What to do if an ingrown nail is festering. How human nails are arranged: a brief digression into anatomy. Ingrown toenail treatment at home: folk remedies

22.06.2019

An ingrown toenail is a very painful and uncomfortable process. Unfortunately, a person constantly exposes himself to the risk of onychocryptosis, neglecting the simple rules of prevention.

In most cases, ingrowth occurs on the big toes of both feet. If the nail plate has changed its shape or color and pain occurs when resting on the foot, and the skin roller around the nail turns red and inflamed, then these are the first signs of onychocryptosis, that is, ingrowth of the stratum corneum into soft tissues.

The disease has no age criteria, and it can appear even with careful foot hygiene. Find out how to get rid of an ingrown toenail and whether the problem can be completely cured.

Causes of the disease and risk factors

Why do the nails of large (rarely other) toes grow into the skin of the fingers? The most common causes of ingrown are:

The nail was improperly cut. To avoid this, it is enough not to cut the corner of the nail plate too deep.
The person is suffering from flat feet.
Nail plate affected by fungus, while it becomes yellow, wrinkled and thickened, and later begins to crumble.
The anamnesis was injury thumb or fingernail.
The patient wears too tight shoes.
Eat hereditary anomalies in the structure of the big toe.

Even one of these reasons can lead to an ingrown nail, and the patient will suffer from onychocryptosis for a long time. Attempts to cope with the problem on your own or by contacting a pedicure salon can only bring short-term relief from pain and discomfort. After a few days, the inflammatory process begins with renewed vigor.

If you do not seek qualified help, then around the nail plate will begin to form hypergranulation growths - specific thickening of soft tissue, popularly called "wild meat". Toes disfigured by onychocryptosis lose their aesthetic appearance and look unsightly.

The growth rate of the nail plate is not the same for everyone. There are several factors that affect this setting:

seasonality. In the warm season, the nail grows much faster than in the cold.
gender. Women's nails grow faster than men's.
Age threshold. After a person reaches 25 years of age, the rate of nail growth slows down.
Toe length. On long fingers, over the same period of time, nails will grow more than on short ones.
Diseases of the endocrine system. Hormonal disruptions can adversely affect the rate of nail growth.
Viral and infectious diseases in history. After a full recovery and cleansing the body of toxins, nails accelerate growth.

The length of the plate can only be increased due to the growth of the anterior free edge.

Symptoms

Numerous nerve endings are located in the tissue at the tip of the finger, so the ingrown nail plate, especially during movement and when wearing narrow shoes, manifests itself severe pain that can even cause lameness.

Ingrown edges begin to irritate soft tissues, cause the appearance of non-healing weeping wounds and are the cause of the growth of "wild meat", granulation rollers. This increases the pressure of the nail on the tissues located under it, as a result of which foci of suppuration appear.

Even a light touch in the ingrown area causes an attack of sharp pain. A patient suffering from onychocryptosis is unable to move and sleep normally.

Inflammation leads to the nail plate loses transparency and luster, thickens on the sides and begins to delaminate. If the disease aggravates diabetes mellitus or obliterating endarteritis, then ingrowth will lead to phlegmon or gangrene of the foot.

Help from home: folk and other remedies for the problem

If the inflammation has already begun, and the nail has grown into soft tissues, then it is not possible to solve this problem on your own. Lubrication with iodine or brilliant green will not bring a positive result, but will only aggravate the situation, causing a skin burn.

What should be done to rid yourself of this problem? How to treat an ingrown toenail on the big or other toe? At the very beginning of ingrowth, you can try to prevent the development of the process at home. Sometimes, with the right approach, patients can avoid surgery.

Need to wash your feet at least three times a day, always with soap and pharmacy antiseptic, paying special attention to the affected area. In addition, the foot should be kept dry and clean throughout the day. You should change shoes with high heels to comfortable and with a wide toe. If possible, it is better to wear sandals so that the toes are free.

Can lift the ingrown corner of the nail plate which injures the skin. Then take a small gauze swab and place it in the gap between the skin and the nail, so that the edge of the nail is constantly raised.

Naturally, such a manipulation will cause an acute attack of pain, but in the future it relieves pressure on soft tissues and thereby temporarily improve the condition of the finger.

After hot baths, when the nail is steamed out, and the finger is not so sensitive, tampon need to try to advance further. The gauze pad must be changed once a day. It is impossible to get rid of the disease itself by this method, but it will help to postpone the visit to the surgeon.

The main thing to remember: if signs of severe inflammation have already appeared around the nail, then you can not do any hot lotions, baths or compresses. This will lead to the instant appearance of phlegmon.

As a pain reliever, drink ibuprofen and acetaminophen, but if after a few days there is no improvement, then the only way out is to immediately contact the surgeon. And in a situation where the nail is struck by a fungus, you will need an additional consultation with a dermatologist.

Treatment and rehabilitation

What can a doctor do if a toenail grows into the skin? In this case, there is only one effective method of treatment - surgery to remove an ingrown toenail.

