Fingernails don't ingrown as often as toenails, but it can happen, and if so, it creates pain and a possible infection. If the nail is ingrown, one of its edges grows and curves into the soft skin that surrounds it; learn to treat it appropriately to reduce discomfort and heal it.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Home Remedies
Step 1. Lift the nail
If the problem is mild, you can take care of lifting the nail yourself; leave it to soak to soften it and put something under it to move it away from the skin to stop its growth in the epidermis. Place a small piece of clean cotton gauze, a cotton ball or floss under the edge of the nail.
- If you have opted for cotton wool, take a small piece and roll it between your fingers, so as to form a kind of tube about 1.5 cm long; it must not be too thick, but just enough to be able to lift the nail from the skin.
- Secure the cotton tube to one side of your finger using tape; lift the corner of the ingrown nail up and out with the opposite hand and slide the free end of the wadding underneath it so that it reaches the opposite side of the nail. By doing so, the wad lifts the nail away from the skin.
- It can be a painful and complex procedure. By blocking one end of the roll with adhesive tape you can better maneuver the wad and bring it under the corner of the nail; This may require the help of another person.
Step 2. Use an antibiotic ointment
You can apply some on the nail to prevent infections; smear it on the affected area with a cotton swab and then cover it with a clean patch.
You should change the bandage and apply more antibiotic every day
Step 3. Take over-the-counter pain relievers
Infected ingrown toenails can be very painful and you can take pain relievers to reduce the discomfort. be sure to follow the instructions on the leaflet regarding the daily dosage.
You can try acetaminophen (Tachipirina), ibuprofen (Brufen) or naproxen sodium (Momendol)
Method 2 of 4: Soak the Ingrown Toenail
Step 1. Soak it in warm water
Soak it for about 15 to 20 minutes. This remedy helps relieve pain and reduce swelling; you can repeat the treatment three or four times a day.
- After keeping it immersed for the indicated period, dry it thoroughly; you should always keep it dry when you are not doing the treatment.
- At the end of the "bath", apply an ointment or oil and replace the cotton or patch.
Step 2. Use Epsom salt
This is another useful remedy for your ingrown toenail; fill a tub with hot water, add a couple of tablespoons of this salt to every liter of water and let the affected finger soak for 15 or 20 minutes.
- Epsom salt is able to reduce pain and inflammation.
- If you want to put on a patch at the end of the treatment, make sure your finger is perfectly dry before protecting it.
Step 3. Dip your nail in hydrogen peroxide
This substance is used to prevent infections; put the affected finger in a solution of warm water and 120 ml of hydrogen peroxide.
- Soak the nail for 15-20 minutes.
- Alternatively, you can pour hydrogen peroxide onto a cotton ball or piece of gauze and apply it directly to the ingrown toenail.
Step 4. Try tea tree oil
This substance has antifungal and antibacterial properties that promote healing. Add two or three drops to the hot water in which you dip your finger; alternatively, dilute a drop or two with a tablespoon of olive oil and rub it on your nail to prevent infections.
- Tea tree oil allows you to keep the nail a little softer; mix a drop in a tablespoon of olive oil and apply it daily on the affected nail. This remedy is a great alternative to antibiotic ointments, as you probably don't need both.
- After soaking the nail in tea tree oil, spread a little Vicks Vaporub or similar product on the injured area; menthol and camphor present in the ointment reduce pain and soften the nail. Leave the product on the nail for 12-24 hours using a patch or piece of gauze to hold it in place.
- If you are using cotton to lift the nail, you can pour some tea tree oil directly onto the cotton wool.
Method 3 of 4: Medical Treatments
Step 1. Go to the doctor
If your ingrown toenail begins to get infected or does not improve after about five days, you should see your doctor, who can treat the condition with a topical antibiotic to spread on your finger.
- If the infection has gone deep into the skin, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic.
- If the problem is caused by a fungus (which is quite likely if you suffer from chronic ingrown toenails), the doctor can determine this and offer you the most suitable treatment.
- Tell them if the pain around the nail has worsened, if the redness or tenderness to the touch has spread, if you cannot bend your finger at any joint, or if you have a fever, as these are all symptoms that indicate a more serious problem.
Step 2. Get your nail lifted with surgery
If it is infected but has not started to produce pus, the doctor may decide to lift it, so as to separate it from the skin, making it grow outside the epidermis and not inside.
- Once moved upward, the doctor can insert something between the nail itself and the skin to space them out; usually, use cotton, floss, or a splint.
- If you are ingrown or severely infected, or if you feel discomfort lifting it yourself, see your doctor to do it for you.
Step 3. Surgically remove the ingrown toenail
If you have several relapses, your doctor may recommend surgical procedures for removing the nail. the most common method is partial avulsion, which consists in the removal of the part that has penetrated the skin.
- If you have this procedure, check how your nail grows back to make sure it doesn't go back to ingrown.
- In severe cases, the nail bed is completely removed through chemical treatments or the laser; however, these solutions are very rare and are performed more frequently to treat toenails.
Method 4 of 4: Read up on Ingrown Nails
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms
The nail becomes incarnate when one of its edges grows and curves, penetrating the soft skin around the nail itself; the resulting pressure causes redness, pain, swelling, and sometimes infection.
- If there is infection, you may notice pus and swelling spreading to the finger.
- The ingrown toenail can grow into the soft skin of the inner or outer side of the finger.
Step 2. Know the causes of this annoying disorder
Fingernails become more rarely ingrown than toenails; however, there are some factors that can cause the problem, the main ones being:
- Trauma;
- Biting your nails
- Cutting your nails too short or irregularly
- Fungal infections;
- Having curved or thickened nails, characteristics that are generally due to genetic factors, but which can become a problem in older people.
Step 3. Look for symptoms that get worse
The ingrown toenail almost always heals with home remedies or standard medicinal products, but sometimes the infection can get worse. If your symptoms begin to worsen, you need to go to the doctor or emergency room immediately.
If pus forms, pain around the nail becomes more intense, redness or tenderness spreads, you can't bend your finger at any joint, or you have a fever, you need to seek medical attention right away
Step 4. Prevent ingrown toenails from developing
You can take steps to avoid this disorder; for example, do not cut your nails too short, as this is a risk factor. Also avoid tearing or tearing them and file any rough or rough edges.
- Keep your hands and nails dry; also make sure that the latter are always clean.
- Check them for signs that they may be growing inside the skin, so that you can intervene promptly.
