An ingrown nail is a chronic disease in which, for various reasons, the growing nail plate penetrates into the soft tissue of the lateral ridges of the finger. There are various methods of conservative and surgical treatment of this disease, but in the initial stages, before complications arise, you can try to treat an ingrown toenail at home.
The first “big” toe is most often affected. The disease occurs in several stages. It leads to discomfort and pain when walking, and subsequently to inflammation of the tissues, their redness, the release of light serous and bloody fluid, and swelling. The affected area may increase significantly in volume. With the subsequent addition of a staphylococcal infection, suppuration and other (often serious) complications occur that require emergency medical care. Complications are especially dangerous for people suffering from circulatory disorders in the lower extremities and diabetes mellitus.
First of all, one of the ways to both prevent and treat the disease is to properly perform a pedicure, especially paying attention to the correct cutting of the nail. It is necessary to cut at the level of the top of the soft tissues of the finger at a right angle to the side edges, slightly rounding or grinding off the edges with a nail file so that there are no sharp corners left. Do not cut the nail plate too short.
Doing a pedicure right
If the soft tissues of the side cushion hang over the sharp edge of the nail, but they are not inflamed, it is necessary to carefully, without injuring them, move them away and cut off only the sharp corner of the nail plate. To make caring for an ingrown toenail easier, you can use one of the pharmaceutical products that soften the nail plate:
These products not only make it easier to process the nail plate, but, by softening it, help the edges emerge from under the tissues of the periungual fold during growth.
What does an ingrown toenail look like?
Treating a toe with an ingrown toenail and wearing shoes is sometimes difficult due to the pain. In these cases, the question arises of how to numb an ingrown toenail. The pain is caused mainly by the resulting inflammatory phenomena, which are accompanied by swelling. Often, with light pressure on the roller, light, slightly bloody or purulent discharge may appear. Therefore, to relieve pain, measures are necessary to reduce swelling and inflammation of tissues, which will also help prevent complications.
At home, for this purpose, thermal procedures in the form of foot baths with antiseptic solutions should be carried out daily. As the latter, you can add a solution of Chlorhexidine to warm water, use lightly colored warm solutions of potassium permanganate, solutions of furatsilin, warm infusions of herbs (chamomile, calendula, peony, celandine, St. John's wort, eucalyptus leaves) at the rate of 1-2 tablespoons of dry herb per 1 liter of water.
After the foot bath, you can try to cut off only the sharp edge of the nail. At night, it is advisable to apply a bandage to the inflamed area with an ointment or emulsion containing antiseptics or antibiotics - Synthomycin emulsion, Levomycetin ointment. To reduce pain, you can also use antiseptic dressings, but they also contain lidocaine (a local anesthetic). The inflamed edges of the rollers hanging over the nail are carefully moved with a stick with cotton wool wrapped around it or a thick swab and a gauze flagellum, previously soaked in an ointment or emulsion composition, is placed under them.
For inflammation and swelling of tissues, Vishnevsky ointment or Levomikol have a good effect (even in the presence of purulent discharge). Ointment or emulsion dressings are applied overnight and then changed in the morning.
All these procedures must be continued until the inflammatory phenomena are completely eliminated.
Its purpose is to give the correct direction of growth of the nail plate by removing the ingrown edge from under the soft tissue. This is done in various ways:
Correcting an ingrown toenail at home
These methods are also good because they stop traumatizing the periungual fold and eliminate inflammation more quickly.
It should be remembered that options for self-treatment of an ingrown toenail at home are possible only at the very initial stages of the disease. In later stages, it is imperative to seek medical help, since self-treatment is not only ineffective, but can lead to serious consequences.
An ingrown toenail is a fairly common problem, in medical terminology called “onychocryptosis.” It causes great discomfort due to sharp or burning pain, as well as an unattractive appearance. As a rule, the disease affects the big toe. Fearing surgical intervention, not everyone rushes to seek medical help when such a problem arises. But is it possible to treat an ingrown toenail at home?
Doctors call three stages of ingrown toenail development, each of which is characterized by individual symptoms and requires different treatment:
At the first stage of inflammation of an ingrown toenail, you can still help yourself at home, but if pus appears, you will need the help of a surgeon. It must be remembered that chronic onychocryptosis is a recurrent purulent-inflammatory disease that can provoke serious consequences.
As soon as a person notices that the nail has begun to become inflamed and is growing into the soft tissue, this needs to be paid attention to. If it is not yet possible to see a doctor, then you can take first aid measures at home, but you should remember that they are not always effective.
