Considered a common problem, an ingrown toenail describes a nail that grows in the wrong direction and decides to dig into the surrounding skin.
This problem often strikes the big toe, but ingrown toenails can trouble any toe.
What’s worse, ingrown toenails often trigger uncomfortable signs like swelling, redness, pain around the nail and can even lead to an infection.
The good news is there are some simple tips for managing this problem, according to Dr Kelvin Fernandez, a physician and healthcare educator at Ace Med Boards.
Firstly, the doctor warned against performing a “bathroom surgery” where you try to clip off the nail yourself as this can lead to even more problems.
READ MORE: How to remove an ingrown toenail
Instead, Dr Fernandez recommended soaking the affected nail and using dental floss to help control its growth.
He said: “A warm soak with Epsom salt can soften the skin and relieve some of that discomfort.
“Applying a bit of cotton or dental floss under the edge of the nail can encourage it to grow out and away from the skin.
Furthermore, Dr Angela Rai, GP at The London General Practice, also advised taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce the pain.
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If these home remedies aren’t working, it might be time to see a foot specialist who can help cut part of the nail away or remove the whole thing under local anaesthetic.
Dr Rai said: “You should seek medical attention if the toe becomes very painful, if you experience severe discomfort, pus, redness and swelling that is spreading.
“Your doctor can prescribe a course of antibiotics if the toe is infected.”
If you’re diabetic, both of the doctors agreed that you shouldn’t even attempt home remedies at first and just go straight to see an expert.
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Dr Fernandez said: “Due to reduced sensitivity and slower healing, what seems like a minor issue can quickly escalate into a serious infection, even leading to complications like foot ulcers.
“So, if you’re a diabetic patient with a potential ingrown toenail, please, skip the home remedies and head straight to a doctor.”
Fortunately, the following tips could help keep your nails from growing into the skin:
- Keep your nails trimmed straight across, not curved, to prevent them from growing into the skin
- Avoid cutting nails too short
- Avoid wearing tight shoes.
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