How to Prevent and Treat Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are a common problem, but they don’t have to be. As the name implies, they occur when part of your toenail begins growing into the soft flesh surrounding it. When this happens, it can trigger tenderness, pain, inflammation, and swelling. 

Unfortunately, ingrown toenails can also break the skin and introduce bacteria into your system, causing infections and other complications. This can be especially risky for people with diabetes or circulatory disorders.

Our team at Advanced Care Foot and Ankle provides state-of-the-art podiatry care with a personal touch. In this blog, we explain how you can prevent developing ingrown toenails and what you can do if you get them.

Preventing ingrown toenails

When it comes to preventing ingrown toenails, you should first be aware of the common causes. Once you know what they are, you should know what you can do to best prevent getting ingrown toenails.

Common causes of ingrown toenails include:

• Cutting your nails too short
• Trimming nails by rounding the corners
• Injuring a toenail
• Having an infected nail
• Wearing shoes that constrict your toes
• Having certain medical conditions, such as diabetes

Now that we’ve covered the common causes, here’s what you should do to help prevent getting ingrown toenails:

• Trim your nails straight across
• Keep your nails at a moderate length, ideally even with the tips of your toes
• Choose shoes and socks that fit so you can wiggle your toes inside
• Wear protective footwear during activities that could cause injury 
• Do your best to avoid injuring your toes

You should also check your feet for signs of a problem each day, especially if you have conditions that put your feet at risk, such as diabetes.

Treating ingrown toenails

In some cases, you can take care of an ingrown toenail at home. However, you should schedule an appointment with our team as soon as possible if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or any signs of infection, such as oozing puss, a foul odor, swelling, or heat in the area.

For mild ingrown toenails, you can try soaking your feet in warm water with mild detergent or Epsom salt for 10-20 minus, 3-4 times a day. This can help reduce inflammation and soften the skin. Then, apply some antibiotic ointment and bandage the area. Repeat this process until your symptoms subside. But, if they continue to worsen, schedule an appointment with one of our experts.

When you have an ingrown toenail that doesn’t respond to home remedies, we could recommend a variety of treatments, such as:

• Gently lifting the edge of your toenail and putting material underneath that you replace daily while your nail grows out
• Taping the skin away from the nail while it grows out
• Numbing your toe and inserting a tiny tube under your nail that stays in place until the nail grows out

In severe cases, we could remove some of the ingrown toenail. And, if you have recurring problems, the best solution could involve removing all of the nail, along with some of the underlying tissue. 

Whether you have a one-time problem with an ingrown nail or ongoing problems, we can provide personalized treatment solutions to keep you pain-free.

To get the help you need, book an appointment online or over the phone with Advanced Care Foot and Ankle today. We have offices in Corona and Ontario, California.