After the first signs of the disease appear, if there is no pronounced inflammation and severe pain, it is recommended to change shoes to more spacious and soft ones. This will help eliminate excess pressure on the sore area. If weather conditions permit, you should opt for open-toed shoes.
One of the fundamental keys to success in treatment is maintaining foot hygiene: feet should be kept clean and dry for 24 hours. To do this, you can use 2 types of procedures: washing with antibacterial soap several times a day and a variety of warm baths. In the latter, traditional medicine advises adding anti-inflammatory herbs, salt, soda and other substances. It is also necessary to take care of your shoes.
You can also try to lift an ingrown toenail yourself. This should be done carefully and carefully: it is better if it is carried out by a person who has at least minimal medical skills. After a warm bath, lift the steamed nail with a gauze or cotton swab as far as possible without causing severe pain, and push the swab into the gap that appears. With each procedure it is introduced further and further. What is very important: such a tab must be replaced once a day. This process is unpleasant, but it helps to get rid of an ingrown toenail within 1 to 2 weeks.
When treating onychocryptosis yourself at home, you can resort to the help of some drugs from the pharmacy and folk remedies.
Modern pharmacology offers many means that can treat ingrown toenails. For example, this is a gel with an analgesic and softening effect by Dr. Scholl's, NailNorm ointment, Fundizol cream.
But many doctors recommend not to spend money on expensive drugs: the well-known Levomekol, ichthyol ointment and Vishnevsky ointment can bring relief no less effectively. These ointments relieve inflammation by killing bacteria in the affected area.
To do this, it is recommended to make night compresses: apply ointment to the ingrown toenail, wrap it with a bandage and plastic wrap, and put on a large, warm woolen sock on top. By morning the nail will be softened and will need to be trimmed slightly. As a rule, treatment will take about a week.
There are many traditional medicine recipes that help cure ingrown toenails. It should be remembered that you cannot blindly trust this advice, but you need to soberly assess the state of your health and, if it worsens, immediately seek qualified help. Until the disease reaches an acute stage, you can use one of the following recipes:
This drug, which is sold in almost any pharmacy, has gained popularity due to its antibacterial properties and hypoallergenicity. It is often used in the treatment of various dermatological diseases: diaper rash, eczema, etc. It will also help with onychocryptosis.
Treatment with burnt alum takes place in several stages:
This is a fairly simple but effective method. To achieve results (relieving inflammation and softening ingrown nails), it should be used regularly for two weeks.
The benefits of such procedures are explained by the beneficial properties of the substances used. To prepare a salt-soda bath, you will need to take 50 grams of baking soda, 100 grams of salt (it is recommended to use sea salt) per 3 liters of hot water. You can also add 2-4 drops of tea tree essential oil, which shows miraculous results for inflammation. It would also be a good idea to add a drop of clove, lavender or rosemary oil - they will also be beneficial, killing pathogenic microorganisms and soothing the skin.
As for herbs, all those that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties are suitable. First of all, we are talking about calendula, chamomile, sage, string and St. John's wort. You can buy them at any pharmacy - they are inexpensive. Brew herbs at the rate of 2 tablespoons of raw material per 1 liter of hot water, then let them brew for approximately 40 minutes.
Then the feet should be lowered into the bath and the feet should be steamed for about half an hour, adding hot water as necessary. Then you can place a gauze pad under the nail. Some patients also additionally treat the affected tissues with iodine - but this must be done very carefully so as not to cause a burn with frequent use.
This houseplant is widely known to many due to the fact that its fleshy leaves have anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended to cut one of them, place it on a pre-steamed nail and wrap it tightly with a bandage. By doing this procedure 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening, you can notice how the ingrown nail will gradually begin to soften, and the inflammation of the tissues around it will subside. The course of treatment with the pulp of aloe leaves is 2 weeks.
This is a fairly universal remedy, widely used in folk medicine. To treat a sore finger with propolis tincture, it is necessary to treat the nail several times a day. A positive result will not take long to arrive.
Another option for use is night compresses. If they are used regularly, you will need to dilute the tincture, making a concentrated solution from 5% to 50%, depending on the frequency of use, so as not to burn the inflamed skin.
This product can be bought at a pharmacy, or you can make it yourself at home using one of the recipes. However, you need to take into account that you will need to buy natural propolis - it is best to do this at a bee fair or at an apiary.
If an ingrown toenail gives you no rest, your finger is swollen and hurts, then a surgeon or podiatrist can quickly and effectively solve this problem. In addition to surgical intervention, the specialist will advise the patient how to get rid of an ingrown toenail at a specific stage of the disease; surgery may not be necessary. Referrals for tests will also be issued: a general blood test, which will show the degree of inflammation, and a sugar test - for diabetes, treatment is much more serious and requires consultation with many specialists. A sample may be taken to test for fungal foot infections.
