An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows at an angle that causes it to push into the surrounding skin, causing pain, irritation, redness and sometimes infection. For some people, ingrown toenails are hereditary, while for others they are the result of foot trauma, incorrect trimming or wearing uncomfortable or too-small shoes. In cases where there is no infection present, there are several home-care options to cure an ingrown toenail.
Soaking
The least-invasive home remedy for an ingrown toenail is to soak your foot in warm water up to three times a day. Doing this can reduce swelling to the affected area of skin and also ease the feeling of tenderness. Adding Epsom salt to the bath mixture can help soothe and relax the skin as well.
Cotton Balls
For some ingrown toenails, the warm soak is not enough to eliminate the tenderness.. Since you may be limited in how often you can relax in a bath, the application of a piece of cotton ball under the ingrown edge of the skin can further alleviate the pain. You can apply the cotton balls immediately after the soak in the morning or at night to provide intermediate relief. The physical presence of the cotton also can act as a barrier to redirect the nail's growth away from the skin.
Picking Better Footwear
When you have an ingrown toenail, your foot needs time and the proper environment to heal. This can be compromised by wearing tight shoes or socks while attempting to allow the toenail to recover. In order to keep the toenail from continuing to grow the wrong way, wearing open-toed shoes, sandals or flip flops as much as possible can speed up the healing process.
Cleanliness
Feet should be washed daily in general circumstances, but taking extra time and effort to wash the area around an ingrown toenail can both speed up the healing process and keep the symptoms from getting worse. Washing the effected area up to four times a day will greatly reduce the chance of dirt or bacteria entering the skin and causing more serious problems which could lead to a trip to the doctor's office.
Prevention
Like most health problems, prevention is the best remedy for ingrown toenails. In addition to keeping your feet clean and wearing properly fitted shoes and socks, proper nail care is key to keeping ingrown toenails from occurring on a regular basis. Learning to correctly trim your nails is an essential part of this process. If you trim your nails unevenly, do not try to continue trimming to even out the nails as this can lead to the nail growing poorly.
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