Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown Toenails

Back at the turn of the century, the medical profession had some funny ideas about treating ingrown toenails. But the cures were not so funny for the patient. Using brute force, the doctor would simply rip out the entire nail, root and all.

Thankfully, the days of rip-’em-out nail surgery are behind us. In fact, there are ways you can handle the condition yourself.

Start with an examination. For some reason, the big toe seems to cause the most problems. As the nail grows, the skin near the tip of your toe becomes irritated by pressure, and you’ll see redness and swelling accompanied by plenty of pain.

The problem is more common in people with unusually curved toenails, says Kathleen Stone, D.P.M., podiatrist in private practice in Glendale, Arizona. And if you wear tight shoes or stockings or injure your toe, you’re more likely to get an ingrown nail.

As you age, you become even more susceptible to ingrown toenails. You’re probably less agile than you once were, and that means you’re more likely to trip and stub your toe. Also, nails tend to thicken as you age, and thicker nails are more forceful when they nudge their way into your skin. Older people are also more likely to get bunions and hammertoes, foot conditions that make your toes rub together, and with more friction, the skin surrounding your nails can become irritated.

So there are ways to prevent ingrown nails as well as ways to treat them. Here are some tips that cover both angles.

Try This First

Soak your foot. When you have an ingrown nail, the area around it is likely to become inflamed, and that inflammation only makes the condition worse. If you can reduce the swelling, your symptoms will improve, says Loretta Chou, M.D., assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine.

To tackle the inflammation, put some hot water in a bucket and soak your foot for 20 minutes. To help prevent infection, add a small amount of mild soap to the water, suggests Dr. Chou. Or use Epsom salts, following the directions on the package. Test the water with your hand to make sure it’s not too hot. You can repeat the soak once or twice a day as needed to bring down the inflammation, says Dr. Chou.

Other Wise Ways

Use antibiotic ointment. Ingrown nails easily become infected. Use an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment such as Neo sporin or Polysporin. Smear on the ointment after your bath or shower, and be sure to do it again after you’ve soaked your foot, advises Dr. Chou.

Trim right. When you cut your nail, don’t round the edges, or you’ll just encourage the skin to be become irritated. Instead, trim your nails straight across when you use a clipper. It’s fine to file down the edges slightly to keep them from being so sharp, but don’t curve them, explains Dr. Chou.

Wear sandals. Open-toed shoes will keep the pressure off your toes and allow your foot to heal faster. And since the toes are open, there’s no chance that you’ll accidentally jam your toes into the front of the shoe when you’re walking downhill, says Dr. Chou. If you can prevent your toe from being injured, you’ll be less likely to develop an ingrown nail, according to Dr. Chou.

Buy shoes that fit. If your shoes are too tight, you’ll have more pressure on your nails, says Dr. Chou. Women, especially, are likely to wear shoes that are too small, partly because manufacturers pay more attention to style than to the actual shape of the foot. Since your feet tend to become longer and wider with age, you should get your feet measured each time you buy shoes. And when you select the pair you want, press the toe of the shoe to make sure that there’s at least a finger’s width from your longest toe to the end of the toe box.

Choose stockings with care. Make sure your socks or stockings aren’t too tight, says Dr. Stone. This can be a contributing factor as you age. If too tight, they can cause the thickened nail to be pushed into the skin.

Lace up logically. If you’re wearing lace-up shoes, especially for foot-intensive activities like running or walking, you want to prevent your toes from sliding forward into the end of the toe box. To hold your foot in the correct position in the shoe, lace up your shoes so the laces are tightest (but not too tight) near the top of your midfoot, explains Dr. