If you have experienced the agonizing pain of an ingrown toenail, you have likely sought several different remedies to rectify the situation. An ingrown toenail is when one of the nails on your feet begins to grow incorrectly, most often growing into the flesh of the toe. They can be very painful and frequently become infected. Hence, they should be taken care of as soon as possible. There are many different ingrown toenail treatments, but a few are as follows.
Chemical treatments
There are several different chemical treatments that can be applied to ingrown nails. Some are used to ease the pain while you wait for a professional to take care of the problem, while others soften the nail in order to allow for easier clipping. Sometimes nails become ingrown because they thicken to the point where they outgrow the nailbed. Chemical treatments are usually the most inexpensive way to deal with ingrown nails.
In-home Treatments
A new tool that many people are using to take care of their ingrown nails is actually a great method, though it can be a little painful. There are at-home toenail trimming kits which include gel nail softeners, along with a toenail lifting tool. After the nail is sufficiently softened, the nail can actually be lifted out from the skin of the toe and then safely trimmed. In-home treatments are usually similar to a doctor's office, though frequently cheaper.
Professional Procedures
Podiatrists are professionals at dealing with ingrown toenails. They usually begin by numbing the area and then either removing the toenail or digging up the sides of the nail from the flesh of the toe. Once the nail has been trimmed they will wrap it with a dressing and give you instructions on how to care for your new nail. Depending on the specifics of why your toenail was ingrown, your post-procedural care instructions will vary. For example, if your nail was ingrown because of trauma or an injury, your physician will usually have you put antibiotic ointment on every few days with new wrappings so that your new nail will have a nice soft nailbed to grow into. If you get ingrown nails because of your genes, your physician may apply an acid to your nail to inhibit new nails from growing.
In conclusion, no matter which option you choose, you should get your ingrown toenail treated as soon as possible. The sooner they are taken care of, the better.
Share25 November 2020
When I developed tendinitis of my foot and ankle, my podiatrist helped me on the road to recovery. An over-use injury from the job caused me considerable pain in my foot and ankle. Ice, elevation, rest, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory relieved my inflammation of the tendons. My podiatrist also prescribed physical therapy, which helped restore my mobility. Gentle stretching exercises performed during physical therapy seemed to have a positive effect. I was shown how to follow up these exercises at home. After several weeks of following doctor's orders, my podiatrist was happy with the results. The bottom line is if you're suffering from foot pain or injury, you should see a foot specialist as soon as possible because treatment options are available.
