Unfortunately, such a painful trouble as ingrown nails is quite frequent. The nail plate of the big toe nail grows into the nail fold on one or two sides. The nail fold becomes inflamed, there appears redness and swelling.
If you happen to catch the infection, there will be pus with blood coming from under the nail plate. It is dangerous, especially in case of poor blood circulation in the feet or diabetes.
Even at the early stages of ingrown nail, wearing shoes is a problem; there is constant pain when walking.
Most often, ingrown nail occurs among young people and adolescents; it is less common in children and the elderly. The cause of the trouble may be heredity, flat feet, injury, fungal infection of nails, improper pedicures, wearing shoes with a narrow toe.
What to do?
At the first stage of ingrown nail, you should switch to wearing comfortable shoes to avoid pressure on the big toe. Experts advise even walking barefoot for some time, if you do not have to leave the house; if this is not possible, wear shoes with open toes.
Of course, it is wiser to consult a doctor, but in some hospitals they often simply remove the nail under anesthesia, and then make bandages and injections.
Home Remedies for Ingrown Toenails
Perhaps that is why folk remedies that can be helpful in most cases are popular.
- Mix glycerin and acetic essence in the ratio 1:1, stir and drop it with a pipette into the nail folds of the big toe each day during a month. The skin will get dry in the corners of the toe, and the pain will gradually subside.
- Mix 4 table spoons of chamomile flowers with 1.5 liters of boiling water in a thermos, infuse it for 1 hour, drain it and put the sore thumb for 15 minutes into the warm infusion. Wipe the foot and gently separate the ingrown part of the nail from the soft tissue; put a small cotton swab dipped in the tincture of iodine under the raised nail edges. This method helps when the nail is not too deeply rooted in the flesh.
- Chew two kernels of walnuts, put them on the nail, wrap in foil, and put on a sock. Do this every day in the evening until you are cured.
- Steam the nail a little and put a fingertip full of good butter on the toe before bedtime, and then put on cotton socks. The course of treatment lasts 3 weeks. When the pain subsides, you need to carefully lift the edge of the ingrown nail and put a piece of gauze.
- Carefully cut the middle of the ingrown nail for a few millimeters – the nail itself will start to bend with time, so the ingrown corners will not dig into the skin around the nail.
How to Prevent In-Grown Toenails?
But it’s best not to have ingrown toenails and prevent the problem.
- While cutting nails, do not round off the ends and do not cut your nails too short. The nail should protect the edge of the big toe from the friction with shoes.
- Do not wear tight shoes.
- Contact only an experienced pedicurist.
- It is useful to rub a cream containing vitamin A.
- Have a bath with sea water salt or common salt two or three times a week. Dissolve 1 table spoon of salt in 1 liter of warm water and soak the feet in water for 15-20 minutes. Dry the feet with a terrycloth towel.
- And, of course, it is necessary to keep feet hygiene daily, to wash them with warm water; it is preferable to rub vegetable oil or cream before bedtime, stretching and massaging the feet and toes in the upward direction. It improves blood circulation.
- Socks, half-socks and tights must always be clean.