If you do not seek medical help in time, hoping “at chance,” the advice of friends or only traditional medicine, then you may miss the onset of serious complications. The worst of them can be blood poisoning (life-threatening!) and gangrene of the phalanx, followed by amputation. Therefore, alternative treatment methods should be agreed upon with a doctor.
The disease is common.
Almost always due to the fact that a person cuts his nails incorrectly or wears the wrong shoes.
In medical language, an ingrown toenail sounds like onychocryptosis.
Many people sooner or later develop a problem such as an ingrown toenail. And instead of going to specialists as soon as possible, we try to fix the problem ourselves. Treating an ingrown toenail at home is indeed possible, but if there is no improvement after a week, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. But first, I would like to find out the reasons why the disease may occur. Before you start looking for solutions, it is important to understand what caused the inflammatory process.
So, the likelihood of an ingrown nail is high in the following cases:
1. The shoes the person wears are too narrow and made of rough material. High heels will promote ingrowth as the pressure on the toes increases.
2. The patient has flat feet.
3. The nail plates were affected by fungus.
4. A person has a congenital pathology - there is a large amount of excess soft tissue on the subungual pad.
5. There is a hallux valgus deformity.
6. The manicure was done incorrectly - the corners of the nail were not trimmed.
7. Lack of personal hygiene.
Ingrown nails are almost always caused by several factors simultaneously. That is why, in order to avoid relapses in the future, it is necessary to prevent all possible causes.
There are many methods for treating ingrown toenails. Conservative methods include:
• Tape technique. This is the most aggressive method, which involves removing the ingrown part using tape.
• Dental floss. Using the same technology as with the tape, the corner of the nail is removed.
• Antibiotics. They are used to stop the inflammatory process, as well as to prevent infection.
• Hygiene. You need to take baths for your feet and treat your nails with a special product.
If you already have an advanced case , and the inflammatory process is progressing greatly, then, of course, treatment with medications, namely antibiotics, comes first. They can be used as injections, or as antibiotic ointments. And specifically ointments, because tablets will not have any effect.
Gentamicin is a solution that is administered intramuscularly. But it is important to calculate the dose correctly - 3 mg of medication is taken per kilogram of the patient. If the need is high, you can use the product up to three times a day.
After this, gentamicin should be used in the form of ointments. Once the necrosis and purulent masses have been removed, smear the affected area 2-3 times a day. If the affected area is large, then the dosage should not be higher than 200 grams per day. The period during which you will use the product is determined solely by the attending physician.
Levomekol . The ointment can only be used externally. Take a bandage and spread a thin layer of the product on it, then apply it to the place where the nail is ingrown. To make walking more comfortable, you can bandage your finger. Change these compresses daily to keep your skin clean. You can administer the ointment using a syringe, but before that it needs to be heated to a temperature of 36ºC, drawn into a syringe and injected into the place where pus accumulates.
Adverse reactions may occur - allergies, but only if a person has an individual intolerance to this drug.
You can use other ointments that are also effective in their properties. For example:
1. Ichthyol ointment . If you notice that the nail has begun to grow in, then you simply cannot do without ichthyol ointment. Fold the gauze several times and apply ointment to it, then wrap your finger in cling film and secure with a sock. It is best to perform this procedure at night; apply a new compress every day. The course of treatment is one week. There are no contraindications for using the ointment; the only thing that may arise is an allergy.
2. Levomekol . The drug is well suited not only for treatment, but also as a preventive measure. The cream has not only antibacterial properties, but also cleansing. Just like other ointments, it is applied to gauze and applied to the affected area. Change the bandage regularly until the problem completely disappears.
All medications and ointments are prescribed only by a doctor; using them on your own is not recommended, since the degree of ingrowth must first be determined. If after applying the above there is no improvement, surgical intervention is prescribed.
No one is immune from the occurrence of such a disease, so it is important to know how to treat an ingrown toenail at home. You can use folk remedies only if the inflammatory process has not started. to provide first aid at home . Below are the most effective:
1. Take a medical fingertip and place butter in it. Every day before going to bed, put it on the finger where the ingrowth begins. Repeat this procedure daily for two weeks. As a result, the nail plate should become softer, and the sensation of pain will not bother you so much.
2. After the pain has completely disappeared, take a sterile knife and lift the upper corner of the nail. You need to place a gauze flagellum under it. She will act as a capolin.
