A person may experience various discomforts or pain when walking. This may be due to uncomfortable or small shoes, scuffs on the feet, or if the feet or toes are injured. If in ordinary cases healing occurs quickly and without consequences, then the toenail comes off, as a rule, due to illness or severe bruises and injuries.
To understand this problem, it is necessary to identify the reason why your toenails come off.
Predisposing reasons for toenail peeling can be: stress, decreased immunity, vitamin deficiency, and poor hygiene.
Most often, toenails peel off due to bruises, injuries and foot fungus. To understand how to act in a particular case, you need to figure out why your toenail comes off due to a bruise or fungus.
Bruises and injuries come in different forms; most often, your leg or fingers can be injured on furniture in the house. The most vulnerable places on the foot are the little fingers and big toes.
A person may be concerned about:
The big toe will take longer to heal than the rest.
Gradually, as the pain subsides, the plate may first turn blue, then turn black, but this does not mean that the toenail will come off. Perhaps a person walks around with a blue finger for some time, and gradually the blueness will subside. If the injury is serious and the nail plate is raised, then this is a clear sign that the nail on the big toe will soon come off. In this case, a person may feel an interfering, foreign body on the finger.
You need to let the nail go away on its own, without tearing it off, so healing will happen faster, otherwise you will have to heal the open wound under the plate, which will take even longer to heal.
If your toenail comes off, you will have to be more careful when walking at first. What to do if your toenail comes off? All further actions to provide therapeutic measures will be as follows:
Soon, in place of the old plate that came off, a new one will begin to grow, the main thing at this stage is to prevent re-injury of the finger, and also to prevent the nail plate from growing into the skin. To prevent this, you need to lubricate the nail bed with sea buckthorn oil 2 times a day, so the skin will not dry out and a new plate will not grow in.
Foot fungus is an insidious disease that affects people who frequently visit public places - swimming pools, baths, saunas, showers. Despite treating such areas with chlorine solution, the risk of infection is very high. The fungus can also be transmitted by using other people's hygiene items or from sick animals.
The disease develops slowly and asymptomatically; a person may not even be aware of his illness until he sees the characteristic signs of this disease.
A severe and advanced form of the fungus can cause the toenail to peel off. In such a situation, it is better to consult a doctor for help, since a severe course of the disease can lead to numerous complications. Perhaps the doctor will advise you to take tests to identify the cause of the fungal disease and prescribe antibacterial drugs to prevent infection of other areas of the skin.
With a fungal disease, the plate may begin to fall off in parts, starting from the top edge and gradually approaching the root of the nail surface. In such a situation, you can only wait until the entire nail falls off, and only then begin treating the toes.
If the nail plate falls out, the use of a patch is unacceptable, since the closed surface of the nail bed can lead to further proliferation of harmful bacteria and the treatment process may be delayed.
Treat your finger for fungus before a new nail plate appears, otherwise the new nail will also be infected.
In general, the complex of treatment measures will include the following:
It is also necessary to adhere to the following measures to prevent relapse of the disease:
In order to properly and effectively treat a sore finger where a toenail has peeled off, it is important to visit a doctor. Only a doctor can determine the cause of peeling nails and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Injuries in everyday life such as a pinched nail are not uncommon. In a hurry, you can accidentally hit or pinch your nail with a door, for example, a car, and many people know how severe the pain immediately comes. But, you need to know what to do, how to properly provide first aid to yourself, because the formation of a hematoma, blueness and even blackening of the nail is possible.
Discolored fingernail
To stop hemorrhage and reduce pain you need:
Hands under a cold water tap
If the door is pinched and a lot of blood has accumulated under the nail plate, a hematoma has formed, and the plate has moved away from the nail bed and risen up, then the surgeon, under sterile conditions, will make a hole in the nail to allow the blood clots to escape. This will prevent the nail from dying off, causing unpleasant complications and consequences in the future.
It is undesirable to carry out such a procedure at home with improvised means; it can cause an infection and aggravate the situation.
When the color of the nail plate changes, you can expect it to be rejected, peeled off, and fall away from the fingertip. The feeling is unpleasant and the unsightly appearance of the finger will remain for a long time, up to 6 months, until a new nail grows, and if the fit is not tight, it can peel off and come off again.
There is nothing else to do but keep the nail clean, treat it with antiseptics, and bandage it until it is completely healed.
