An ingrown toenail is a common condition that occurs when the skin on your toe grows over the edges of your toenail, resulting in pain, redness and swelling. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, any of your toenails can become ingrown, but the condition most often affects the big toe. Trimming your toenails too short, wearing shoes that are tight, injury to the toe and unusually curved toenails are common causes of ingrown toenails.
Step 1
Reduce swelling and relieve pain by soaking the foot in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day.
Step 2
Insert a piece of cotton or wax dental floss between the ingrown toenail and the skin after each foot soak. This will help the toenail eventually to grow over the skin edge.
Step 3
Apply a topical antibiotic ointment to the affected toe and bandage the area.
Step 4
Choose sandals or open-toed shoes until the condition clears up. If you are unable to wear sandals, wear shoes that have an adequate amount of room for your toes.
Step 5
Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief.
Step 6
Watch for improvements in your symptoms. If there are no improvements within two to three days, or the condition worsens, call your doctor. For more severe symptoms, your doctor may need to trim or remove the ingrown toenail edge to relieve redness, swelling and pus. For recurrent ingrown toenails, nail and tissue removal may be considered to prevent that portion of the nail from growing back.
Tips and Warnings
- Cut your toenails straight across. Tapering the corners of your nails to match the shape of your toe can encourage the toenail to grow into the skin. Trim your toenails so they are even with your tips of your toes. Pressure from your shoes can cause your nails to grow into the tissue if your toenails are cut too short.
- Do not wear shoes that are too short. Shoes with a short toe can place pressure on the toenails, encouraging your nails to grow into the skin. Wear protective footwear if your job puts you at risk of injuring your toes. Injuries that cause your toenails to fall off can lead to an ingrown toenail because new nails have a higher chance of becoming ingrown.
Things You'll Need
- Piece of cotton or dental floss
- Antibiotic ointment
- Bandage