3. The overgrown area of skin will gradually decrease, and the wound will begin to heal.
4. To prevent such problems from arising in the future, try not to wear narrow and low-quality shoes.
Foot baths are quite effective, but with the obligatory addition of chamomile. To prepare them follow the instructions:
1. Pour two liters of boiling water into a vessel and add six tablespoons of herbs.
2. Close the container carefully.
3. Let the broth brew for an hour, then open and strain.
4. Start taking baths (the water should be hot) until the liquid begins to cool.
5. After 15-20 minutes, take your feet out and dry thoroughly.
In ancient times, people knew well the recipes for treating ingrown toenails at home. It was from those times that such a method as treatment with sheep lard came to us. To do this, they took a piece of it and tied it to the sore spot all night.
Another effective way to treat ingrown toenails at home:
• take a small onion, peel it and chop it finely;
• one tablespoon of honey mixed with onion;
• before going to bed, steam your feet well in hot water and soda;
• after this you need to apply the resulting mass on gauze and apply it to the sore spot;
• to make it comfortable to sleep, you can wrap gauze with a bandage. When you wake up in the morning, remove the bandage and wipe your finger.
This is a good method that has been used for decades. You will need a leaf of the plant, previously peeled from the skin. Chop it finely and place it in a bowl. Boil water, cool slightly, pour in aloe. Apply the mixture to the affected area and bandage it. You need to remove the compress in the morning.
For some reason, many people believe that legs are just an aesthetic value. It is enough that they look good, well-groomed and beautiful. But in fact, few people think about the fact that the edges of our fingers are very sensitive, and if we didn’t have nails, our feet would be constantly exposed to injuries and infections. Therefore, it is important not only to wash them on time and carry out procedures such as pedicures. A pathology such as an ingrown toenail is dangerous. And it is best to treat it in medical institutions, according to the recommendations and advice of a doctor. After all, if you start the disease, it can switch to other fingers. Sooner or later everything will lead to the disease getting worse.
It’s bad enough that pathology does not always manifest itself in the early stages, and a person may not even suspect that something is wrong with him. But after some time, discomfort, pain, and redness around the nail appear. It is at this moment that you need to not just go, but run to the doctor.
If this is not done and no measures are taken on your own, then swelling will periodically appear in the area of the finger, inflammation will begin to progress, and the pain will become more intense. This will cause the patient to limp.
Every day the inflammation will become stronger, it will become noticeable externally, and if there is an infection, pus will form under the nail.
Try to find time and still give preference to treatment in a hospital rather than self-medication. At the clinic you will undergo a full examination, a specialist will identify the cause of the lesion, as well as its degree.
In order to choose the right treatment, you will have to undergo certain tests to prescribe medications. This will help determine your blood sugar levels.
Since inflammation is always manifested by a high content of ESR and leukocytes, it is necessary to take a culture of a scraping from the affected area in order to identify or refute the infection.
Only after all the necessary tests are ready and the examination is carried out can we talk about the treatment method. It is possible that the specialist himself will prescribe you baths and other folk remedies based on medicinal herbs. But in this case, you can be sure that no harm will be caused in this way. Self-medication, unfortunately, does not always end well and sometimes leads to irreversible consequences. Therefore, think carefully before starting treatment.
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Quite a lot of people can observe inflammatory processes on their big and sometimes other toes. If the inflammation is localized on the nail folds and in places where the nail has grown into it, then with a high degree of probability it can be stated that the disease arose due to the fault of the ingrown nail. Some people are more susceptible to this disease, others less, however, it is equally common in both men and women, in both adults and children. How to get rid of an ingrown toenail and cure inflammation will be discussed in this material.
It is worth noting that not all people are equally susceptible to this disease. Some have never encountered this phenomenon in their lives, while others constantly suffer from it even with the most careful and proper nail care. This selectivity is explained by the fact that the degree of susceptibility to the disease depends on many factors, such as:
Thus, the problem of an ingrown toenail most often occurs if the natural shape of the nail is square or rectangular, that is, the plate has sharp edges that can injure the skin. It is worse if this is further aggravated by the fact that the nail bed has a strong bend on two sides, that is, the sides of the nail are strongly “recessed” into the roller. In addition, rounding the nail bed down towards the tip of the finger creates an increased risk.
On the part of the nail folds, their massiveness and protrusion above the nail are especially dangerous. This increases the likelihood of injury as the nail grows. Combined with thin and delicate skin in these areas, this gives an almost 100% guarantee of a problem even with careful care.