Bruised fingernail
What to do if your nail turns blue and gets pinched by a car door, only at the top. Most likely, its integrity is not compromised. The hematoma and unpleasant coloring will go away, although this may take weeks. Of course, if you accidentally pinched your finger, for example, in a car door, there will be no serious consequences. But, if at the same time the temperature rises, the nail is very swollen and even numb and hurts, then you need to see a doctor and take an x-ray immediately. Still, at first glance, it would seem that habitual pinching of the nail can lead to the development of inflammation and even blood poisoning.
If you pinch your finger, for example, in a car door on the road, you often don’t even have a first aid kit at hand, and your finger aches, hurts, is swollen, and even turns blue. What do we have to do:
Aloe juice has beneficial properties
If you pinch your finger and it starts to break out, what should you do? It is important to treat it in time with an anti-inflammatory composition, levomekol or dioxidine ointment. To speed up the maturation of the abscess, you can prepare a compress. Bake the onion, grate it along with laundry soap and apply the mixture to the affected area, applying a clean bandage. Change the compress every 3-4 hours.
The main thing is to exclude the possibility of a finger fracture, that is, you need to try to move it. If severe pain occurs, a fracture is possible, you need to go to the emergency room. You can take Ibuprofen to reduce swelling, pain and inflammation. It must be taken according to the instructions until pain and swelling disappear. If the nail plate is bruised, it can be treated with Uricinol (emulsion) to stop bleeding and relieve swelling, inflammation, and tissue regeneration.
In order for the hematoma to resolve faster, it is recommended to treat the finger with antimicrobial anti-inflammatory ointments: arnica, heparin ointment for several days after the injury. Applications of these ointments can be applied alternately, changing the composition 2-3 times a day.
This is what Heparin ointment looks like
Demixid, a compress made from it, heals well, relieves swelling. The solution should be diluted with novocaine (0.25%) in a ratio of 1x3, moisten gauze in it and apply to the sore nail, cover the top with polyethylene, and bandage it.
With blue, black nails and pain, Bodyaga, the powder of which can be bought at the pharmacy, will help. By adding a little water to the powder until it becomes mushy, the composition can be applied to the nail, wait until it dries, and then rinse the pinched finger with warm water.
If the nail plate has already been rejected, then you can carefully trim part of the nail without affecting the nearby soft tissues, but in no case should you tear off the nail.
This can only injure him more, increase swelling and inflammation.
Damaged toe
When pinched, cold and applied ice help a lot, quickly relieve swelling, and eliminate the inflammatory process. When bruised by a car door, tissues are injured, so the finger needs rest for a speedy recovery. It is difficult to keep a sore finger in a constantly relaxed state, because as usual, immediately after the pain subsides, a person begins to move and work the finger. It is very convenient to wrap two fingers at once: the sick one and the neighboring healthy one, which will serve as a splint, and the bruised one will be less susceptible to any impact.
To speed up the regeneration of damaged tissues and the outflow of blood through the veins, raise your finger up more often.
When the pain and swelling go away, you need to take care of your finger and, even after removing the bandage, do not expose it to active actions, wait for complete recovery, loading it slowly, gradually.
If you have pinched your toe, it is better to wear wide shoes with stable soles for the first time, preferably with an open toe. If your finger turns blue, use rubber gloves if contact with water and household chemicals is unavoidable.
In case of complications, pus may accumulate under the damaged nail, and even the temperature may rise due to inflammation and redness of the skin near the nail. In this case, you need to urgently seek qualified help, since a simple bruise can lead to the development of infection of the surrounding tissues and even the bone of the finger.
Perhaps the finger was knocked out by a car door, if it is very swollen, it hurts when moving, and a hematoma immediately appears under the skin.
To establish an accurate diagnosis, you need to take an x-ray, which will show whether the finger is knocked out, broken or simply pinched.
Injuries to the hands often occur in athletes during training, the pain is so piercing that it seems that the finger is simply knocked out. The main thing is to immediately immobilize the finger by applying a tight bandage, but you should definitely visit a doctor. The injury does not always go away on its own; a knocked-out finger requires realignment, which means surgical intervention.
What to do if your finger is severely deformed, or if the door is pinched? The main thing is to immobilize it in time, apply a tight bandage, and take analgin for pain. Children can be given Paracetamol, Nurofen. The bone fragments may be displaced, and there is nothing left to do but go to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Nail diseases are not uncommon and the cause of their occurrence can be different, from a fungal infection to a common finger injury, which leads to deformation and loss of the nail.
