Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails happen when your nail is digging into the soft tissue underneath the nail grooves. This results in inflammation (e.g., redness, swelling, and irritation). A healthy nail grows outwards, while an ingrown nail grows right into the skin, resulting in pain because its sides curve right into your flesh. Your big toe is the likeliest one to suffer from ingrown toenails. However, your other toes are also susceptible to this dreaded nail condition.

The Causes of Ingrown Toenail
The following are possible causes of ingrown toenail:

• Repeated foot trauma
• Improper nail trimming
• Crowded toes thanks to the narrow toe box
• Hereditary reasons
• Too much strain from tight shoes

The Symptoms of Ingrown Toenail
As for the symptoms of an ingrown toenail, they include the following:

• Pain
• Proud flesh or prominent skin tissue
• Swelling
• Odor
• Redness
• Drainage

Home Treatment for Your Ingrown Toenail
An infected ingrown toenail requires the following homebrew remedies. Firstly, you should dip your toes and foot into saltwater that's warm. You can also use a water basin full of water and antibacterial soap lather. After your foot has gotten a thorough washing, put antiseptic on the swelling area then bandage it.

If you have a circulatory disorder, diabetes, and peripheral vascular disease, then your ingrown toenail becomes more of a risk and you require podiatrist assistance in order to deal with this situation. Avoid treatments that aren't doctor-recommended as well.

It's only smart to seek medical attention ASAP when it comes to toenails that are ingrown. Don't use OTC products and medications. Avoid removing the nail without the doctor's assistance. Don't self-medicate. Podiatrists exist for issues like this.

The Right Time to Go to a Podiatrist
You should go to a podiatrist as soon as there's redness and drainage from your ingrown toenail. If your home trials or folk remedies aren't working either, then get a doctor to help. Depending on your podiatrist's expertise, you might have to undergo temporary or permanent toe removal.

Ingrown Toenail Diagnosis and Treatment
If the condition is severe, your foot doctor can implement several extreme measures. A portion of the whole nail could be removed and then you'll be given drugs (oral or topical) to deal with the pain and the infection itself. As for chronic ingrown toenails, you require podiatric services that involve chemical compound usage or even laser therapy. You might have to take the root or matrix of the ingrown toenail's corner.

Ingrown Toenail Prevention
These are the advice and proposals you can follow in order to curtail ingrown toenail development.

• Correct toenail trimming is required. Cut them straight and don't make them extend beyond the tips of the toes.
• Use a file to round off nail corners instead of cutting them with a clipper.
• Only use toenail clippers to clip toenails.
• Don't wear shoes with pointy or narrow toe boxes.
• Never rip apart the edges of toenails.

Dr. Arshia Roohian is presently offering her podiatric services to the following cities: Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Irvine, and Laguna Woods. She also provides professional and dependable therapeutic foot procedures dealing with ingrown toenails. She even does ingrown toenail therapy every day, so make your appointment with her in real-time through the Internet.