It is worth noting that most often this phenomenon occurs on the big toes. This is due to the structural features of the nail folds and the nail itself. However, with a strong predisposition, the nail can grow in on other toes. Sometimes the phenomenon occurs on the hands, but due to the fact that they are traditionally given more attention, it can be diagnosed earlier and treated or prevented.
Even if a person does not have a genetic predisposition to this disease, he can easily create it himself. The first reason why toenails grow in is an improper pedicure. So, if you file your nails very short, leaving them square, the risk of developing the disease increases many times. During the cold season, it is highly not recommended to wear tight shoes with a thin toe, as they simply “press” the ridges into the nails.
At its core, an ingrown nail is the penetration of its edges into the prenail fold. It occurs when there is no space for free growth of the free edge, since it is blocked by a roller. In this case, the nail grows directly into it, damaging the skin. After this, infection most often penetrates into the wound and suppuration occurs.
It is very difficult to detect this disease at an early stage. It can only manifest itself in the form of mild pain in the areas of ingrown nails, which may pass periodically. Many people associate this with wearing tight shoes, as the rubbing sensation is very similar to an ingrown toenail. The second sign that you have an ingrown toenail and you should think about how to treat it is redness and swelling in the area of the ingrown toenail. In this case, usually, the disease is already quite advanced and causes significant inconvenience and pain.
At first, such unpleasant sensations are quite localized, but over time they spread to almost the entire phalanx or even the entire finger. However, even at this stage the pain is quite tolerable and many still do not pay attention to it. But if you notice the problem at this stage, you can get rid of it on your own.
In the future, if you ignore the signals, so-called “wild meat” may appear near the nail, of course, if no treatment has been carried out. This popular name refers to the excessive formation of skin tissue in places of injury. Thus, in the future, this phenomenon will further aggravate the ingrowth.
At its core, this problem cannot be cured. It can be eliminated or prevented. When we talk specifically about treatment, we mean the simple application of anti-inflammatory drugs to the skin around the nail and inflamed areas in the ingrowth zones. You can only get rid of the problem by removing an ingrown toenail at home.
Before proceeding with this procedure, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary tools. In order to perform it, you may need orange sticks, nail clippers or scissors, as well as an antiseptic. It is very important to remember that the procedure you are performing is similar to a surgical operation, and therefore absolute sterility is important. It is best to boil metal tools, and orange sticks can simply be treated with an antiseptic. In the event that there is no possibility of boiling, then the instruments can be disinfected with its help.
Before moving directly to how to remove an ingrown toenail at home, let's say a few words about preparing your feet and fingers for this process. Be sure to make a hot foot bath using soda at the rate of 1 tablespoon per liter of water. Leave your feet in this solution for 20 minutes. Then dry them thoroughly with a towel.
If pus is noticeable under the skin in the inflamed area, it must be removed. To do this, treat the problem area with an antiseptic. It is best to use ordinary alcohol wipes for this procedure, which are sold at any pharmacy. Then carefully open the abscess using a sterile needle, such as the one that comes with the syringe. You can gently press on the edges of the wound with your fingers wearing sterile gloves to finally get rid of the inflammatory fluid, then treat the area with alcohol.
After some time, after this procedure (about 10 - 20 minutes), you can move on to how to get rid of ingrown toenails. To do this, again treat the ingrowth area and some area around it with an antiseptic. Then carefully “pick” the ingrown corner of the nail with the pointed side of the orange stick and “pull” it out of the skin. Immediately after this, treat the wound with an antiseptic again and cut off the sharp edge of the plate. After the damage has healed a little, after a few days, you need to file the nail again in the ingrown areas.
As is clear from the description, this procedure can be quite painful. But it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, the development of inflammation will continue. In the long term, this can lead not only to inflammation of the phalanx and nail, but also of the entire finger (felon).
It is impossible to treat an ingrown nail as such, since the phenomenon is not any pathology of the plate itself. The same statement applies to the prenail fold, however, if you have an ingrown toenail on your big toe, then home treatment should consist of treating the inflamed skin with antiseptics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Ethyl alcohol can be used as an antiseptic, but it’s worth talking about anti-inflammatory drugs in more detail.
At the early stage of the disease, when the ingrowth is not strong and there is no pus under the skin, you can take baths with soda and hot water. They need to be done at least 3 times a day for 15-20 minutes. This will help soften the tissues of both the nail and the pre-nail fold. This will soon help you pull out the ingrown edge completely painlessly. Moreover, even if the damage is not severe, it can go away on its own.
In how to deal with an ingrown toenail, if the lesion is in an advanced stage, various ointments can help you, such as Vishnevsky or Ichthyolka ointment. They will be very effective in cases where suppuration has occurred, as they have strong pulling properties, and in addition, they prevent the development of lesions and infections.