Fungal diseases most often manifest themselves in the form of damage to the nail plate itself, namely:
A toenail comes off most often due to a leg injury, bruise, or fracture, but an advanced form of a fungal disease is no exception, which can also lead to the loss of the nail plate and the spread of the fungal infection to other, still healthy nails.
Very simply, there are several common symptoms that will unmistakably indicate to you the impending trouble:
If your toenail does come off, it is recommended that, to prevent complications, you seek help from a doctor, where you will be provided with qualified assistance (the nail plate will be removed) or given recommendations on how to care for your sore foot.
Treatment of onychomycosis In the local treatment of nail fungus (onychomycosis), various forms of medications are used: ointments, creams, gels, patches, varnishes, etc. Perhaps one of the most practical.
You should know that the appearance of white spots on the nails is a kind of signal from the body about some kind of malfunction or that changes are occurring in it that need to be paid attention to. Why not?
Strong and healthy nails are the key to neat-looking hands and a beautiful manicure. However, due to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, nails begin to experience severe stress, flake and break.
If a nail is bruised, a situation may arise that it begins to peel off. The recommendations below will help you avoid such unpleasant consequences. Therefore, it is worth learning a little more about this.
The cause of loss of the nail plate can be for various reasons. This could be a mechanical injury to the finger, which is associated with a bruise, or a fracture. It could also be an advanced fungus and subsequent inflammation, which can spread to the tissue adjacent to the nail plate. In the case of a fungus, you must contact a medical facility. If this process is caused by a bruise, then you can do it yourself.
Signs of loss of the nail plate may be: the end of the nail on the damaged finger may not fit tightly to the soft part of the finger, as a result of which it may acquire slight mobility.
Also, any pressure exerted on the finger in the bruised area can lead to pain. As a result, severe pain will be felt while walking, which will fade when moving from an active state to a resting state. Pain while walking will cause lameness. This is unpleasant, interferes with normal functioning and causes a lot of problems.
Another sign indicating a possible loss of the nail plate is the unpleasant sensation of a foreign body under the nail. At the same time, the person becomes irritable, and the ability to walk normally or perform any movements is excluded.
The main symptom is a change in the color of the nail plate. At the beginning it will acquire a red color, over time it will turn into dark blue and in the end it may even turn black. Externally, the picture is not particularly attractive. It looks very ugly, and even despite a well-groomed and beautifully done pedicure, a damaged nail will spoil the whole picture.
What should be done in this situation?
First of all, you need to cool the bruised surface. To do this, you need to immerse your arm or leg, depending on the location of the injury, in cold water or apply ice. This is the best option when deciding what to do if you have a bruised toenail.
After this, you need to bandage the bruised area using an elastic band.
Inflammatory processes will occur at the site of the bruise, resulting in inflammation both at the site of the bruise and in the adjacent tissues. So the cushion surrounding the nail may swell somewhat. In order to relieve swelling or swelling, you need to apply a compress to it. The compress can be made from kombucha or from a mixture of vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar. The ratio of ingredients in this mixture should be one to one, that is, for 1 ml of vegetable oil there is 1 ml of apple cider vinegar. Kombucha does not have to be applied as a compress. You can use the mushroom itself or a tincture of kombucha. By carrying out these simple procedures, you can not only relieve swelling, but also reduce the risk of losing your nail.
If everything described above does not help and necrotic processes continue to develop, then you should immediately contact a medical institution so that the doctor can provide you with the necessary qualified assistance. Failure to see a doctor on time can lead to some complications.
Acute pain from a bruise is caused by a hematoma under the nail. The nail plate will rise if you remove the hematoma at the right time. It is better to contact a doctor for this, who can do this, but this must be done before the blood has had time to clot. You can perform this procedure yourself, but it is advisable to leave this matter to the doctor, and only intervene if it is impossible to contact the doctor himself.
A bruised toenail requires longer treatment due to its impact on mobility. The use of analgesic drugs is also possible, but such treatment is rarely used.