The specialist will conduct an initial examination, during which he will determine the degree of ingrowth and the severity of the inflammatory process. Based on these observations, he will prescribe the most appropriate type of surgical intervention for the patient.

In some cases, only cutting and repositioning of the nail plate itself, and in others, with a complicated course of the disease, it will be necessary to remove one of the segments of the growth zone using laser equipment. Removal takes place under local anesthesia, without causing any discomfort to the patient and without causing pain.

The rehabilitation process takes several days, during which the patient should move less, and if possible, completely immobilize the foot.

What not to do:

No need to try to remove the edge of the nail plate yourself. This will lead to an increase in the inflammatory process.
Personal hygiene should not be neglected.
Do not put off a visit to the surgeon. Getting rid of onychocryptosis is much easier in the early stages of the disease.
In no case should you bandage the foot: a decrease in the intensity of blood circulation can cause necrosis.

Prevention measures

How to deal with a recurring ingrown toenail? To avoid repetition, it is enough follow a few simple ways to prevent onychocryptosis:

With flat feet, a person must definitely use special orthopedic insoles, and also do not forget about preventive foot massage and gymnastic exercises.
Nails should be trimmed properly and regularly. You can not cut them "under the root", too round the corners and or completely remove them. These actions just allow the nail plate to rest on the surrounding soft tissues.
You should avoid wearing someone else's shoes and do not take rubber slates in a public pool or sports club showers. This will help reduce the risk of foot fungus spores.
Shoes must not be undersized or have a narrow toe.
It is necessary to protect fingers from injuries, and bruises received by negligence should be treated in a timely manner.

These rules do not lose their relevance even if the problem with ingrown nails is hereditary.

Modern surgery offers several effective ways to treat an ingrown nail plate. But the main problem lies elsewhere - onychocryptosis refers to the type of disease that constantly recurs.

Even a surgical operation cannot be a sufficient guarantee that after a while the ingrown nail will not start again. Most often this occurs with the big toes on the foot, and very rare on the hands. and only as a consequence of the trauma.

The name of the problem - an ingrown nail is perplexing for many. Indeed, such an insignificant part of the human body - a nail, what trouble can it cause? Those who are familiar with the unpleasant phenomenon firsthand, understandingly sympathize with the “newcomer” of the problem, because they know that an ingrown nail can take a person out of working condition for a long time. Those who have never encountered such a problem should also carefully consider its prevention, because no one is immune from such a fate.

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"Perfect Manicure" will describe the issue in detail and tell you what to do with an ingrown toenail.

The problem is an ingrown toenail. What to do?

An ingrown nail or, in medical terms, onychocryptosis is a disease in which the edge of the nail plate grows into the skin of the finger and causes physical pain. Most often, an ingrown toenail forms on the big toe, which makes normal movement almost impossible.

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Symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:

Sharp pain that makes movement difficult.
The growth of the periungual region, which is also called "wild meat". As a rule, the periungual ridge on the side of the ingrown nail is almost twice as large as the part where the plate does not enter the tissue.
Thickening of the nail plate, its delamination and sweating of natural gloss.
Hardened tissues, and redness, especially after a long stay in shoes.
In advanced cases - an open weeping ulcer.

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The reasons leading to ingrowth are commonplace, and therefore, if care is not taken, everyone may encounter this problem:

Heredity. You will be surprised, but many have a certain angle of growth of the nail plate at the gene level. So if one of the parents' nails grow at the wrong angle, then it is likely that their children will also face such a problem. Naturally, it will be difficult to get rid of such a feature, and the main thing here is to carefully monitor the condition of the nails, choose the right shoes and avoid injury to the limbs.
Wrong shoes. Too tight or ill-fitting shoes will strongly squeeze the soft tissues of the toes, due to which the periungual ridges will fit snugly against the nails. As a result, the nail grows into the skin, making normal movement difficult.
Injury to the nail or finger. Bruises, bruises, pinching, calluses and abrasions lead to the growth of connective tissue, as a result of which the nail literally sticks into the lateral ridges of the fingers. And if the plate itself was also damaged, then the risk of ingrowth increases, so the sharp edges of the nail will involuntarily touch the skin in the periungual zone, which again will cause tissue growth.
fungal infection. The nail affected by the fungus thickens, collapses, injuring adjacent tissues. The skin around the nail becomes swollen, weepy - all these are ideal conditions for an ingrown nail. Well, additional tissue trauma can provoke such a serious condition as panaritium - inflammation of the periungual area with the formation of pus.
Incorrect nail trimming technique is the main and most common situation leading to the formation of an ingrown toenail on the thumb. What can be done to avoid such a problem? You need to learn the correct technique for cutting nails. It is necessary to shorten the nail in a straight line, slightly rounding the corners, or leaving them straight. Make sure that the cut nail line is not too short. The most dangerous trimming option is deep trimming without leaving a free tip of the nail, when the corners under the side rollers are completely cut off. It is with this technique that ingrown nails occur.
Roughened, overgrown skin of the periungual roller. Rigid calloused skin, increased in size, will squeeze the nail, changing the angle of its growth. Gradually, it will begin to shift to the side and injure the softer tissues of the opposite side of the finger.

