An ingrown toenail is not only ugly, but also quite an unpleasant phenomenon, because the main symptom that a person initially pays attention to is acute pain when walking. It is not surprising that redness and inflammation of the soft tissue around the nail plate contributes to all this. Daily pressure on the painful area with shoes leads to the release of purulent masses, bleeding opens and the nail plate gradually thickens. The problem of an ingrown toenail is fraught with negative consequences for those people who have diseases such as diabetes mellitus or circulatory disorders, as all this can lead to gangrene.
Causes of disease
Specialists identify two main reasons why a toenail begins to grow in, is improper nail care and heredity. It has long been known that you need to cut your nails correctly, giving them a certain shape and cutting them shallowly. In case of violation of the above pointsyou are at risk of acquiring this disease. Another reason is heredity, that is, it is not the disease itself that is transmitted to us by genes, but the shape of the nail, which is a direct factor affecting the development of ingrowth. Tight and uncomfortable shoes are another reason why an ingrown toenail appears.
Treatment
Of course, it is best to seek advice from specialists who, with professionalism and maximum sterility, will perform a small operation for you to remove the ingrown nail from the adjacent shell and adjust its shape in the right direction. However, you can do the same at home. In the second case, you will have to remove the ingrown toenail on your own and with some caution.
So, the initial step will be steaming the nail plate in fairly hot water for 15-20 minutes. Next, you should carefully wipe your feet with a towel, and under the ingrown nail, in order to force it out of the body, you need to insert a small piece of sterile cotton wool, having previously treated the wound area with iodine so as not to cause an infection. The ingrown toenail is already steamed out and, under the influence of cotton wool, will gradually come out, but this procedure for steaming, processing and giving growth correction with cotton wool will have to be repeated daily, preferably several times a day. After a few days, when the nail is completely out, you need to give it the necessary shape with a nail file so that there are no more problems with ingrowth. In general, treating an ingrown toenail at home isnot only risky, but also very painful and lengthy. That is why many of the victims prefer to take specialized care.
Prevention
As you know, the best treatment is prevention! Therefore, only a few rules should be strictly observed so that an ingrown toenail does not take place in your body. The first tip is to always wash your feet when you get home with water and laundry or similar soap, use only your own towel and only personal socks and shoes. Otherwise, you can also earn foot fungus. Wear only high-quality, comfortable and appropriate footwear. Make it a habit to sterilize the tools you use to remove and treat fingernails and toenails before and after use.
