healing and help reduce the risk of infection. Apply the ointment to the affected toenail following the manufacturer’s instructions, usually up to three times daily.

These ointments can include:

• neomycin (Neosporin)
• bacitracin/polymyxin B (Polysporin)
• mupirocin (Bactroban)

Be sure to bandage the toenail after application.

Shoes and socks that are too tight can crowd your toes. Improper footwear is a leading cause of ingrown toenails. To help prevent an ingrown toenail from developing or worsening, wear shoes and socks or hosiery that fit but still leave ample space in the toe bed. During the healing process, avoid shoes or wear sandals as much as possible to limit pressure on your toenails.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help relieve ingrown toenail pain. Side effects are unusual unless you take more than the daily recommended amount of 2 325 milligram (mg) tablets every 4 to 6 hours. Do not exceed 10 tablets in 24 hours and don’t take it with alcohol.

If swelling is present, ibuprofen (Advil) may be a better option because it relieves both pain and swelling. Some common side effects of ibuprofen include abdominal pain, upset stomach, and diarrhea.

Take all over-the-counter pain relievers as directed by the manufacturer or a doctor.

A toe protector provides a cushioning barrier for ingrown toenails. Toe protectors are available as rings that fit around the affected area or as a covering for the entire toe. Some brands of toe protectors, such as Dr. Scholl’s, come with a medicated gel to help soften toenails for easy trimming. Use the treatment as directed until the ingrown toenail is gone.

Toe braces are thin composite devices that hold the toe in place and shield the skin from as a new nail grows back. They help treat and prevent ingrown toenails. You can find toe braces online and in some pharmacies.

Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics for a severe ingrown toenail infection that doesn’t respond to other remedies and treatments. Oral antibiotics help reduce pain and swelling while also fighting infection.

Some signs of infection may include:

• increased redness
• throbbing pain
• increased swelling
• pus
• warmth in the affected toe and its surrounding area
• foul odor

Some antibiotics used to treat infected ingrown toenails are ampicillin (Omnipen), amoxicillin (Amoxil, Moxatag), and vancomycin (Vancocin).

If an ingrown toenail doesn’t improve with home remedies, partial or full removal of the nail may be necessary. Using a local anesthetic, a doctor may remove part of the nail’s border, the underlying nail bed, or part of the middle growth plate.

In severe, recurring cases, the doctor may recommend removing the entire ingrown nail. This is the last resort and a potentially painful solution that may increase your risk of infection. It also increases the risk of a misshapen toenail as it grows back.

Minor foot problems like ingrown toenails may cause serious complications in some people. See the doctor if you have an ingrown toenail and you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor circulation, or you have a compromised immune system.

You should also see a doctor if:

• pain and swelling are severe
• home remedies don’t improve the condition
• you have an allergic skin reaction to a home remedy
• you have questions about how to care for an ingrown toenail

Most ingrown toenails aren’t serious. They should improve within a week or so without causing permanent damage with the proper home care. Left untreated, ingrown toenails may cause severe pain and infection that could spread to deeper layers of skin.

It’s common for ingrown toenails to recur, especially if you don’t take steps to prevent them.

Prevention tips

• Move around carefully to avoid toenail trauma.
• Trim your toenails straight across, no shorter than the tip of your toe.
• If your job increases your risk of toenail injury, wear protective footgear.

Was this helpful?

Ingrown toenails can be painful, but they’re usually easy to treat at home. Wearing proper-fitting shoes, trimming your nails straight across, and soaking your feet can help prevent ingrown toenails.

Ingrown toenails usually heal without causing permanent damage. But, sometimes, they can lead to serious complications. See your doctor if you have an underlying condition that puts you at risk for complications, such as diabetes.

10 Remedies for Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails cause pain, redness, and swelling. Home remedies and medical treatments can help relieve symptoms and prevent future infections.

Ingrown toenails are a common problem, especially for people who wear shoes that are too tight or don’t allow their feet to breathe.

Around 20 percent of people experience an ingrown toenail at some point in their lives. Symptoms of an ingrown toenail can include pain and swelling of the toe. Sometimes, the nail may become infected.