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Interesting

An ingrown toenail can be called a disease of civilization. The fruits of progress have brought into life things and objects that are unnatural for a person, which often negatively affect his health. For example, the same model shoes. But not only man became a victim of civilization. Even dogs develop ingrown toenails, making them vulnerable to infections. And all because purebred dogs are placed in conditions that are unnatural for them, and cannot, like their free counterparts, grind their nails in a natural way. As a result, they often grow into the paw of the animal, causing them suffering.

What to do if the nail has grown into the finger? It is necessary to immediately solve the problem, because it can lead to serious consequences. So the ingrown nail will injure the soft tissues, leading to their growth and the formation of ulcers. An open wound surface is defenseless against infections and fungal infections. And such a seemingly annoying nuisance can lead to dire consequences:

Panaritium is a purulent inflammation of the periungual area, which, without proper treatment, can affect tendons, adipose and even bone tissue.
The most severe consequences of an ingrown nail threaten patients with diabetes mellitus. They may develop cellulitis of the foot, and even gangrene.

Ingrown toenail: what to do to prevent problems? Prevention and basic hygiene rules

As you know, the problem is better to prevent than to cure. Therefore, you should carefully treat the health of your feet. Especially closely monitor the condition of toenails should be those who are at risk:

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People with a specific structure of the nail plate. They have it flat and grows at a slight angle to the side roller.
Patients with diabetes. The slightest wound with ulceration and there is a risk of amputation of the limb.
High heel shoe lovers. Tight shoes and high heels lead to finger deformity, growth of the epithelium in the area of high pressure and, as a result, increased compression of the nail plate.

What to do if the toenail begins to grow:

First of all, give up tight shoes and tight socks that tighten your feet.
Take air baths as often as possible and use open shoes if conditions permit.
Do foot baths with baking soda and soap or other disinfectant solution at least twice a day.
Fix the side roller with a plaster so that it pulls back a little, put a small cotton wool roller under the nail so that the nail rises.
Carefully observe the technique of cutting the nail. Always leave the free edge regrown by 1 - 2 mm.

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If the toenail began to grow in, what else can be done to correct this process is to slightly file the nail plate in the center of the nail, so the ingrown edge will gradually seek to fill the void in the center and return to its bed.

Ingrown toenail: what to do at home?

Naturally, when even just a nail begins to grow into a finger, which makes the life of any person uncomfortable, measures should be taken immediately to eliminate this defect. At first, home treatments will be effective, but only if the nail has not yet grown into the skin. What to do? We must say right away that baths, compresses and ointments alone are not enough here. It will require complex treatment, which will take a long time.

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The primary task with an ingrown nail is to eliminate the cause of tissue trauma, for which you need to release the corner of the nail. To do this, you must first soften the tissues and the nail plate itself. For 3 days, it is recommended to do softening baths based on soda. You can add any antiseptic to the bath - chamomile, calendula, sage, potassium permanganate - this will help not only soften rough skin, but also prevent the development of infection or fungus.

With an ingrown nail, hot baths and warm compresses are contraindicated. This is a direct path to the formation of phlegmon - purulent inflammation of adipose tissue.

At night, gauze soaked in butter or other emollient should be applied to the ingrown nail.

After the tissues and the nail itself become more plastic, you will need to carefully lift the edge of the nail and drive under it, as far as possible, a small roll of cotton wool. Every day, the roller should be pushed further inward until the nail is completely freed from under the skin. The roller should be replaced daily with a new one so that bacteria do not accumulate on it.

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Also, folk remedies, such as the pulp of an aloe leaf, a honey-onion mask, and kombucha, are also effective in the fight against an ingrown nail. They should be applied at night to the problem area, tied with a gauze bandage.

What to do if an ingrown toenail hurts? In these cases, in order to relieve the pain symptom, painkillers, such as Nurofen or Ibuprofen, should be taken.

The above technique is effective in case of ingrown toenail. What to do with an ingrown toenail? There are no cardinal differences. It is also important here to release the ingrown edge of the nail and continue preventive measures so that this problem does not recur in the future. In general, the problem of an ingrown toenail is not so dangerous, because it does not carry a load and is constantly open.

Such treatment can take from 7 to 15 days. What to do if the nail continues to grow in and there is no relief, even after a course of home therapy. In this case, you should seek medical help, especially if the disturbing nail is on the leg.

Medical treatment for an ingrown toenail.

What to do if preventive measures and home procedures were powerless, and the ingrown nail continues to cause discomfort and suffering. Outpatient treatment will be required.

