Medication
The three main ways we treat an ingrown toenail are:
- Lifting the nail. For nails which are only slightly ingrown, we can gently lift the ingrowing nail edge to separate it from the underlying skin, thus relieving the pain. ...
- Partially removal of the nail. ...
- Full removal of the nail and tissue. ...
Procedures
Ingrown nails do not usually go away without cutting the ingrown out. However, in some cases, an ingrown toenail can go away on its own if you trim a small piece out of the corner. This would be for a minor type of problem. Use a clean instrument. Then start soaking your foot twice daily with warm salt water.
Self-care
Method 3 Method 3 of 5: Seeking Professional Help
- Get medical attention after 2-3 days. If your home treatments are not making your toenail any better after 2-3 days, check in with your doctor.
- Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor will ask you when the ingrown toenail started, and when it started to swell or get red or painful.
- Get a prescription for antibiotics. ...
How to best handle and treat an ingrown toenail?
They can help treat an ingrown toenail at home by:
- soaking the foot in warm water 3 or 4 times a day
- keeping the foot clean and dry at all other times
- wearing comfortable shoes that have enough room for the toes, such as sandals
- taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help relieve pain
Will an ingrown toenail go away on its own?
What to do if you have an ingrown toenail?
How does an ingrown toenail fix itself?
What is the procedure to remove ingrown toenail?
What is the recommended surgical procedure for ingrown nails? Surgical removal of an ingrown nail involves removing a small portion of the side of the nail and destroying the nail bed beneath. The toe is injected with a numbing medicine, and the toenail is cut to create a new, straight nail edge.
How does a doctor treat an ingrown toenail?
The most common surgeries for ingrown toenails include:Wedge resection. Here, a doctor removes a portion of the toenail to prevent it from digging into the skin. ... Toenail removal. A doctor may decide to remove the entire toenail. ... Surgery on the tip of the toe. ... Matrixectomy.
Where do you go to take care of an ingrown toenail?
Call your doctor if your toe is red, warm, swollen, or drains pus, or if there are red streaks leading from your toe. Your doctor might give you antibiotics. If your toenail is very ingrown, your doctor might suggest minor surgery to remove all or part of the ingrown nail. He or she may refer you to a podiatrist.
How do you treat an infected ingrown toenail?
How to treat an infected ingrown toenailSoak your foot in warm water and Epsom salt or coarse salt to soften the area. ... Apply antibiotic or antifungal lotion directly to the nail and to the skin under and around the nail.Take over-the-counter pain medication to help reduce symptoms, such as discomfort and swelling.
How do you treat an ingrown fingernail?
The steps are simple.Apply warm compresses or soak the finger in warm, soapy water for 10 to 20 minutes, at least twice a day.Apply antibiotic or antifungal cream.Keep the infected area covered with a sterile bandage.
How do you treat a toe after ingrown toenail surgery?
Gently dry the area and apply antibiotic ointment after showering. Avoid baths, swimming, or soaking the toe for the next 2 weeks. Try to keep the toe clean and dry. Your bandage will help to pad and protect the wound, while absorbing drainage from the wound.
When should you get an ingrown toenail treatment?
When to See Your Podiatrist About an Ingrown ToenailSerious pain with or without pressure.Pain when the affected toe is touched.Severe redness and swelling of the affected toe.The presence of oozing pus, a sign of infection.The skin around your toenail feels warm to the touch.
What is the most effective treatment for toenail fungus?
Oral antifungal drugs. These drugs are often the first choice because they clear the infection more quickly than do topical drugs. Options include terbinafine (Lamisil) and itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part.
What antibiotics treat ingrown toenails?
Antibiotics are especially helpful for those who have an ingrown toenail that is infected and also suffer from a weakened immune system. Examples of antibiotics commonly used for the treatment of infected ingrown toenails include vancomycin, amoxicillin and ampicillin.
How do you treat a swollen toe?
Try rest, ice, compression, and elevation (the RICE method). Avoid putting weight on the injury and apply an ice pack for 10–20 minutes at a time. Wrap or bandage the area to reduce swelling and elevate the foot above the heart when lying or sitting. Soak an injured toenail in warm water or Epsom salts.