If the nail does come off after a bruise, then after a while a new one will begin to grow. In the beginning it will be soft and sensitive to deformation. At the same time, in order to prevent new injuries, it is necessary to use a plaster. Shoes can cause injury to an unprotected nail; open sandals will prevent new damage caused by shoes. You can also treat with chlorhexidine to prevent inflammation. There is no need to take care of your new nail; it is quite capable of growing on its own. You need to cut it straight without rounding the corners. If it is clear that the nail is growing into the finger, then you need to place a piece of cotton wool under the corner, and it can be removed only after the nail has grown back.
It is very important to carry out all the necessary procedures correctly and regularly; only in this case can we hope that the consequences of a bruised nail will be successfully overcome. If you let things take their course, it is possible that you might lose your nail. This, although not often, still happens, especially if a person treats himself negligently. Anything, even a seemingly small thing, can significantly harm your health and lead to the most unfavorable consequences. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of yourself and your health, and if unpleasant situations arise, to react correctly and in a timely manner.
Thus, if a nail comes off after a bruise on your foot, then you should use the tips given above. This will make it possible to minimize the risk of possible adverse consequences.
If the nail on the big toe comes off, it brings significant discomfort to the person. It should be noted that the nail can peel off after symptoms - precursors; by detecting and treating them in a timely manner, this problem can be avoided. A nail can fall off due to injury, as well as in case of a fungal infection. Let's look at these and other questions in more detail.
A fungus or other disease is not always the reason why a nail falls off. This problem is most common in men who tend to develop a leaky fungus and not pay attention to the condition of their nails. Let's take a closer look at the main reasons why a nail may come off.
Nail injury. Basically, we can talk about a strong blow to this area, when the nail tears and subsequently peels off as a sign of the body’s natural reaction to injury. Even if the blow is not strong, the nail may gradually crumble and come off. At the same time, achieving complete preservation of the nail plate is not so easy, and sometimes even impossible. No negative consequences are observed in this case.
The nail may peel and come off due to wearing uncomfortable shoes. This is preceded by systematic friction of the shoe against the toe.
The nail can peel and tear off if it comes into frequent contact with the chemical. For example, a person may work at a car wash, of course, he uses chemicals to wash. In this case, not only the nails suffer, but the entire body.
Detachment of the nail and skin of the toe occurs when infected with a fungus. The symptoms in this case are clearly expressed: a yellowed nail may hurt, there is peeling of the skin around it and an unpleasant odor occurs. Treatment is necessary as early as possible, when the nail just begins to crack. In this case, you can avoid its complete detachment.
Less rarely, a nail can become bent as a result of an allergy to certain medications taken. In this case, no other symptoms are observed. These drugs include antibiotics of the tetracycline or fluoroquinol series. After stopping taking these medications, the problem disappears. But not only medications can cause the nail to peel off. So, this phenomenon can be observed when using low-quality cosmetics.
A hard and thickened nail is a symptom of many pathological phenomena in the body. The most common of them include:
The nail can peel off together with suppuration, which in medicine is called “felon”. Basically, the disease occurs suddenly, when exposed to factors such as trauma, chemical burns and high fever. No less rarely, suppuration can occur after an incorrectly performed pedicure procedure, as well as when the limb is exposed to a fungus.
Most often it is the big toe of the lower limb that ulcerates and festers. If several fingers fester, this indicates a pronounced decrease in the immune system, which occurs when a serious chronic disease occurs in the body. Also, damage to several nails can be observed when exposed to fungus. Suppuration of the nail is accompanied by severe pain, which is caused by pressing on it. There is also swelling of the tissues, redness of the skin around the nail, and increased local temperature.
How to cure such a nail? In this case, treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed, which will eliminate swelling and pain syndrome. An analysis of pus is also taken to determine the causative agent of this process.
If there are indications for surgery, the doctor cuts the skin near the nail where the pus has accumulated and removes it. Dead tissue is also removed. As a rule, the nail is also removed, which can grow back in the future only if the nail bed is not affected by the inflammatory process. In severe cases, the only way out is amputation of the finger, which will prevent further development of the inflammatory process.
In what cases does the nail plate change color? The most common of them.
Fungus. At the same time, not only the color of the nail changes, it begins to lose its shine, becomes thicker, and stripes appear on it. As the disease progresses, the nail becomes deformed, crumbles, and peels off. The most common cause of fungus is a wavy nail with a yellowish or brown tint.
Injuries. The nail may turn blue and peel off if it is injured. The color changes due to a hematoma or accumulation of blood under the nail. A blue nail can also occur with a fungal infection.
