How to Prevent & Treat Ingrown Toenails | Foot Care

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An ingrown toenail occurs when the side of the nail grows in towards the
skin, resulting in pain, inflammation, and swelling. If the nail penetrates
the skin, this can result in an infection, which is a serious condition.

The most common causes of an ingrown toenail is improper nail care, cutting
your nails too short on the sides of the nail, picking and pulling the
nail, nail trauma, and sometimes just congenital. You may be born with the
tendency of your nail to grow in more on the sides than others.

So how do you prevent an ingrown toenail? Proper nail cutting is
essential. When you cut your nails, cut them straight across. Don't cut
them in on the sides. Don't pull in on the sides. Cut them straight across
and file them gently. It's best to cut your nails after a bath or a shower
when they are soft and supple.

This technique is correct for the majority of the population. However, if
you have an incurvated nail, you may need to cut into the corners to
prevent them from ingrowing.

If you have thickened or fungal nails, cutting your nails can be extremely
difficult. Go see your local podiatrist who can cut it for you safely.

If you are diabetic, have circulation problems, or have a compromised
immune system, you should also seek medical attention in caring for your
nails.

If you develop pain and swelling around the nail, you should start soaking
immediately. I usually recommend a dilute Betadine solution or a solution
with a little Epsom salt. Soak a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes. Take your foot
out of the water, dry it, and apply a little antibiotic and cover with a
Band-Aid. If this doesn't relieve the condition, seek medical attention. If your toe
becomes infected and starts to drain, seek medical attention immediately.

Typically, when someone presents with an ingrown toenail to our office, we
do a local anesthetic block, followed by excision of the nail border that's
growing into the skin. If you have chronic ingrown toenails, there are
procedures that we can do where we destroy the matrix where the nail grows
from and prevent the nail from regrowing.

[ethanSADTP]

cut them straight across yet the nail clippers they make are specifically Curved!!!

[R.Jaaaay]

This is exactly what I needed howcast thanks:D

[jiljungjuktv]

I cut my nail too short! And I already have inner grown nails Gosh, ..im scared

[giancarlojimenez]

I had a in grown big toe nail and white yellow stuff come out what do I do ??

[mysteriousfoxy]

I had that same thing giancarlo jimenez, and when I had for awhile, the one side was all swollen

[bobisawesome]

I had an infected one for about a year. Now its not infected but it still hurts a little when I hit it on something or do something like pushups where my toe is pointed to the ground.

[BlackCat-qmsj]

Hey what can I do if I cut my nails way too short I just dont want a ingrown toenail starting

[lindybrown]

I'm scared I have an ingrown toenail on my second toe not my big toe what do I do? And I'm only 13

[elizabethhibbard]

Continued: it takes me days n few times its takin me week or so working on em (when I can stand to cuz of pain) to get ingrowns out. But the fungus causes me so much pain at times I can't even wear socks. Before this I always took good care of my nails kept them painted also. Now I cant hardly cut them. What is some advice for me to get rid of fungus and to stop the ingrowns at least the frequency of them and pain. Thanks

[sosejvj]

ouch it hurts like hell!! and i cant even put socks😤😢

[sahibzadamuhammadumaidhass]

I am suffering with this problem last 4 years i was operating my toenail 3 times but now still ingrown starting time

[jxk]

Had a ingrown toe nail less then a year ago had it removed I wake up this morning to see it came back in the same F**KING SPOT

[elizabethhibbard]

Two winters ago I walked miles everyday and I wore snow boots n 2-3 pairs of socks. Ever since couple months after I started walking my first two toenails on each foot started hurting I had ingrowns n realized my nails started getting real thick. They are very very tender. From stuff ive read I guess what causes thickness n pain is fungus under the nails. Ive tried everything I continually have ingrowns that are so deep they leave small holes n toe after I finally get em out. Sometimes takes me

[haileyrichardson]

Now I'm scared cause I don't want it to hurt or anything

[savvyfrench]

This video was just telling me to go to a pediatrist!

[danielalexander]

Im cutting my ingrown toenail for the second time on the same toe tomorrow 😂

[justagayinspace]

im only 12 and i have a grownin nail and it sucks

[Ryansanders]

had mine removed and the matrix destroyed and the only part that i could feel him doing was injecting the numbing agent otherwise you feel nothing

[teenagedrama]

My toenails ingrown. I'm getting it out. I think tomorrow, perhaps.

[leeuchiha]

Yeah I just hacked off my toe this crap kept coming back so Slice!