What is the best way to treat ingrown toenails?
Soak in apple cider vinegar. 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 at best.
What to do if you have an ingrown toenail?
Mayo Clinic recommends 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.
How to stop ingrown toenails from growing?
Wear comfortable shoes and socks. Shoes and socks that are too tight can crowd your toes. This is considered to be 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.
What is a toe protector?
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.
How long does it take for ingrown toenails to heal?
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 the bone. It’s common for ingrown toenails to recur, especially if you don’t take steps to prevent them.
How to heal a toenail with antibiotics?
Using over-the-counter antibiotic 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 include Neosporin, Polysporin, and Bactroban. Be sure to bandage the toenail after application.
What is a toe brace?
Try a toe brace. Toe braces are usually made of thin, adhesive, composite material and are glued to the top of your toe. They’re meant to help shield your skin from a sharp, ingrown nail and lift the nail edges as your nail grows. Toe braces are available online and in some pharmacies. 9.
How to prevent ingrown toenails?
Most ingrown nail problems can be prevented with proper grooming of the toes and by wearing better-fitting shoes.
How to get rid of ingrown nails?
Lift the nail. The doctor might lift the ingrown nail and put a splint under it to relieve some pressure. When you get home, you’ll remove the splint, soak the nail, and put the splint back.
What to do if your toenail keeps coming back?
If your ingrown nail keeps coming back, this might be an option. The doctor will numb your toe first with a shot. They might remove the section that’s ingrown or your whole toenail. They may have to destroy the nail bed underneath the area so the nail doesn’t regrow or grows back thinner.
How to get toes to grow?
You can do this three or four times a day. It’ll make your toe feel less tender and can help with swelling. Put dental floss or a cotton swab under your toenail. Once you’re done soaking your feet, put floss or cotton under the ingrown part of the nail. This will encourage it to grow above the skin.
What to do when your toe is hurting?
If you can, stick with sandals, flip-flops, or other open-toed shoes until your toe heals. Take pain medications. Over-the-counter options like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium can ease the pain.
Why is my nail ingrown?
Sometimes an ingrown nail is caused by a fungus. A doctor can find out if you have a fungus and then offer treatment options.
What to do if you have a red streak on your toenail?
If you notice signs of an infection, like fever or red streaks on your skin leading away from the nail area, let your doctor know. They can prescribe an antibiotic. If you have diabetes, there’s a higher chance an infected nail won’t heal properly.
What is an ingrown toenail?
An ingrown toenail occurs when the top corner or side of your toenail grows into the flesh next to it. It happens most commonly on your big toe. Common causes of ingrown toenails include: Many ingrown toenails can be successfully treated with home care.
Why is my toenail ingrown?
Even after surgery, your toenail can become ingrown again. Sometimes this is because the new nail can grow in curved. An ingrown toenail can also come back if you continue wearing poorly fitting shoes, or if your toenail naturally grows in a curved direction.
How do you know if you have ingrown toenails?
Common symptoms of ingrown toenails include: pain around your toenail edges. buildup of fluid and thickening in the skin around your toenail. redness and swelling around your toenail. infection with draining pus around the toenail.
How long does it take for a toenail to grow back after surgery?
Ingrown toenail surgery is generally safe and effective. If you have a partial toenail removal, your nail may grow back in approximately three to four months. If you had your toenail totally removed, regrowth can take up to a year.
How to prepare for toe surgery?
To prepare you for surgery, your doctor will first clean and numb your toe with an anesthetic injection. This can be quite uncomfortable. A snug elastic band may be applied to the area near where your toe joins your foot. They may put a wedge under your nail to hold up the ingrown section.
How to remove a toenail from the bed?
Once you’re prepped, the doctor will use scissors and special tools to separate your toenail from the bed, making a vertical cut from the ingrown side down to the cuticle. They’ll then remove the cut section. If necessary, the entire nail may be removed, particularly if both sides of your nail are ingrown.
What is the best way to stop a nail from bleeding?
Your doctor will use either a heated electrical device called a cautery or an acidic solution such as phenol or trichloroacetic acid to disrupt the nail matrix from which your nail grows. This stops your nail from bleeding. It also means that section of your nail likely won’t regrow.