Weak immune system, infection, improperly processed pedicure accessories. In these cases, a green color of the nail is observed.
Allergy. In this situation, the nail may turn white and even peel off. You may notice that the nail has turned white even if a person has problems with the functioning of the kidneys, heart or liver.
The most common injury is a bruised nail. In this case, the broken nail will hurt, the intensity of the pain depends on the severity of the damage. Over time, you will notice that the plate has turned black and began to peel off.
In this case, first aid is as follows:
If the injury does not completely tear off the nail, then blood may accumulate under it, which is the reason for its further elevation. To prevent the doctor from deciding to remove the nail, it is necessary to immediately eliminate the accumulated blood to prevent it from clotting. After this procedure, the pain becomes less.
A removed nail after an injury may grow back in the future. But don't expect this anytime soon. The growth period takes at least a year. In order for the new nail to grow without deviations, it is recommended to wear the right shoes and avoid injury.
If a nail comes off, this in any case indicates the development of a pathological process that requires immediate consultation with a doctor.
Nails can peel off in both adults and children.
Problems with nails are not such a rarity, otherwise mass advertising of remedies for fungus and other misfortunes would not flourish. By the way, not only adults are familiar with deformation of nails both on the hands and feet. A very common situation is when a child’s fingernails come off. Why is this happening and what to do?
Doctors name three main reasons for what is happening:
If your nail is injured, apply a compress
We all know that extremely painful feeling when you stub your toe. It is not surprising that such injuries lead to the fact that the nail begins to turn black and later peel off. If this happens to adults, what to say about children. Even a minor injury can cause harm. When it comes to hands, an unsightly appearance of the nail plate may be a consequence of bad habits. If you or your child bites their nails, there is nothing to be surprised about.
If the problem is a trauma of one kind or another, only time and getting rid of unpleasant habits can help. Well, perhaps, a compress of sunflower oil and apple cider vinegar (1:1) can reduce the likelihood of losing a nail.
You can use varnish against fungus
If a fungus is to blame, you will notice it without effort. Marigolds turn yellow, blacken and peel off in extreme cases. In fact, this is a common infection that anyone who goes to public saunas or uses a swimming pool can experience. As you understand, this also applies to children.
If fungus is the cause of problems with the nail plate (it doesn’t matter whether the nail is peeling off on the toe or on the hand), antifungal varnish or gel can help.
Traditional methods are usually ineffective. What else can be done to make the situation return to normal? Of course, seek help from a specialist who will prescribe a set of measures, because self-medication is always dangerous.
Information specifically for the fair sex: growing an artificial nail if your toenail has come off in order to disguise the unsightly appearance is not the best option. This can only make the situation worse and your plate will take longer to recover than it otherwise would.
Be sure to watch your diet
It is no secret that for the formation of good nails you need vitamins A, E, B, C, PP, as well as a sufficient amount of calcium and iron. If these elements are lacking in the body, nails can signal this. If the nail on your big toe or any other nail is peeling off, but you definitely remember that you didn’t hit it, and it doesn’t look like a fungus, you should think about the correctness of your diet.
Any modern vitamin complex, as well as foods that contain calcium, will help compensate for the lack of nutrients.
Balance your and your child's nutrition by adding cereals, dairy products, cheeses, cereals, as well as citrus fruits and marmalade. The fact is that nails can also peel off due to a lack of pectin, which is abundant in all kinds of jelly-like products.
An ingrown toenail is a fairly common problem, in most cases purely cosmetic, but nevertheless, it can lead to more severe complications. The causes of ingrown toenails are quite varied, and its consequences range from minor discomfort and unattractive appearance to infectious diseases.
A variety of reasons can contribute to ingrown toenails. We list the most common of them:
Mechanical damage to the nail plate, which subsequently leads to its improper growth. Most often, the cause of this condition is an unsuccessful pedicure. Trimming the nail too short leads to the fact that its sharp edge damages the periungual ridge and provokes its ingrowth.
What the pathological process looks like can be seen in the photo of an ingrown toenail, which abound on thematic websites on the Internet dedicated to this problem.
An ingrown nail is a defect in the formation of the nail plate, in which part of it is located under the periungual fold. This disrupts blood microcirculation in the soft tissues and in the nail itself. The degree of damage can be different, up to almost complete disappearance of the nail plate under the soft tissue of the periungual fold.