For the most effective effect, you should make a compress using one of these products. To do this, apply the ointment to a cotton pad and press it onto the inflamed part of the finger. It needs to be wrapped with cling film or other polyethylene on top. This will allow the ointment not to spread and remain at the site of inflammation. Then you need to bandage the finger and put a sock on top.
It is best to do this compress at night, since for it to be most effective, the leg must remain calm. In the morning, remove it and try to remove the ingrown edge of the nail. Then the bandage needs to be done again. If such treatment does not have the desired effect, the suppuration increases, and the pain increases, then it is best to consult a surgeon.
For lovers of traditional medicine, we can recommend such quite effective remedies as aloe or burnt alum. However, it is important to mention that such drugs do not have proven medicinal effectiveness, and therefore they should be used only at the very initial stages of the lesion or as an additional therapy to that prescribed by professionals. If you nevertheless decide to be treated with them, then pay careful attention to the state of your health and, if the condition of your nails or fingers worsens at the slightest level, consult a doctor immediately.
If an ingrown toenail and, accordingly, its treatment occurs quite often, for example, once a year, then we can definitely talk about a person’s increased tendency to develop this problem. With careful nail care, its reoccurrence can be prevented or at least the number of relapses can be reduced. So, first of all, you need a proper manicure.
These simple rules are very important to follow not only during the treatment of inflammation, but also during remission of the disease. This will help prevent it from happening again. However, sometimes even such measures turn out to be ineffective. This may be due to the structure of the nail or its high growth rate.
Perhaps one of the most annoying problems associated with toenails (after nail fungus) is an ingrown toenail. It manifests itself as constant pain, which intensifies when walking because the nail begins to put pressure on the periungual fold. Most often, this occurs on the big toe, and with timely response, treating an ingrown toenail at home is possible.
To do this, you need to buy Ioduxun solution. It contains iodine and glycerin. Iodine dries the ingrown edges of the nail plate, and glycerin softens the ingrown areas and the skin of the nail plate. To get the effect, you need to lubricate the side holes of the finger 3-4 times a day, every day, until the pain when walking disappears.
also used to treat an ingrown toenail . If you lubricate the ingrown edges of the nail plate with it, they will become soft. This ointment can be bought at any pharmacy without a prescription.
If the pressure on the roller is very insignificant, then you can limit yourself to conservative treatment of an ingrown toenail at home , such as wearing comfortable wide shoes, walking barefoot (if possible or at least at home), trimming the nail correctly (wrong trimming can cause an ingrown toenail).
In extreme cases, when neither conservative nor any medicinal treatment of an ingrown toenail helps, surgical removal of the ingrown toenail is used, but, like the removed one, the new nail can also grow with an irregular shape and also begin to grow. Since during operations there are often cases of damage to the growth zone of the nail.
But usually it doesn’t come to operations if you rush around in time. So, at home, treatment of an ingrown toenail can be carried out using a mixture of the following ingredients: glycerin and vinegar essence. They need to be mixed in equal proportions in a small glass container and instilled into the hole of the thumb using a pipette or medical glass rod. Continue instillation depending on how you feel.
Naturally, you cannot do any manipulations such as cutting the skin or similar treatment for an ingrown toenail yourself. If an ingrown toenail seriously bothers you, you should at least contact a pedicurist. In the modern arsenal of beauty salons, there are many corrective devices: special springs, elastic plates (metal and plastic), staples, etc. The principle of action is similar to dental braces.
With their help, you can straighten a deformed nail plate, as they lift it and reduce the pressure on the roller, which means they stop inflammatory processes. The pain goes away, and the growing nail is adjusted to the correct shape.
If treating an ingrown toenail at home is no longer possible, then laser correction is used. This is one of the latest and least traumatic methods for treating ingrown toenails. The entire nail is not removed, only that part of the nail plate is removed along with the edge of the growth zone that interferes with the patient, and at the same time the foci of the inflammatory process are neutralized.
The laser is also used in the treatment of ingrown toenails , which are caused by a fungal infection of the nails. In this case, a laser is used to sterilize the entire subungual bed from fungal spores. Antifungal drugs are then prescribed as a treatment for the fungus.
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Ingrown toenail - the most effective treatment at home
Self-correction of an ingrown toenail
It is recommended to make nail baths with vegetable oil every day. Heat the oil slightly, add a few drops of lemon juice to it.
After the bath, dry your hands with a napkin and try not to wet them at all for several hours.
If you do not have a suitable file at hand, sawing can be done with sandpaper previously glued to a wooden block.
