What You Should Know About Ingrown Toenails

Trimming or cutting an ingrown toenail should be done by a podiatrist. An ingrown toenail can be very painful and even the slightest touch could trigger pain. Which makes cutting an ingrown toenail laborious and a very painful experience. This is especially true for ingrown toenail that has developed an infection. It could only worsen the medical condition hence, the need for a podiatrist.

Ingrown Toenail Symptoms

Ingrown toenails are barely noticeable unless the condition has become full blown and pain has become untenable. Before your condition worsens it is important to identify the early symptoms of an ingrown toe nail to cut it in the bud.

·       Pain around the toenails

·       Redness and tenderness in the toenail

·       Discharges from the toenails (infection)

·       Pain when wearing shoes

Causes of Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails can be caused by several factors.

Toe injuries

Tight-fitting shoes

Excessive nail trimming

Diabetes

Toe infections  

Vascular disease

Nail deformity caused by another disease

Cutting Ingrown Toenails

Cutting an ingrown toenail by yourself is highly discouraged and should be avoided. But if this is something you would like to do on your own, below are a few simple steps on how to cut your ingrown toenail:

The first step involves soaking your affected foot in warm water mixed with antibacterial soap. The water softens the nail and reduce swelling. Soak for around 15 minutes.

Using your fingers, push the skin around the ingrown toenail. This can be painful. Push the skin until pain is no longer tolerable.

Cut the ingrown toenail straight across. Be careful not to cut into any of the swollen skin areas around the ingrown toenail. Start cutting from the sides and not from the middle to reduce stress and minimize pain.

Place a small piece of cotton between the skin and exposed area of the nail where the ingrown was originally located. This is to avoid the ingrown from coming back.

Apply an antiseptic ointment to prevent infection over the exposed skin. Cutting the nail could expose sensitive skin or even create cuts or wounds.

Keep your toes dry and wear slippers when possible to let your toe breathe. This prevents infection and lets the toe heal more easily.

Here at The Texas Foot Specialists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum provide expert and specialized care to address all of your foot and ankle needs. From conservative to advanced surgical treatments, you can always count on us for quality and compassionate care. Contact us online to make an appointment at one of our conveniently located offices in Sugar Land, Pasadena or Houston.