In the early stages, this condition does not cause any inconvenience; the only problem is an unaesthetic appearance, since the nail plate thickens and becomes deformed. With a long course of the pathology, pain appears when walking, then the pain becomes constant and manifests itself even at rest. Most often, such changes occur on the big toe or little toe; other toes are affected less frequently. Sometimes ingrown fingernails are possible. Usually one of the outer edges of the nail plate grows into the soft tissue, and much less often, both edges. Experts distinguish 3 degrees of the pathological process:
First degree - around the ingrown nail there is redness and swelling of the cushion, inflammation gradually develops in the soft tissues, and slight pain is noted while walking.
An ingrown toenail poses a health hazard because, due to its improper location, it damages surrounding tissue and becomes an entry point for infection. Impaired microcirculation of blood in the periungual fold prevents the rapid healing of injuries, which can ultimately lead to the fact that the ingrown toenail festers, becomes inflamed and breaks out. If this condition is neglected, it can threaten severe purulent lesions of the foot and even sepsis.
There are quite a few methods for treating ingrown toenails. Some of them allow you to quickly solve the problem, others take time, but reliably prevent relapses, while others help well in the early stages, preventing the development of severe pathologies. Both conservative and surgical methods are used; folk remedies can help prevent and treat the early stages of ingrown toenails.
If you have a question about what to do if you have an ingrown toenail, you should first consult a doctor so that he can select the most optimal treatment option, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient. Let's consider treatment options for ingrown toenails.
A pathology such as an ingrown toenail is difficult to treat, since in almost half of the cases the disease returns in relapses. Depending on the severity of the lesions and the reasons causing the ingrowth of the nail plate, specialists select a complex therapy regimen. All existing treatment methods are usually divided into conservative, orthopedic and surgical.
Conservative treatment methods are aimed at reducing pain and preventing purulent-inflammatory processes in the surrounding soft tissues. They can be used as an independent type of therapy for relatively mild lesions or to complement surgical intervention.
The patient is recommended to take hot foot baths with a solution of potassium permanganate or calendula infusion, which will provide an anti-inflammatory and disinfectant effect. The affected nail should be treated daily with antiseptic solutions and antimicrobial ointments or creams (Levomekol, Baneocin). This will help prevent the addition of a bacterial infection.
Simultaneously with the treatment of the affected area, gauze rolls are applied or gauze strips soaked in antiseptic solutions are placed under the sharp edge of the nail. During the treatment process, it is necessary to ensure proper care of the nail plate and trim its edges very carefully.
Conservative treatment in most cases is ineffective, therefore it is justified only at the initial stage of the disease. With further development of the pathological process, they move on to orthopedic techniques.
Orthopedic treatment is aimed at changing the direction of growth of the nail plate by gradually straightening and increasing the radius of curvature of the problem nail. Using these methods helps to lift the edges of the ingrown plate and separate it from the tissues of the nail fold. Before the procedure, hard areas of the nail are treated with a special softening compound. A hardware manicure gives a good result, but the greatest effect from this procedure will still be at the initial stage of the disease.
If these methods do not give the desired result, there is only one way left. This is the surgical removal of the problem nail.
Surgical treatment of an ingrown toenail is carried out if the area of soft tissue damage is large and the patient develops inflammatory complications. Surgery allows you to radically remove the affected area and stop infectious complications. But the method has its drawbacks. Thus, after surgical removal of an ingrown nail, a long recovery period follows and the risk of relapse and re-growth of a new nail remains. In order to avoid negative consequences, conservative methods are used along with surgical methods.
Surgery . Surgical treatment involves removing the nail along with soft tissue under local anesthesia. The nail is completely removed, but its matrix - the source of growth - is not damaged, so the nail grows back after the operation. Even after radical removal of the nail, the risk of relapse cannot be excluded, since surgical intervention does not affect the causes of its ingrowth. In the postoperative period, the patient must undergo regular dressing changes, if necessary, with the use of antibiotics. After the wound surface has healed, it is possible to replace the nail or use various conservative techniques to prevent its re-growth.
The surgical operation is characterized by a high degree of trauma, a long period of rehabilitation, and the persistence of pain and sensitivity of tissues even with slight pressure, which in some cases prevents the patient from wearing usual shoes and prevents walking. In addition, even such radical treatment does not eliminate relapses and in almost 50% of cases, the growing nail begins to grow into the soft tissue again. Therefore, now classical surgical intervention is rarely used, giving preference to more progressive techniques.