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If the problem has not gone too far and is not complicated by a purulent infection, the doctor may be limited to conservative methods of treatment. The patient will be recommended therapeutic baths, special nail splints and staples that will help remove the skin growth from the ingrown nail. Special adhesive resins can also be used, which will fix the skin and nail in the required state.

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If conservative methods do not resolve the problem, surgery will be required. As a rule, the doctor decides on a partial excision of the nail plate in the area where it grows into the skin. A temporary plastic prosthesis may be placed in place of the removed site, which will help direct the growth of the nail in the right direction. In the event that an extensive skin growth has formed near the ingrown nail, it is also removed to prevent the risk of further ingrowth. If the ingrown nail is complicated by inflammation and suppuration, then you will need to open the abscess and remove the fluid from the abscess.

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As you can see, even such, at first glance, an insignificant part of the human body as nails, in the absence of proper observance of hygiene rules and a conniving attitude towards their condition, can lead to serious consequences. Do not miss the signals that your body gives you, and fix the problem in time, but rather prevent it.

With our 11 methods on how to treat an ingrown toenail, the problem will no longer cause you discomfort. On the first day, as soon as the nail has grown, start treatment. And even better, remember about the prevention of the disease, because the methods of preventing the disease are much easier than treating an ingrown nail.

Conventional medicine uses two methods to treat an ingrown toenail: surgery or the use of a special medical plate. But traditional healers have come up with a lot of methods on how to get rid of an ingrown nail quickly and reliably using the gifts of nature. If you have an ingrown toenail, it is not necessary to panic and go to the hospital. We recommend the treatment of an ingrown nail with folk methods.

What to do if the nail has grown

Treatment of an ingrown nail is carried out by a set of measures. But in fact, everything is simple. Only 3 points will indicate how to get rid of an ingrown nail for a long time:

Wash your feet every day, at least 2 times. To do this, use a good soap. It is best to use laundry soap 72%. A solution of laundry soap will help not only perfectly clean your feet from dirt, but also relieve pain in your legs.

Stop wearing uncomfortable shoes. If you feel uncomfortable in your big toe, change your shoes. A high heel also encourages a nail to grow into the toe.

Treatment of an ingrown toenail at home. To date, a lot of ways have been invented to treat an ingrown toenail. You can try homemade ointments, solutions, infusions, or even butter.

Let's talk more about the most effective ways to get rid of an ingrown toenail.

We treat ingrown nails with traditional medicine

1. Treatment of an ingrown toenail with aloe, onion and oil ointment

First, let's talk about the most powerful method of how to treat an ingrown toenail. This is a surprisingly effective homemade ointment, with which the treatment of an ingrown toenail will take no more than 3 days. To prepare it you will need:

aloe juice - 1 tbsp;
grated onion - 1 tbsp;
melted butter - 1 tbsp;
melted candle wax - 1 tsp;
cabbage leaf - 1 pc.

This is a powerful mixture that once and for all will answer the question of how to get rid of an ingrown nail.

A method of preparing a medicine that helps even if the nail has already grown quite deeply into the skin:

1. Mix all the ingredients well, and put on a small fire. It is best to heat the medicine in a water bath. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula.

2. When the ointment is warm, pour melted wax from the candle into it. Keep stirring. When the mixture is more homogeneous, it must be removed from the heat and wait until it cools down.

3. In the meantime, lightly steam the cabbage leaf in boiling water.

1. Take a bath, or just steam your leg.

2. Apply ointment to the nail.

3. Wrap a cabbage leaf around your finger.

4. Wrap your leg with gauze or a thin cloth.

5. Put on a sock and go to bed.

6. Unwind your finger in the morning, and trim the nail slightly.

7. Reapply the medicine and wrap it around.

After 2-3 days, you will forget about the discomfort from the fact that a nail has grown into your finger.

2. How to treat an ingrown toenail with baking soda

And now we will tell you how to get rid of an ingrown nail with a solution of soda. To prepare it, pour one and a half tablespoons of baking soda into 3 liters of boiling water. Leave for a couple of minutes to cool the bath.

An ingrown toenail is treated with a nail pad. Soak your finger in liquid for 30 minutes. After the procedure, in the place where the nail has grown into the skin, pry it with a toothpick. Place a small ball of cotton under the corner of the nail plate.

Wrap the finger into which the nail has grown in with a band-aid, and go to bed calmly. This is a really easy way to get rid of an ingrown toenail.

3. If your ingrown toenail is inflamed, try a saline solution

When inflammation has formed, this is a sure sign that you need to urgently treat an ingrown nail. This will help you the good old saline solution. Dissolve in 1 liter of hot water 2 tbsp. l. salt. Steam your leg in this solution for no more than 30 minutes.

Salt solution will eliminate inflammation, but unfortunately, this is not the best method for treating an ingrown toenail. So having removed the inflammation, you need to look for an effective way to get rid of the ingrown nail.

