Tag: ingrown toenail treatment

Have you been experiencing pain and swelling around my toe around the nail? Could it be an ingrown toenail? An ingrown toenail is a condition where one or both corners of the toenail grow into the soft flesh of the toes skin. It is a common condition and it affects the big toe. The result is swelling, pain, redness, and in severe cases, the toe is infected. The nail may have overgrown and inflamed skin over the tip that may be painful in response to pressure.

It can be treated at home but if you have questions about ingrown toenail treatment, reach out to a foot specialist for his/her expert advice. Feel free to contact our office to make an appointment with our podiatrist. Our foot and ankle doctor, Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale can provide you with the care you need to keep you pain-free on your feet.

Causes of ingrown toenails

• Cutting the nails short and not cutting straight across.
• Tight-fitting stockings, socks, or tight also increase the chances of ingrown toenails.
• Too tight, short, narrow ended or flat shoes, increase the chances of developing ingrown toenails.
• Injury through something dropping on the toe or kicking something hard.
• Walking and standing posture can affect the likelihood of ingrown toenails developing.
• Excess sweaty feet keep the skin moist and warm, leaving the toenails susceptible to the development of ingrown toenails and increased chances of ingrown toenail infection.
• Ingrown toenails can be heredity.
• Genetic factors, such as people with larger toenails.

Ingrown toenail treatment

Seek medical attention as soon as ingrown toenail symptoms appear, and if you have nerve damage in the foot, you have diabetes and poor circulation in the foot. Before taking over-the-counter medications that may mask the pain but not solve the problem, visit a foot doctor.

Infections – Bacteria enter through the point where the nail pierces the skin. It results in infection manifested by the area becoming red, painful, warm, and swollen, some times you might notice bleeding and pus oozing out. Keep your toes and toenails clean and dry to prevent infections.

Removal – If an ingrown toenail recurs, the cells in the nail bed may be removed and destroyed using a chemical such as phenol so that the toenail cannot grow again. During ingrown toenail removal, the doctor uses a local anesthetic and when it wears off, use painkillers. During the healing process, wear soft spacious shoes.

Surgery – A toenail avulsion is removing part of the nail through surgery. A podiatrist cuts away the edges of the toenail, to make it narrow and the skin folds on either side of the toenail may be removed. In some cases, if the toenail is distorted or thick, the whole nail is removed and you will be back to normal activity the next day.

Home treatment – Most patients are advised to treat the toenail themselves. The toenails are soaked in warm water with Epsom salt up to four times a day and using a cotton bud push the skin from the toenail. Do not cut the toenail repeatedly because it could make the problem worse. Wear footwear with plenty of room.

Ingrown toenails can be prevented, if the nails are cut straight across in a straight line or if you have circulatory problems see a podiatrist for professional trimming, maintain good foot hygiene, and choose proper fitting footwear.

Ingrown toenail is a common medical condition whereby the side or the corner of a toenail grows in the soft flesh. It leads to redness, pain, and swelling and the resultant infection makes ingrown toenail removal a necessity. It is commonly seen in the big toes. Though you can try home remedies for the toenails, it is better to go to a foot doctor to relieve the discomfort and prevent further complications.

Causes of ingrown toenails:

Ingrown toenails can occur in both women and men. This condition is highly common in people whose feet sweats a lot, such as the teenagers. Even the elderly is at a higher risk because the toenails tend to thicken with age. There are multiple reasons why you might develop an ingrown toenail, such as:

• Incorrectly cutting the toenails can lead to ingrowth. The toenails have to be cut straight because angling the sides of your nails can make them grow into the skin directly.
• Curved or irregular toenails
• Footwear that creates a lot of pressure on the big toes, like stocking and socks which are really tight, can cause ingrown toenails. Even shoes those are too narrow, tight, or flat for the feet.
• Toenail injury might be the cause, including dropping a heavy object on the foot, stubbing the toe somewhere, or repeatedly kicking a football
• Wrong posture
• Not maintaining proper hygiene for your feet, like not keeping the feet dry or clean
• Genetic causes
• Diabetes or other such conditions that leads to loss of proper blood flow to the feet.

The athletic activities that require frequent usage of feet can make you prone to the condition of ingrown toenails. In the activities where you put constant pressure on the feet or kick any object for a long period of time, there is a high risk of your toenail getting damaged and the consequent development of the condition that needs ingrown toenail removal. Some of the sports that generally lead to the condition are:

• Football
• Soccer
• Ballet
• Kickboxing

Symptoms of ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails are not just painful, but the condition also worsens progressively. The earliest symptoms of the condition are:

• The skin right beside the nail becomes swollen, tender, and hard
• A nagging pain when there is any pressure on that toe
• Fluid accumulation around the infected toe.

If your toe has already become infected, then following are the symptoms you will notice:

• Continuous pain
• The skin around the nail becoming swollen and red
• Bleeding or pus oozing out from the corner of the nail
• Overgrown skin around the toenails

You need ingrown toenail removalas soon as you can in order to avoid any worsening of the symptoms.

For any questions that you have, get in touch with us at our office in Houston, TX. We have the latest treatment technologies and tools to cure all your foot and ankle conditions. Do not wait for the symptoms to worsen and contact your nearest podiatrists in Houston without further delay.