What is Ingrown Toenail Management?
An Ingrown Toenail is a painful condition where the nail grows into the surrounding skin, most commonly found on the big toes. They can lead to swelling, infection and an odour.
How can it be treated?
There are a number of ways that can help relieve the pain of ingrown toenails, including some which you can do yourself at home. The home care techniques are always the best place to start, however it is always recommended to seek advice on the possible treatment options by a podiatrist.
- Soaking your feet - Soaking your feet 4 times a day in warm water can help an ingrown toenail, as it can soften the nail so that it becomes less painful.
- Keeping your toe clean and dressed - Make sure you keep your toe clean and keep a dressing on it if the skin is broken. The best sort of dressing are non lint ones which will not stick to the skin. This will help reduce the risk of infection, as if it becomes infected you will need to seek the attention of your podiatrist who may be able to offer you anti-biotics to reduce the infection.
Ingrown toenail's often re-occur, it is best to seek professional treatment from your GP or a podiatrist.
If you are beyond self treatment because an infection has started to set in then you need to book an appointment to see a podiatrist as soon as possible. In the case of a minor infection your podiatrist may be able to prescribe some antibiotics and bandage the toe properly so that the toenail is not pressing on the skin. However if the toenail is causing extreme pain and the swelling and infection are really bad, the doctor may have to perform surgery on the toe to remedy the situation. This could mean having some or all of the toenail or surrounding skin cut and removed.
What will happen during my appointment?
If you suffer from ingrowning toenails, often the podiatrist will be able to cut your nails so they are more comfortable for you. This should reduce your pain and discomfort for a while, but they will return once the nail has regrown.
Occasionally, when someone has banged their toe or cut too far down the nail, they will suffer from an ingrown toenail and once the podiatrist has trimmed the nail, it should regrow normally again. If it does regrow and cause you pain or you have coped with your ingrown toenail(s) for a while you may wish to consider nail surgery.
What will happen after my appointment?
The Podiatrist may apply a dressing to your toe and will give instructions on how to take care of your toe and advise of any follow up appointments you may need. You may also be advised to attend the clinic regularly to have your toenails trimmed to prevent them from becoming ingrown.