4. How to get rid of an ingrown toenail with butter

Many people are surprised not to understand how to treat an ingrown toenail with oil. If the nail has already grown deep into the skin, butter will help you.. Steam the leg well in cooled boiling water. Lifting the corner of the nail, place a small piece of frozen butter under it. Wrap your finger in a piece of plastic bag and put a cloth bandage on top.

The next day, you need to steam the nail in the same way, but place a small cotton ball soaked in melted butter under its corner. Continue the course with the daily procedure until the problem leaves you. Trim the ingrown area carefully, if possible.

5. How to cure an ingrown toenail with kombucha

Leave the mushroom to infuse to form vinegar. An ingrown toenail is treated with a piece of infused mushroom. Cut off a small piece of the medicine and place it on the nail. Cover with a piece of polyethylene, and fix everything with a cloth bandage.

This is a great way to get rid of an ingrown toenail by softening the nail itself. So it will be much easier for you to trim the cut corner of the nail.

6. Nail treatment with sea buckthorn oil

The following recipe will tell you not only how to treat an ingrown toenail, but also how to eliminate inflammation, manifested by swelling and redness. If the nail has grown too deep into the cannon of the finger, first take a bath with potassium permanganate. After that, drip sea buckthorn oil on the affected finger. Wrap with a plantain leaf, slightly kneading it. Secure the bandage with a bandage.

And so that the treatment of an ingrown nail is definitely not in vain, put a sock on your foot. By morning, the nail will soften. Pry it off and place a cotton ball under the nail plate, which must be soaked in sea buckthorn pharmacy oil. In addition, the healing properties of sea buckthorn are much wider than you imagined.

7. If the nail has grown into your finger, calendula, chamomile and iodine will save you.

The next way to treat an ingrown toenail is taking a bath with a powerful healing infusion. Stir 50 g of marigolds of medicinal plants, and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Leave the product to brew for 2 hours. After straining the liquid, pour another 1 liter of hot water into it. After a few minutes, the bath will cool down, and we begin the treatment of the ingrown nail.

After steaming your leg, place a cotton ball soaked in iodine under the edge of the nail. Let's tell you a secret, this is not the most painless way to get rid of an ingrown nail, because iodine causes burning pain on the wound. Although the place where the nail has grown in will only burn for a few minutes, and the intensity of the pain is quite acceptable. The same solution can be reused by heating it to a hot state.

8. Ingrown toenail: treatment with aloe leaves

Ingrown toenail treatment is carried out with a mature aloe plant. It must be over 2 years old. If the plant has not been watered for two days, its cut leaf is ideal to release the skin into which the nail has grown. Cut off one leaf of the plant, wash it, and send it to the freezer for 60 minutes. After the allotted time, the medicine must be ground in a meat grinder.

The resulting slurry is applied to the sore finger. Then it is wrapped with polyethylene and a fabric bandage. The next morning, it will be much easier to manipulate the nail than before the procedure. In reviews and recommendations on how to get rid of an ingrown nail, you can often find an effective method that gets rid of the problem in a day. But you may need a little more time.

9. Bath with salt and soda, if an ingrown toenail

Speaking of a product such as baking soda, the benefits of its use are greatly underestimated by people. Treatment of an ingrown nail is one of the healing properties of soda. A bath of soda and salt dissolved in water will make the nail plate soft. After cutting off the ingrown corner, the wound only needs to be filled with iodine or another disinfectant. This is a cheap and effective way to treat an ingrown toenail.

10. Ingrown toenail: home treatment with tea tree oil

This is one of the most effective ways to get rid of an ingrown toenail. Spend a 30-minute foot bath with this solution. Then mix a couple of drops of tea tree oil with 3 g of honey (a quarter of a teaspoon). Rub the mixture on the affected finger.

11. Ingrown toenail is treated with badger fat

An ingrown toenail can also be treated with badger fat. The way to treat an ingrown toenail with badger fat is no different from the rest. Spread the finger into which the nail has grown. Grease, wrap, go to bed.

How to 100% eliminate an ingrown toenail on the big toe

Just as important as knowing how to treat an ingrown toenail is learning how to prevent it. In any case, prevention is better than cure. Well, in order not to have to look for ways to get rid of an ingrown nail, you need:

Wear exceptionally comfortable shoes.

Cut your nails neatly, not too short.

Trim your nails after a shower or bath when they are softer.

The upper edge of the nail plate must be cut evenly.

Do not round the plate at the corners.

Of course, if the problem has taken on a large scale, be sure to contact a medical institution to carry out a full treatment of an ingrown nail.

If you have any questions, ask them

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

When the nail grows into the skin, the corners of the nail begin to cut into the skin of the toe, causing swelling, pain, and redness. The medical term onychocryptosis is not familiar to everyone, but an ingrown nail is already familiar and understandable to many. Most often, ingrown toenails are on the big toes, but in general, it can happen on any other toe, both on the feet and on the hands. As a rule, an ingrown toenail is easily treated. However, the recovery process can be very painful. If you have an ingrown toenail, you can use home remedies to relieve the pain. If the pain is very severe or you notice a worsening of your symptoms, be sure to see your doctor.

Steps

Diagnose an ingrown toenail

Look at the toe, determine if there is swelling on the toe. The most common sign and symptom of an ingrown toenail is swelling at the corner of the nail. Compare a toe with an ingrown toenail to a healthy toe. You will most likely notice a difference.

Pay attention to pain. The skin around the nail is very painful. Gently feel the area around the nail with your finger to determine the cause of the pain.

An ingrown toenail often results in pus.

Examine the nail. If you have an ingrown toenail, you will most likely notice that the edge of the nail has grown into the surrounding skin, or you may have difficulty finding the top edge of the nail.

When treating, take into account the presence of chronic diseases. As a rule, this disease is successfully treated at home. But if you have diabetes, you should not treat an ingrown toenail on your own. You must consult your doctor.

Consult your doctor. If you're not sure if you have an ingrown toenail, check with your doctor. The doctor will not only make a diagnosis, but also prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Don't let the problem get worse. If you think you have an ingrown toenail, you need to start treatment immediately. Otherwise, you risk exacerbating the problem. Very often there is an infection.

Repeat the procedure daily. Thanks to this, you can cure an ingrown toenail. As the ingrown toenail heals, the pain from the ingrown toenail will decrease and the swelling will subside.
- Change the gauze bandage daily. This will help prevent infection.

Seek professional help

Seek medical attention if three days of home treatment fails. If your home treatments don't work within three days, seek medical advice.
- If you notice red streaks coming off your sore finger, you should contact your doctor immediately. This is a sign of a severe infection.
Tell your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor will tell you when you noticed an ingrown toenail, when the inflammation started, the toe turned red, and puffiness appeared. In addition, your doctor will ask you if you have other symptoms, such as a high fever. Mention all symptoms.

Get a prescription for antibiotics. If you have an infection, your doctor may prescribe a topical or internal antibiotic for you. By doing this, you will reduce the spread of infection.
Let the doctor try to elevate your nail. Your doctor will strive to use the least invasive procedure to lift the nail from the skin. If he can do this, then most likely he will put a piece of gauze or a bandage under the nail.
- Your doctor will give you clear instructions on how to change the bandage every day. Follow these instructions and you will see positive results.

It is a painful process that occurs as a result of cutting the corner of the nail into the adjacent skin. In the absence of proper treatment, an infectious complication and an abscess are possible.

An ingrown toenail appears more often on the big toes, causes discomfort and pain; causes purulent inflammation of the tissues. The later treatment is started, the more serious the therapeutic measures will be, up to the amputation of the finger.

Patients with a similar problem seek medical help at a time when the site of the ingrown nail is already inflamed, reddened and festering. And this happens because it is impossible to immediately determine the ingrown nail - the symptoms appear with some "delay".

Ingrown toenails are more common in young children, the elderly, and those who wear tight shoes for a long time.

Photo

Ingrown toenail on big toe

An ingrown toenail is a serious problem that is permanently incapacitating. The problem is mostly surgical and by no means rare. The disease is fought with medication, surgery and folk remedies at home.

Ingrown toenail symptoms

The first sign that indicates an ingrown nail is redness in the nail area, swelling and pain. If the nail is subject to severe deformation, then bending of the nail and cutting the ends into the roller is visible. Then a small ulcer forms on the ingrown nail, which bleeds at the slightest damage.

Ingrown toenail treatment

Correction

To prevent surgical intervention in the case of an ingrown nail, special corrective devices are used, which, against the background of constant interaction with the nail plate, unbend the deformed part.

Use:

plastic or metal plates;
springs;
staples.

These small, hypoallergenic devices are attached to a deformed nail. By lifting the ingrown nail, pressure on the nail fold of the finger is reduced, and inflammation and pain are also relieved. These devices correct the growing nail plate. A nail with a plate does not need special care.

Medical treatment

Noctinorm

The drug is available in the form of a balm, which softens the nail plate, reduces the intensity of pain, and eliminates the inflammatory process. Steam the legs to such a state that the corners of the nail appear from under the nail ridges. Then the balm is applied to both the roller and the nail plate, 2 procedures are done per day.

Uroderm

The active substance of this remedy is urea, which softens the tissues and the nail itself, which makes it easier to cut the problem nail. Uroderm cream is applied to a dry nail, and the product must be “filled” with a special spatula into the space between the nail plate and the roller.

After treatment with the product, socks are put on the feet and left for 1-2 hours. You need to use Uroderm for 3 days in a row (2 procedures per day) and then trim the ingrown nail.

Vishnevsky ointment

If an infection has joined the problem of an ingrown nail, then it would be advisable to use Vishnevsky's ointment. The product is applied to the problem area under a bandage at night. As soon as the nail comes out from under the roller, the nail is cut off.

Ichthyol ointment

Ichthyol ointment destroys bacteria, eliminates pain, inflammation and swelling with redness, softens the nail plate. A closed dressing with a drug is applied at night. As a rule, in the morning it will be possible to trim the ingrown nail.

Ingrown toenail removal

Surgical intervention is indicated if the conservative method was not effective. Then an invasive manipulation is prescribed - partial or complete removal of the nail.

Surgical method

In the case of slight ingrowth, with a thickening of the nail fold, the surgeon removes part of the nail plate, or part of the changed nail fold. Thanks to this surgical intervention, the manifestation of inflammation of the soft tissues of the foot is reduced. A few months after such treatment, the nail plate is restored.

With purulent discharge from under the nail or with severe deformation of the nail plate, complete removal of the ingrown nail is done. In this case, the wound is thoroughly cleaned of pus and an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medicine is applied.

The doctor changes the bandage daily, usually for a month, until the nail grows back. This operation is often associated with the risk of damage to the growth zone of the nail.

laser method

A popular, effective and less traumatic method of treating an ingrown toenail is laser correction. The method consists in removing the ingrown part of the nail plate and the edge of the growth zone of the nail.

Simultaneously with the removal, the foci of inflammation are neutralized. After treatment with a laser technique, cases of re-ingrowth are reduced significantly. The laser technique for the treatment of an ingrown nail is also used against the background of a fungal infection.

Disadvantages of the method:

burns of surrounding tissues;
slow healing;
long and painful recovery period.

Radio wave method

Radio wave treatment is a type of surgical treatment that is more often used under local anesthesia (lidocaine). During the procedure, the nail is partially cut from the sides with a scalpel, then the growth zone of the nail is treated with special nozzles of the Surgitron device.

Within six seconds, tissue coagulation is done. Excessive formation of granulations in the edges of the wounds of the outer integument of the body in the form of fleshy tumor-like growths is also subjected to treatment with radio waves.

At the end of the procedure, the treated area is lubricated with an antiseptic solution, and then a bandage is applied, which will be removed only after four days.

By this time, as a rule, the wound is already healed. In 90% of cases, the disease does not recur after treatment with this method. The operation does not limit the life of the patient, there is no pain.

How to treat an ingrown toenail at home

For the treatment of an ingrown nail at the initial stage, traditional medicine is used after consultation.

Aloe juice

One leaf of the plant needs to be crushed and add 20-30 drops of pure water there. After that, mix the product until a homogeneous mass. In this liquid, it is required to moisten the bandage, and then bandage the sore finger. Place cling film over the compress. In the morning, cut out the extra section of the plate.

Salt

It is useful to do salt baths. For this, edible salt is suitable. It is allowed to add 1-2 drops of iodine. This procedure helps to soften the code and make the nail plate soft. In addition, salt helps to eliminate inflammatory processes.

Furacilin

For a liter of warm water, you need only 1 tablet of this medication. Thanks to the baths, the pus will come out on its own.

Vishnevsky ointment

If you apply this remedy at night, then in the morning the plate will be already soft.

Butter

Take a condom and fill it with oil softened to a pulp. Put a condom on your affected finger. Soon the pain will pass, and it remains to put a piece of gauze or cotton wool under the nail in the sore spot. Bandage your finger as tightly as you can and go to bed. In the morning, an ingrown nail will not bother you.

Sawing in the middle

This method will help to "deceive" the ingrown nail. Using a file, thin the nail along the midline. Firstly, it instantly reduces the pressure on the soft tissues on the sides of the nail plate. And secondly, filing will provoke the fact that the nail will further thicken in the center, and not from the sides.

Birch mushroom (chaga)

This folk remedy will also help against an ingrown nail. Attach a cut birch fungus to a sore nail, wrap and leave overnight. This procedure will soften the nail and relieve pain.

Fir oil

To prepare for home circumcision of an ingrown nail, fir oil lotions are used, which relieve inflammation. Bandage gauze compresses soaked in fir oil at night to painful places. After 3-4 days, cut the nail in a straight line, lift it up at the site of the wound and place a small gauze with fir oil there.

Onions and honey

Prepare a composition of chopped onion and a spoonful of honey. Then spread on a gauze pad. Then give your feet a bath of warm soda solution. After it, apply the prepared compress, wrap it with a film for the night and put on a sock. Release the ingrown edge in the morning and trim.

Causes of an ingrown toenail

Diseases

Wrong shoes

We are talking about shoes with narrow socks, which are not matched to the size. Constant pressure occurs on the nail plate, which provokes a change in the direction of nail growth.

Irregular pedicure

This factor “works” in 95% of cases of the problem under consideration, and the main mistakes during a pedicure are cutting off the corner of the nail, cleaning the free part of the nail plate with manicure scissors, leaving burrs and a sharp edge.

Ingrown toenail stages

There are 3 stages of the disease:

Complications of an ingrown toenail

At an early stage, it is possible to treat an ingrown nail, subject to the recommendations of a dermatologist, proper cutting of the nail, and hygiene.