It is better to file the nail flat after a bath, when the nail is softened.
In case of genetically predetermined ingrown nails, this procedure should be carried out constantly, approximately once a month - with periodic filings, ingrown nails will not occur; if the filings stop, they can resume after 3-5 or more months.
Narrow strips of sterile gauze soaked in ointment or emulsion should be placed under the edge of the nail.
This reduces the pressure of the nail on the skin, relieves pain, and then the inflammation subsides.
If an ingrown toenail does not respond to conservative treatment, they resort to surgery.
It happens that the nail, especially on the big toe, grows into the flesh and with sharp edges causes severe pain, mainly when a person is in motion.
The strained infusion is heated again and hands are held in it until the water cools down.
It is recommended to use a decoction for the bath (boil for 10 minutes).
The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.
It is because of this structure that the inflammatory process can begin to quickly develop in depth, involving the bones.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE A MINOR INFLAMMATION ON YOUR FINGER, YOU SHOULD CONSULT A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY!
The inflammatory process must be immediately surgically opened to allow outflow, then a bandage with Levomikol or Vishnevsky ointment, or with a hypertonic (saturated) solution of table salt (this is at the discretion of the attending physician) should be applied to the incision area.
If it is impossible to see a doctor urgently (when living in the wild taiga, during a solo crossing at the North Pole, in Antarctica), it is often enough to make a small incision about 2 mm deep or, more simply, a rupture (but not a single puncture!) of the skin with a needle inflamed area, where the surface tissues have already been softened by inflammation.
To do this, in the area of inflammation treated with alcohol or vodka, insert a sterilized (in extreme cases, 3-4 seconds on the fire of a lighter and let the needle cool) fairly strong needle to a depth of 2-3 mm (the needle enters the inflamed tissue easily; if the needle does not enter when light pressure - it means you didn’t hit the right place! Stop and feel the desired point with the needle), tilt it and slowly move upward to make a break in the skin, then, gently inserting the needle into the already created break, repeat the movement several more times until the length of the skin break is will reach 3-4 mm. After this, apply a bandage with Levomikol or Vishnevsky liniment (Vishnevsky ointment).
If these ointments are not available, immerse the finger with the cut (or tear) in a warm saturated solution of table salt (hypertonic solution) for 30 minutes. Then apply a bandage, generously moistened with a saturated solution of table salt.
Change the bandage with ointment or salt solution 2 times a day until signs of inflammation disappear. If necessary, repeat the opening.
To avoid or reliably cure a fungal infection, you should carefully and generously wipe (wet) all the folds of the toes and the entire foot to the ankles with a 4.5% solution of acetic acid (a 9% solution of table vinegar diluted in half). Excessively applied solution will simply drain off your feet.
The cure for a fungal disease will not occur immediately, but after 1-2-3 months of regular lubrication.
As fungal infections (skin cracks) disappear, the skin becomes healthier and stronger (this can be felt by the absence of tingling when smearing), you can gradually move on to wiping with 9% table vinegar. The strength of the acetic acid solution should not be further increased - the maximum concentration is 9% (for children under 12-14 years old, the limit is no more than 4.5%).
With such regular wiping, the unpleasant odor from feet and shoes disappears completely and permanently (this odor is caused by the waste products of the Candida fungus, which lives on the surface and in the thickness of the epidermis - the stratum corneum of the skin).
Considering the low cost of table vinegar and the simplicity of the procedure, it is advisable to do it constantly, incl. and military personnel who do not take off their shoes for a long time.
Wiping the inner surface of shoes with table vinegar completely removes the accumulated unpleasant odor and does not have any negative effect on anything, incl. and for dress leather shoes.
Putting on shoes immediately after generously lubricating the feet with a solution of acetic acid ensures constant lubrication of the shoes themselves.
Heating the inflamed area can lead to the development of phlegmon and the need for urgent amputation (phlegmon can develop at a rate of 2-5 cm per hour).
Steaming the inflamed area - a bath of the inflamed area with a temperature above 37 o C or a compress on it (a bandage with compress paper, oilcloth, film, etc.) - this is a direct path to phlegmon!
Even if such a compress bandage is applied by an ignorant doctor, immediately remove the impermeable gasket from the bandage! Otherwise, there may be only a few hours left before the onset of phlegmon (rapidly spreading diffuse inflammation).
Phlegmonoid lesions are characterized by rapidly spreading edema (up to 2-5 cm per hour), pinkness of the outer surface of the edema and a significant increase in body temperature.
