Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Treatment
• Part 2 of 2: What not to do
• Tips
• Warnings

Those people who have had an ingrown toenail on the big toe know firsthand how much pain it causes. An ingrown toenail is an ingrowth of the nail plate into the soft tissue of the finger. Most often, the nail grows on the big toe, but sometimes it also happens with the nails on the other toes. In addition, there is always the possibility of introducing infection into the inflammation focus. If you have this trouble, then read this article to learn how to properly cure the infection and how to prevent the condition from worsening. If you do everything right, your legs will be healthy again!

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Treatment

1. 1 Soak your ingrown toenail in the water. To reduce pain and swelling, immerse your leg with the ingrown toenail in warm water for 10-15 minutes.Fill your bath with warm or hot water and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts. Dip your foot into the water and relax. Then dry your foot dry.
   • Epsom salts can help reduce pain and inflammation.
   • You can repeat this procedure several times a day if you are in severe pain.
   • Never put your feet in too hot water. The water should be warm.
2. 2 Lift your nail up. To relieve the pressure of the nail on the tissue, doctors sometimes advise lifting it up. This is done by pushing a small piece of cotton wool or thick thread under your fingernail so that it doesn't press hard on your skin.
   • If you are using cotton wool, you can treat it with an antiseptic. This will help reduce pain and prevent nail infection.
   • If an infection has already been brought in, cotton wool placed under the edge of the nail will absorb the liquid that collects under the nail.
   • If using thread, use non-waxed thread.
   • Do not use a metal tool when trying to put cotton or thread under your fingernail. This can damage the nail plate.
3. 3 Use an antibacterial ointment. An antibacterial ointment should be applied if the nail becomes infected. Dry your leg completely before applying the ointment. Apply a thick layer of antibacterial cream to the inflamed area. Then apply a gauze bandage. This will prevent dirt from entering the wound.
   • Use an antibacterial ointment such as neosporin.
4. 4 Consult your doctor (orthopedist). Ingrown toenails, especially those with an infection, should not be treated at home. Consult a podiatrist or surgeon. If you have a severe infection, you may need to remove your nail. You don't have to worry, this procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
   • Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to stop the infection from spreading.

Part 2 of 2: What not to do

1. 1 Do not cut off an ingrown toenail. This is one of the common misconceptions. Thus, you only aggravate the situation, the nail will grow into the finger again. Instead of trimming the nail, lift it up to relieve pressure on the inflamed tissue.
   • This should be done by a doctor. Do not try to remove your nail at home.
2. 2 Don't try to pick the skin under your fingernail. You may think that by doing this you can lift the nail and relieve its pressure on the tissue, but you will only make yourself worse. This is fraught with the spread of infection to healthy areas of the skin.
   • Do not touch your nail with tweezers, nail files, scissors, or any other metal tool.
3. 3 Do not try to pierce the inflamed area with a needle. Many make the typical mistake of trying to pierce a purulent bladder with a needle. You shouldn't do this, as it will only make the condition worse. Even if you use clean instruments and a sterile needle for this, you can still seriously damage the tissue surrounding the nail.
   • Do not touch the sore spot with anything other than cotton wool, gauze and plaster.
     
     
4. 4 Do not carve the letter “V” into your nail. Some people argue that cutting a “V” from the top of the nail will cause the nail to sink less into the skin. This is an absolutely useless method.
5. 5 Do not rub your nail with charcoal. Some people also claim that charcoal rubbing on the nail will help clear up the infection. Charcoal will not relieve inflammation, it will only make it worse. Only an antibiotic ointment or bandage should be applied to the nail.

Tips

• Do not squeeze pus out of an ingrown toenail. This can lead to more infection.
• Do not try to remove an ingrown toenail with your teeth. This is unhygienic and can damage your teeth and nails.
• Soak your ingrown toenail in water and antibacterial soap. This will help prevent infection. Do not try to remove an ingrown toenail with your teeth, as this can aggravate the situation, increasing the likelihood of infection.
• Bandage the sore thumb with a bandage.

Warnings

• Toe problems may indicate diabetes.
• If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor if the infection persists.
• Infections can be very life-threatening. They can cause sepsis, blood poisoning, gangrene, and so on. To treat them, you will need surgery or even amputation.
• If you have an immune system disorder, talk to your doctor if the infection persists.