Photo: hardware procedure
In addition to surgical treatment, there are modern hardware procedures that minimize the risk of relapse and significantly shorten the rehabilitation period.
Laser removal . This is the most modern and gentle method, during which a special medical laser is used. The procedure is aimed at removing the ingrown part of the nail and the soft tissue around it, allowing you to remove inflamed tissue and prevent re-ingrowing. The laser is able to destroy fungal spores and prevent the development of complications. The procedure is bloodless, has a pronounced bactericidal effect and minimal damaging effect. As a result, tissue healing after the procedure occurs two times faster than with classical surgery. The disadvantage of this method is that the nail matrix is damaged, so the shape of the nail is not restored, and the appearance of the nail ceases to be aesthetic. In this case, partial nail prosthetics is used.
Photo: Surgitron device
Radio wave radiation has a variety of effects on a damaged nail - it removes damaged areas, disinfects, and promotes faster healing of the postoperative wound. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, and the recovery period after it is quite short. The nail recovers on its own, the risk of complications is minimal. The intervention is performed using the Surgitron device, which produces radio waves of a certain frequency. The advantage of this method is higher accuracy and controllability of the effect, as well as the absence of thermal damage to surrounding tissues.
Traditional methods of treatment allow you to cope with the disease at an early stage. They are permissible only if the ingrown toenail is not complicated by inflammatory diseases and is not affected by fungus. There are several methods to cope with the problem at home.
Photo: overnight compresses on the affected finger
The simplest of them is night compresses on the affected finger. The medicinal component can be Vishnevsky ointment, butter or aloe juice diluted with water. The medicinal composition is applied to gauze, which is then tightly bandaged to the finger. To enhance the effect, you can put a sock on the affected foot. In the morning, remove the compress and use nail scissors to remove as much of the ingrown nail as possible. If necessary, the procedure is repeated several times. After removing the ingrown part, the edge of the nail must be carefully trimmed with a nail file.
Baths with potassium permanganate, salt, soda, furacillin, chamomile or St. John's wort help get rid of ingrown toenails. The water for baths must be warm or hot (so much so as not to cause discomfort), this gives an additional steaming effect and makes the nail more pliable. After the baths, you must carefully remove the ingrown part of the nail, trim it with a file and put on a sock. Furacillin or salt baths can also help with purulent lesions; they accelerate the discharge of pus, have an antiseptic and disinfectant effect and facilitate the healing of tissues around the nail.
An ointment consisting of equal parts of garlic, onion, aloe, butter and honey may also be useful. It is applied to the nail in the evening as a compress, has a softening and antiseptic effect, and prevents the development of infection.
Photo: butter
Another effective recipe that is best used at night. First you need to melt a small piece of butter. Then take a fingertip, fill it with warm butter and put it on your big toe. As soon as the pain subsides, the finger is released, a gauze roll soaked in an antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine) is slipped under the edge of the softened nail and the finger is tightly bandaged.
Another common method is based on an attempt to deceive the body. To do this, begin to regularly file the middle part of the nail plate. Sawing is performed after a hot foot bath. In this case, you need to act carefully, removing no more than 2/3 of the thickness of the nail. As a result, the filed central part of the nail will begin to thicken, it will seem to shrink towards the edges, and the side edges will stop growing in.
Traditional recipes help a lot if the process has not reached an advanced stage. But before using them, you should consult your doctor. This will help avoid unwanted consequences.
Experts say that before treating an ingrown toenail, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of its ingrowth. It is necessary to be examined and treated for fungal diseases, if any, and to develop the habit of wearing comfortable shoes - with a wide enough toe so as not to squeeze your toes. The heel should not be too high; shoes should be chosen exactly in size. After surgery to remove a nail, it is necessary to use conservative correction methods to prevent it from re-ingrowing.
It is important to learn how to properly care for your nails - do not cut them too short, trim them with a nail file so as not to leave a sharp edge, use steaming foot baths before a pedicure, and use creams that soften the skin. Personal hygiene, regular foot washing and nail cleaning also play an important role.
A professional pedicure in beauty salons helps keep your toenails in order, allows you to notice a possible threat in time and consult a doctor in a timely manner. For greater effectiveness, it is useful to visit a medical pedicure procedure from time to time - it prevents the problem and prevents ingrown nails.