Cellulitis is a deadly condition that requires emergency surgical care (urgent “lamp” incisions on the swelling for fluid outflow and access to oxygen tissues, antibiotic therapy, etc.)
under the general editorship of Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences N.N. BAZHANOV
Ingrown toenail or, as it is also called, onychocryptosis is a fairly common disease. As a rule, the big toe suffers from it. In this case, the bent side part of the nail initially puts a little pressure on the nail fold, causing only slight discomfort.
However, over time, this mild discomfort can turn into constant severe pain, as the ingrown toenail continues to deform and injure the skin. As a result, the finger becomes very swollen and even makes it difficult to walk; sometimes you have to resort to a surgical solution to the problem. A reasonable alternative to surgery is to treat an ingrown toenail with folk remedies.
An ingrown toenail can appear due to:
Diabetes, atherosclerosis, varicose veins, pregnancy, and professions that place additional stress on the legs significantly increase the risk of this disease.
UNFORTUNATELY, AN INGROWN NAIL IS NOT A DISEASE THAT YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT AND WHICH WILL PASS ON YOURSELF SOONER OR LATER. CERTAIN MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS SMALL DISCOMFORT WHEN WALKING IS FELT, SINCE THE INFLAMMATION WILL ONLY INCREASE, THE FINGER CAN ALMOST DOUBLE IN INCREASE, AND THE WOUND ON THE NAILS WILL FEP AND BLEED CLEAR.
Onychocryptosis will not go away on its own
In addition, the location of the ingrown toenail allows for further infection of the wound, which can worsen the situation. In the initial stages of the disease, it is quite possible to use traditional methods, the judicious use of which can completely cure the sore finger.
Treatment is usually carried out in two stages:
1.Initially, the purpose of the procedures is to free the ingrown corner of the nail from the finger. To do this, appropriate folk remedies are used to soften the nail plate, relieve inflammation and release the painful part of the nail. Treatment can be quite long and last about six months. However, if you strictly follow all the recommendations and carry out the procedures daily, you can get rid of the disease forever. The following recipes are most effective at this stage:
It is necessary to hold the ingrown nail in a warm soda solution for about twenty minutes (add one tablespoon of soda to three liters of water). After this, the nail will become more flexible and you can try to bring it out. If this succeeds, then place a bandage or piece of paper under its sharp edge and leave it overnight, securing it with a bandage or bandage.
Peel a medium-sized onion, chop finely and mix with 30 grams of honey. Soak the nail in a soda solution and make an onion-honey compress overnight, covering it with film and bandaging it. In the morning, you can try to bring the edge of the nail out.
The sore finger is hovered in a solution of potassium permanganate, then a crushed plantain leaf is applied and secured on top with a whole leaf of the same plant. The leg is bandaged and a sock is put on. The dressing is changed every day. After a week, the inflammation and pain disappear.
In the evening, put a fingertip filled with butter on the sore finger and a sock on top. The procedure is carried out every evening. In the morning the compress is removed. After about three weeks, the pain should go away. As soon as it gets better, you should try to move the nail to the side and put something under it.
Take one small aloe leaf, knead it, and add twenty drops of ordinary water to the resulting pulp. Then a cotton pad is moistened with this paste and applied to the ingrown nail overnight, wrapping it with film on top. In the morning, the nail will be soft enough to move it to the side.
Stages of treating an ingrown toenail
2. The second stage of treatment for an ingrown nail, after it is freed, is changing the shape of the nail plate. This treatment is quite unique and involves thinning the central part of the nail, which leads to increased regeneration of the center of the nail plate and a change in the direction of nail growth (the nail stops growing in width and bending).
The procedure is carried out as follows: the nail is first steamed in a soda solution, then a shallow groove about 3 mm wide is sharpened in the center of the nail plate with a file or nail file. This is an absolutely painless method, used even for children.
Another no less effective method can be considered an alternative: on the protruding part of the nail, exactly in the middle, an incision is made with pliers in the shape of a small triangle with the tip directed towards the base of the nail plate. If you make such an incision regularly when cutting your nails, the ingrown nail will disappear and will no longer bother you.
Folk remedies for ingrown toenails will help not only heal, but also prevent inflammation. It is very good both to treat various inflammations and to prevent the appearance of ingrown toenails by rubbing your feet at least twice a week with oregano oil. This powerful antioxidant has powerful antimicrobial effects. It is also useful to make foot baths with string, calendula or chamomile. (under a closed lid, six tablespoons of any one herb or a mixture of them are infused in two liters of boiling water for an hour. You can add a few crystals of potassium permanganate to the decoction).
Preventative bath for nails
To make your toenails strong, healthy and not a source of pain, you need to: