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• Method 1 of 4: Using home remedies to treat an ingrown fingernail
• Method 2 of 4: Soak your ingrown fingernail
• Method 3 of 4: Treat an ingrown fingernail medically
• Method 4 of 4: Understanding an ingrown fingernail

Ingrown fingernails are not as common as ingrown toenails. When you experience an ingrown fingernail, your nail can hurt and become infected. In an ingrown fingernail, an edge of the nail grows into the soft skin around the sides of your finger. Find out how to treat an ingrown fingernail so that you can soothe your discomfort and let your nail heal.

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Method 1 of 4: Using home remedies to treat an ingrown fingernail

1. Push your nail up. If the nail has grown in just a little bit, you can push it up yourself. Soak your nail to soften it, then tuck something under it to separate the nail from the skin so it can no longer grow into your skin. Place clean pieces of cotton gauze, cotton balls, or dental floss under the edge of the ingrown fingernail.
   • If you are using cotton, roll up a small piece of cotton between your fingers so that you get a cotton roll about an inch and a half long. The roll should not be too thick, but it should be thick enough to lift the nail up from the skin.
   • Tape one end of the cotton roll to the side of your finger. Lift the corner of the ingrown nail with your other hand. Push the free end of the cotton roll under the corner of the nail and pull it out on the other side so that the cotton is between the skin and the nail, pushing the nail away from the skin.
   • This can be painful and unpleasant. The taped end helps you push the cotton roll under the corner of your nail. You may need someone else's help to get the cotton in the right place.
2. Use antibiotic ointment. You can apply a dollop of antibiotic ointment to your finger to prevent infection. Spread the ointment on the affected area with a clean cotton swab, then cover the area with a clean bandage.
   • Change the dressing daily and then reapply antibiotic ointment.
3. Take over-the-counter pain relievers. An infected ingrown fingernail can cause a lot of pain. You can take over-the-counter pain relievers to relieve the pain. Make sure to follow the directions on the package regarding the daily dose.
   • Take paracetamol, ibuprofen (including Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) to relieve the pain.

Method 2 of 4: Soak your ingrown fingernail

1. Soak the nail in warm water. Soak your finger in warm water for about 15-20 minutes. This will help soothe the pain in your finger and the swelling. You can soak your finger in warm water three or four times a day.
   • Dry your fingernail thoroughly after soaking it. Keep your ingrown fingernail dry unless you soak it in water.
   • After soaking your finger in water, apply ointment or oil to the fingernail. Also change the cotton and bandages after soaking your finger.
2. Use Epsom salt. Another option for treating an ingrown fingernail is to soak your hand in a mixture of water and Epsom salt. Fill a bowl with warm water and add a few tablespoons of Epsom salt per liter of water. Soak your hand in the mixture for 15-20 minutes.
   • Eposom salt helps to soothe pain and inflammation.
   • If you want to bandage your ingrown fingernail, dry the finger thoroughly after soaking. Then apply a bandage.
3. Soak your nail in hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is used to prevent infections. You can soak your ingrown fingernail in a mixture of warm water and hydrogen peroxide. Add 120 ml of hydrogen peroxide to the warm water.
   • You can soak your nail in this mixture for 15-20 minutes.
   • You can also put some hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball or gauze and apply it to your ingrown fingernail.
4. Use tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, so it can be helpful in the case of an ingrown fingernail. Put two or three drops of tea tree oil in the warm water in which you soak your nail. Mix one or two drops of tea tree oil with a tablespoon of olive oil and spread this mixture on your nail to prevent infection.
   • Tea tree oil can also help soften your nail. You can put a mixture of a drop of tea tree oil and a tablespoon of olive oil on your nail daily. You can use tea tree oil as an alternative to antibiotic ointment because you probably won't need both.
   • After the tea tree oil has absorbed, apply a dollop of Vicks VapoRub or menthol ointment to the painful area. The menthol and camphor will soothe the pain and help soften your nail. Let the menthol and camphor sit on your nail for 12-24 hours using a bandage or small gauze.
   • If you are using cotton to push up your nail, you can put tea tree oil on the cotton that you put under your fingernail.

Method 3 of 4: Treat an ingrown fingernail medically

1. See your doctor. If your ingrown fingernail has become infected or is still not healed after five days, you may need to see a doctor. Your doctor can treat the ingrown fingernail with a topical antibiotic that should be applied to the skin.
   • If the infection has penetrated deep into the finger, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic.
   • If your ingrown fingernail is caused by fungus (this is often the case if you suffer from chronic ingrown fingernails), your doctor can diagnose and treat you for it.
   • Let your doctor know if your ingrown fingernail hurts more, the skin gets redder, the area becomes more sensitive, you cannot bend your fingernail at one of the joints and you have a fever. These symptoms indicate a more serious problem.
2. Have your nail pushed up by your doctor. If your ingrown fingernail has become infected but pus isn't coming out yet, your doctor can push it up. Pushing the nail upward releases it from the skin so that it can grow over the skin instead of into it.
   • When your doctor pushes up your nail, he puts something between the nail and the skin to keep them apart. Your doctor will likely put cotton, dental floss, or a splint under your nail.
   • You can ask your doctor to push your nail up if it is very infected, has grown deep into the skin, or if you don't like pushing your nail up yourself.
3. Have the ingrown nail surgically removed. If you keep getting ingrown fingernails, your doctor may recommend that you surgically remove all or part of the nail. Usually, your doctor will perform a partial nail avulsion. In doing so, the part of the nail that has grown into the skin is removed.
   • If you have partial nail avulsion, you will need to keep an eye on the nail when it grows back. It is important to keep the nail from growing back into your skin.
   • In severe cases, it may be necessary to remove the entire nail bed with chemicals or laser treatment. However, this is rarely necessary for fingernails.These treatments are more often performed on ingrown toenails.

Method 4 of 4: Understanding an ingrown fingernail

1. Recognize the symptoms of an ingrown fingernail. An ingrown fingernail is a fingernail where a curved edge of the nail grows into the soft skin around the sides of the finger. The pressure created by this causes redness, pain, swelling and sometimes infection.
   • If an ingrown fingernail becomes infected, pus can come out of the skin and the finger itself can swell.
   • The ingrown nail can grow into the soft skin at the inner or outer corner of the nail.
2. Understand the causes of an ingrown fingernail. An ingrown fingernail is less common than an ingrown toenail, but it has some causes. The causes of an ingrown fingernail include:
   • An injury
   • Nail biting
   • Cutting the fingernails too short or unevenly
   • Fungal infections
   • Rounded and thick fingernails, which can be hereditary but can also be a problem in the elderly
3. See if your symptoms get worse. An ingrown fingernail usually heals with treatment at home or by a doctor. However, some infections can become serious in nature. If your symptoms are severe, see your doctor or emergency room right away.
   • Seek medical attention if pus is coming out from under your fingernail, your fingernail starts to hurt more and more, if the area becomes redder and more tender, if you cannot bend your finger at one of the joints, and if you have a fever.
4. Avoid an ingrown fingernail. You can avoid ingrown fingernails. Don't cut your nails too short, as this can cause ingrown fingernails. Also, don't pull or tear your fingernails. File rough, uneven edges smooth.
   • Make sure to keep your hands and nails dry. Keep your nails clean.
   • Keep an eye on your fingernails to spot the signs of ingrown nails so that you can spot any problem at an early stage.