How you can treat painful ingrown toenails

March 27, 2015  12:44

Sometimes, you can treat your ingrown toenails at home. If your ingrown toenail doesn’t show any of the signs of infection — swelling, hot to the touch, oozing, foul odor — you might just try letting the nail grow out. Here’s what you can do, according to podiatrists Georgeanne Botek and Dina Stock.

Soak it and wait. Dr. Stock suggests soaks in warm water with Epsom salts or a mild detergent, then applying an antibiotic ointment and bandage to the area.

Remove it yourself if there’s no infection. “First soak your feet in a very warm bath with Epsom salts. This softens the skin and reduces inflammation. Using clean nail-cutting tools, you can try to clip the affected area and apply antibiotic ointment afterward,” says Dr. Botek.

See a podiatrist. For infected ingrown toenails, or if you aren’t sure you can deal with treating yours at home, a podiatrist can perform the procedure under a local anesthetic.

“In the office, we can cut out the offending nail border after first numbing the area,” Dr. Stock says. This helps the pain and allows the infection to heal, but may not prevent recurring ingrown toenails.

Never ignore an infected ingrown nail. A prolonged infection can spread and lead to serious complications, especially if you suffer from poor blood flow, an impaired immune system, or diabetic neuropathy.

For recurring ingrown nails, your doctor may suggest a common office procedure called the phenol and alcohol matrixectomy.

“During a matrixectomy, the doctor numbs the region and removes the problematic nail portion. The chemical phenol is then applied to burn and kill the cells that form the nail,” Dr. Botek says. This offers a more permanent solution to recurring ingrown nails.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter


  • Related News
 
  • Video
 
 
  • Event calendar
 
 
  • Archive
 
  • Most read
 
  • Find us on Facebook
 
  • Poll
Are you aware that in 2027 medical insurance will become mandatory for all Armenian citizens?
I’m aware, and I'm in favor
I’m not aware, and I'm against
I'm aware, but I'm still undecided
I'm not aware, but in principle I'm in favor
I'm not aware, but in principle I'm against
It doesn't matter to me