The problem of ingrown toenails can be very painful and cause big problems in everyday life, especially if you wear tight shoes or have underlying diseases.
Ingrown toenails can be very painful and a nasty problem, but on average it occurs in one in five people.
The following home procedure can help you for ingrown toenails without the need to visit a doctor as long as the nail condition is not in serious condition.
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Treatments for ingrown toenails
When the corners of the nail start to grow into the nail fold, pressure builds up on the affected area, causing swelling and redness. If the nail is not treated, these first mild symptoms can quickly get worse.
1. Epsom salts
Soak your feet in hot water with Epsom salts or tea tree oil, the hotter the better, but without burning your feet, of course. Keep your feet submerged for 15 to 30 minutes at least twice a day.
The purpose of regular baths is to soften the nails, but also to prevent possible infections, such as those present in athlete’s foot.
- Before bathing, prepare all the necessary accessories for nail cutting and leave these tools at your fingertips: from nail clippers, scissors, tweezers and cotton, try to ensure that everything is sterilized very well, which you can achieve by submerging them in boiling water about 3 minutes.
- After bathing, dry your feet thoroughly with a clean towel and trim your nails straight. Cutting them rounded increases the risk of the nail growing buried in the skin.
- Using a sterile needle, lift the ingrown toenail and gently place cotton in the space in between. Be patient and you should not force it too much. Place the cotton under the ingrown toenail to avoid irritation and to prevent toe infection, then wrap gauze around the toe.
- Regularly check the situation with the nail, and at least once a day, change the cotton. If you maintain hygiene in this way, the problem with ingrown toenails will resolve itself in just two weeks, once a new, healthy nail grows out.
2. Let your feet breathe
Do not wear socks and shoes when you are at home, this way the foot can be aired and ventilated which prevents the humidity between the toes from being the perfect place for the nails to become ingrown and generate bacteria.
3. Apple cider vinegar for ingrown toenails
Apple cider vinegar is a surefire treatment for many diseases. It is also useful in the problem of ingrown toenails.
A few tablespoons mixed in water to soak the foot or direct application of apple cider vinegar on the foot; both are a natural treatment to solve the problem of ingrown toenails.
4. Vicks VapoRub for ingrown toenail
This menthol-based ointment is also believed to be an excellent natural remedy for treating ingrown nails.
The Vicks VapoRub can be applied directly to the ingrown nail. This treatment provides relief from chronic pain in the ingrown toenail and also encourages its rapid healing.
How to avoid ingrown toenails
To avoid the recurrence of the problem of ingrown nails, there are some precautions we can take:
- Choose loose shoes with low heels.
- Cut your toenails straight
- Don’t cut your nails too short.
- Change shoes occasionally, some of your shoes may be tighter than others.
- Try to wear open shoes or sandals, and also try going barefoot at home.
Ingrown nails can also be due to genetic factors. In these cases, it is even more important to pay attention to the first signs and start treatment early.
Tips to avoid ingrown toenails
Remember that this toe will come into contact with the other toes in socks and shoes during the day, which will inevitably lead to sweating.
If there is inflammation of the ingrown toenail, it can be prevented in the following way:
Put a lemon wedge on the damaged nail and wrap it in gauze, leave it on overnight. Lemon has excellent properties to fight infection.
However, these are tips as long as your problem is accessible to you, if you observe infection on the finger, its color will change from intense red to dark blue. If you notice a foot infection, it is best to go to the doctor, who will prescribe the appropriate medication to quickly treat the infection and relieve symptoms.