With the development of inflammation due to the ingrowth of the nail into the skin, wearing everyday shoes becomes impossible. Movement, walking cause severe pain. For patients with circulatory and metabolic disorders, such processes are dangerous, as the risk of developing gangrene increases.

Unpleasant complications of the disease sometimes become bone damage and purulent inflammation of the phalanx of the finger. With diabetes, patients face possible complications already at the first stage of ingrown nails.

In the absence of treatment develop:

felon;
phlegmon;
osteomyelitis;
abscess;
gangrene.

With such tissue lesions, surgical intervention is required, and sometimes amputation. When the infection spreads, the patient loses one or more fingers, feet, or even limbs.

Ingrown toenail prevention

To avoid illness, follow these rules:

How to cut your nails correctly so that there is no ingrown nail

Questions and answers on the topic "Ingrown toenail"

Question:What is the best way to remove an ingrown toenail, surgery or laser? And how do you restore it afterwards?

Answer: Hello. After the operation, the nail recovers within a few months. When using the laser method, there are fewer relapses, but it heals longer.

Question:Hello! After a pedicure, the next day, a large toenail began to hurt, although the ingrown nail was cut out. There was redness, and as a result, a slight suppuration in the corner. I do baths with salt and warm water, I tried to re-look and, if available, eliminate the nail, but the finger began to hurt even more. What to do and how to fix this problem at home?

Answer: Hello. You can read about what drugs and folk remedies are used in the article, but we recommend that you see a doctor, especially since the baths did not help you.

Question:Hello. Once I severely cut off the corners of the nail and now I constantly cut and file, but when the nail grows, pain occurs. I try to push the cotton wool under the corners, sometimes it helps to straighten the nail, but for some reason I feel discomfort and cut it off again. I heard about the plates, but where to buy them and how to apply. Thank you.

Answer: Hello. You need a full-time consultation with a doctor who will select the appropriate method of treatment, since the use of plates and staples has contraindications.

Question:Hello! My nail constantly grows in, but not with the upper tip, and does not even have time to grow after the previous resection. The nail edge was already resected with the removal of the matrix in this area, but 2 weeks after the operation, the pain returned again. There is no pus, just pain and redness. More than a month has passed - the crusts have not yet fallen off, the doctor asked not to tear off. How long to wait for them to fall away? And is it possible to put a brace if the crusts have not yet fallen off and will they help reduce pain?

Answer: Hello. When using plates, springs or staples, the pressure on the nail fold of the finger is reduced, and inflammation and pain are also relieved. But when to put - it is better to listen to the opinion of the attending physician.

Question:Hello. A nail has grown, or rather a small part of it below. It is impossible to remove it on your own, because with a certain pressure it becomes painful, it seems that the piece is sharp inside. Fester a little, but hydrogen peroxide relieves pus. I tried to grind off the nail plate with a file, but hesitated and did not finish it. Can you please tell me if this problem can be solved at home? I really don't want to cut my finger.

Answer: Hello. You cannot solve this problem on your own. And no one will cut your finger. Only the ingrown part of the nail is removed.

Question:Hello. In August 2016, part of the nail was removed due to the fact that it had grown in. In June 2017, they removed it again, removed the stitches, and two weeks later the pain and abscesses began again. They advised me to put a brace on my finger, I signed up for August 15, there are no places before. How can I relieve pain before I go for this procedure? Sometimes you just can't bear it.

Question:Hello! The child is now 11 years old. A year ago I started having an ingrown toenail problem. As soon as the nail grows, the inflamed finger hurts. What to do? Who to contact with such a problem?

Answer: Hello. It is necessary to address to the dermatologist and the surgeon.

Question:Hello! After an unsuccessful pedicure, pain appeared in the finger, I came to the surgeon, he said to cut. Removed exactly the ingrown part of the nail, the nail itself is whole. A week has passed after the removal, there were slight pains in the finger, but the swelling and redness of the periungual roller does not go away, it is impossible to touch, pain, a small amount of pus comes out and it bleeds. Is this the norm, or is something serious and I need to go to the surgeon again?

Answer: Hello. You have two problems: the resection of the nail plate performed on you was carried out in insufficient volume; the formation of the nail matrix was not carried out in principle. And as a supplement, the ongoing conservative treatment is clearly not enough.

Question:Hello! I have an ingrown toenail on my big toe, it hurts a lot and pus has appeared. The surgeon said to cut, but I have to leave for another city in a week. I do baths with salt, compress Lidocaine + Dimexide + saline solution, drink Aponil tablets, smear with iodine. Can I try to pull out this ingrown piece myself? And how long can the pain go? .

Answer: Hello. If there is suppuration, then it is necessary to make an incision and release the pus. Topical antibiotics are needed. The pain will pass when the suppuration is gone. If you perform the operation on time, almost everything will heal in a week.