There are many treatments for ingrown toenails, ranging from home remedies to surgery. In most cases, you can treat an ingrown toenail at home with over-the-counter medication or home remedies. However, if the nail is infected or causing severe pain, you may need to see a doctor for treatment.

An ingrown toenail happens when the corner or edge of your toenail curves and grows into the surrounding skin. This may cause pain, redness, and swelling. The condition is very common in both men and women. Your big toe is most likely to be affected.

Common causes of ingrown toenails are:

• toenail trauma, such as stubbing your toe
• wearing shoes that are too tight
• cutting toenails too short
• cutting toenails at an angle
• poor foot hygiene
• excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
• certain medications, including epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors

To prevent infection, it’s important to treat ingrown toenails as soon as they occur. Mild cases may require minor treatment with home remedies. Serious cases may need surgical intervention.

The following treatments can help relieve pain and promote the healing of an ingrown toenail.

Soaking the affected foot may help reduce swelling and ease the pain. You can soak your foot in warm, soapy water for up to 20 minutes at a time. Castile soap is a good option. Adding Epsom salts to the water may bring additional relief.

Apple cider vinegar is a folk remedy for almost everything these days, including ingrown toenails. It’s believed to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving abilities, although scientific evidence is limited.

To try this remedy, prepare a basin of warm water combined with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Soak the affected foot for up to 20 minutes daily. Dry your foot thoroughly after soaking.

Some experts recommend tucking small bits of cotton or waxed dental floss under the edge of an ingrown toenail to encourage proper nail growth. Not every medical group agrees.

According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, placing cotton under your nail may increase pain and allow harmful bacteria to thrive. Soaking the cotton or floss in alcohol before application may help reduce this risk.

Using over-the-counter antiseptic ointment or cream can promote healing and help reduce the risk of infection. Apply the ointment to the affected toenail following the manufacturer’s instructions, usually up to three times daily.

These ointments can include:

• neomycin (Neosporin)
• bacitracin/polymyxin B (Polysporin)
• mupirocin (Bactroban)

Be sure to bandage the toenail after application.

Shoes and socks that are too tight can crowd your toes. Improper footwear is a leading cause of ingrown toenails. To help prevent an ingrown toenail from developing or worsening, wear shoes and socks or hosiery that fit but still leave ample space in the toe bed. During the healing process, avoid shoes or wear sandals as much as possible to limit pressure on your toenails.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help relieve ingrown toenail pain. Side effects are unusual unless you take more than the daily recommended amount of 2 325 milligram (mg) tablets every 4 to 6 hours. Do not exceed 10 tablets in 24 hours and don’t take it with alcohol.

If swelling is present, ibuprofen (Advil) may be a better option because it relieves both pain and swelling. Some common side effects of ibuprofen include abdominal pain, upset stomach, and diarrhea.

Take all over-the-counter pain relievers as directed by the manufacturer or a doctor.

A toe protector provides a cushioning barrier for ingrown toenails. Toe protectors are available as rings that fit around the affected area or as a covering for the entire toe. Some brands of toe protectors, such as Dr. Scholl’s, come with a medicated gel to help soften toenails for easy trimming. Use the treatment as directed until the ingrown toenail is gone.

Toe braces are thin composite devices that hold the toe in place and shield the skin from as a new nail grows back. They help treat and prevent ingrown toenails. You can find toe braces online and in some pharmacies.

Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics for a severe ingrown toenail infection that doesn’t respond to other remedies and treatments. Oral antibiotics help reduce pain and swelling while also fighting infection.

Some signs of infection may include:

• increased redness
• throbbing pain
• increased swelling
• pus
• warmth in the affected toe and its surrounding area
• foul odor

Some antibiotics used to treat infected ingrown toenails are ampicillin (Omnipen), amoxicillin (Amoxil, Moxatag), and vancomycin (Vancocin).

If an ingrown toenail doesn’t improve with home remedies, partial or full removal of the nail may be necessary. Using a local anesthetic, a doctor may remove part of the nail’s border, the underlying nail bed, or part of the middle growth plate.

