Care for Ingrown Toenails - Treatment and Remedies for Relief

Subject: Ingrown Toenails

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Cutting your toenails too short can lead to an impacted or ingrown toenail. This condition is clinically known as onychocryptosis or ingrown toenails. This condition happens when the edge of the nail grows directly into the surrounding tissue of the toe. Ingrown toenails can cause considerable pain and discomfort. Various remedies using care and treatment options can bring on relief and help to cure the affected area.

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Most of the time, ingrown toenails happen when a toenail is improperly trimmed, leaving the nail plate too far from its proper edge and making the underlying skin tender. This tender skin then becomes inflamed. When this happens, pressure on the toe from shoes becomes painful. Other causes of ingrown toenails include stubbing a toe, having a toe stepped on, shoes that don't fit right, pounding and pressure on toes from running, shoes that are too short and bed sheets tucked too tightly around the toes.

As soon as you finish trimming your toes, you should be able to spot an ingrown toenail. The toenail will look like it has been cut back too far, exposing the pink tissue around the edge. This doesn't mean that this will surely be an ingrown toenail but it is a good indicator. As the ingrown toenail continues to grow into your skin, the pain that you will experience will become more intense. You may find that it is too painful to stand, walk or put any pressure on the affected toe.

The best way to prevent an ingrown toenail is to take extra care when cutting your toenails. In other words, prevention is your best lilne of defense. Try to keep your toenails short. Only clip them so that they are slightly longer than the tips of your toes. Trim your toenails carefully, straight across. Use a proper toenail clipper to avoid slipups and mishaps. Never dig down into the corners of the nail. Wear appropriate fitting shoes with plenty of room. You may also want to apply a mild antiseptic.

When the nail first starts to cut into the skin, some people try to correct the problem by cutting away the extended nail. This only makes the situation worse. It can lead to even deeper imbedding of the ingrown toenail into the tender flesh. If you continue to have problems then you should see a podiatrist to have the offending edges removed.

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Unless your problem is inherited naturally, the best way to prevent ingrown toenails is to protect your feet at all times. You should wear shoes thath have enough room for your toes. You should always trim your toenails straight across with clippers to a comfortable length.

If you toenail problem is mild, you may be able to just soak your foot in warm water for about 20 minutes and then place some dry cotton under the corner of your nail. Your toenail problem may be getting worse if you are experiencing increased pain, swelling and drainage of the area that is affected. In some cases, minor surgery may be needed to remove the part of the nail that is poking into the skin.

You can also do some further research about ingrown toenails and related subjects. Below we have included some resources that we have found on the internet that you may be interested in.

Ingrown Toenails
Information about ingrown toenails, from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

eMedicine Health: Ingrown Toenails
Overview of ingrown toenails including their causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Ingrown Toenails - podiatrychannel
Known to physicians as onychocryptosis, ingrown toenails are a common, painful condition that occurs when skin on the side of a nail grows over the edges of the toe.

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