In severe, recurring cases, the doctor may recommend removing the entire ingrown nail. This is the last resort and a potentially painful solution that may increase your risk of infection. It also increases the risk of a misshapen toenail as it grows back.

Minor foot problems like ingrown toenails may cause serious complications in some people. See the doctor if you have an ingrown toenail and you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor circulation, or you have a compromised immune system.

You should also see a doctor if:

• pain and swelling are severe
• home remedies don’t improve the condition
• you have an allergic skin reaction to a home remedy
• you have questions about how to care for an ingrown toenail

Most ingrown toenails aren’t serious. They should improve within a week or so without causing permanent damage with the proper home care. Left untreated, ingrown toenails may cause severe pain and infection that could spread to deeper layers of skin.

It’s common for ingrown toenails to recur, especially if you don’t take steps to prevent them.

Prevention tips

• Move around carefully to avoid toenail trauma.
• Trim your toenails straight across, no shorter than the tip of your toe.
• If your job increases your risk of toenail injury, wear protective footgear.

Was this helpful?

Ingrown toenails can be painful, but they’re usually easy to treat at home. Wearing proper-fitting shoes, trimming your nails straight across, and soaking your feet can help prevent ingrown toenails.

Ingrown toenails usually heal without causing permanent damage. But, sometimes, they can lead to serious complications. See your doctor if you have an underlying condition that puts you at risk for complications, such as diabetes.

What to do if the nail is ingrown

Likbez

Health

May 11, 2018

Incorrect treatment can lead to amputation.

An ingrown toenail is hard to miss. Pain, redness, fluid blisters, and the shape of the nail itself signal a problem.

The big toe is the most common cause of ingrown toenails. But in general, you may not be lucky with any finger.

Why nails grow in

1. Foot biomechanics. Most often, flat feet and how wrong we walk are to blame.
2. Uncomfortable shoes. If something is tight, if something is preventing the nails from growing properly, they will start looking for workarounds.
3. Constantly sweaty feet. As a rule, the matter is in poor-quality materials from which shoes, socks or tights are made.
4. Trauma. Sometimes, if you trip hard or drop something on your nail, you can disrupt the natural direction of growth.
5. Improper nail care. If you cut your nails too much and often, forget about the nail file and generally score on elementary manicure and pedicure, then the risk of getting an ingrown nail increases.
6. Fungus. With fungal diseases, the nails are generally deformed, so they can grow in.
7. Diabetes. Diabetic foot is a special term, because due to blood sugar problems, oddly enough, the legs suffer.

How dangerous is an ingrown toenail

It hurts to walk with it, it is difficult to find shoes with it, even sneakers. However, an ingrown toenail hurts even if you don’t wear shoes at all.

But this is not the worst. Since the nail constantly presses on the skin, a wound is formed into which any microbe can enter. If this happens, inflammation or suppuration will begin. Antibiotics will have to be used to clear the infection. In particularly difficult cases, an ordinary ingrown nail can lead to amputation.

How to treat an ingrown toenail

It is impossible to endure and wait for everything to pass. If the nail began to grow, it must be treated.

For starters, it would be nice to visit:

1. Orthopedist. He will tell you if you have flat feet or other conditions and will treat them.
2. Podiatrist – a specialist in diseases of the foot, who will deal directly with the ingrown toenail.

Olga Aleinikova

podologist, manicure and pedicure master

The point is that the ingrown nail captures the surrounding tissues. And they need to be separated from this nail. Surgeons remove nails, but do not work with the tissues and biomechanics of the foot.

According to Olga Aleinikova, there are ways to avoid surgery. This is tamponing (a special material that is placed between the nail and tissue), properly selected orthopedic shoes or at least insoles, braces and titanium plates.

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Nail plates

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Ingrown toenail staples

These plates and staples are somewhat similar to dental braces. The glands are glued to the top of the nail so that as they grow, they lift its sides and prevent them from growing in. How long you have to wear such plates is an individual question and depends on many factors.

If the inflammation has already begun and you need to go to a specialist, place a cotton swab with antibiotic ointment between the nail and the skin to eliminate the inflammation. You can wash the places of suppuration with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine.

Do I need to cut a nail from a surgeon

When nothing helps, there is only one way – surgery. That is, the nail is cut to the place where it already lies straight. It can be very painful, after the operation you will have to wait a long time for the new nail to grow as it should, and no one can guarantee that the ingrown nail will not repeat itself. In very advanced cases, the nail is removed completely.

Therefore, it is better not to bring to a state where you need to destroy half of the nail plate, and at the first changes go to an orthopedist or podologist. At a minimum, visit a good pedicure salon where a podiatrist takes.

How to prevent an ingrown nail

In most cases, it is enough:

1. Follow the shape of the foot and correct flat feet with shoes.
2. Keep nails clean.
3. Cut them in time.
4. Leave 1-2 mm of overgrown nail when trimmed.
5. Do not cut corners of thumb nails.
6. Trim nails to their natural shape (legs usually need to be cut straight, but there are exceptions).
7. Treat fungal diseases.
8. Wear only comfortable shoes.
9. If there are signs of ingrowth, see an orthopedist or podiatrist instead of trying to solve it yourself.

Read also

• How to stop biting your nails once and for all: 8 proven methods
  

  What to do with an ingrown toenail?

  What a trifle – an ingrown toenail! Only someone who has never encountered this problem says so. And the people who live with her know how difficult it is to find beautiful and comfortable shoes, and with what hellish pain, at times, each step is given.

  If you look, then the cases when the nail plate grows into the soft tissues of the toes are not so rare. According to statistics, every tenth person comes to specialists all over the world with this pathology! Most of them are teenagers and children.

  – It should be clear to every parent that if a child complains of pain when walking, if there are redness and other signs of inflammation on his toes, then he should consult a doctor, – says the traumatologist-orthopedist of the medical clinic “Children’s Doctor” Melnik Ilya Leonidovich. – The fact is that an ingrown nail not only causes discomfort, but also threatens to attach an infection. A purulent process can develop, which can penetrate not only into soft tissues, but also into the bone. And the child’s body is not always able to cope with this situation, and the infection spreads throughout the body in a short time. It is very important to conduct competent therapy in time to avoid such serious consequences.

  Why me?

  What is the reason that an ingrown nail worries some and never occurs in others? An important role in this matter is played by hereditary predisposition, which is determined by the size and shape of the fingers, the width of the nail plate, and so on. At birth, we do not choose these parameters, and then how “lucky” anyone is. But even if nature has endowed you with excellent data, this does not mean that an ingrown nail does not threaten you. Alas, we ourselves make ridiculous mistakes, because of which we suffer later.

  – Unfortunately, many parents do not even perceive an ingrown nail as a threat, – continues Ilya Leonidovich. – Therefore, they are rather careless about the care of the nail plate, the selection of comfortable children’s shoes and the prevention of flat feet. But all these factors can provoke a problem that can actually happen to anyone! Therefore, it is better to make it a habit to follow simple rules than to suffer later with an ingrown toenail.

  It is impossible to treat with surgery…

  Aloe leaves, potassium permanganate solution, onion peel, black bread crumb …. What our people do not apply to a sore spot in the hope of getting at least the slightest relief! But all these “grandmother’s” means only contribute to the reproduction of the infection, and instead of treatment, parents get the opposite effect.

  – It is possible and even necessary to provide first aid to a child on your own, only this should be done correctly, – explains the orthopedic surgeon Melnik Ilya Leonidovich. – Heat baths with 10% saline solution relieve inflammation very well. But this does not cancel a visit to a pediatric surgeon! However, before turning to the doctor, many still try to “treat” in beauty salons, where special brackets like braces are placed on the nail plates. But this method is not suitable for children! Until the age of 14, they are actively growing, and metal brackets can only aggravate the situation, as they deform the nail. So it turns out: when a patient “reaches” us, we can only help him surgically. And in the early stages, it would be possible to do without surgery.

  Ingrown toenail prevention:

  • Maintain good hygiene. Wash your feet regularly and wear clean socks.
  • Cut your nails neatly and correctly! You need to cut the plate in a straight line, while not rounding the edges, but not leaving sharp corners on it.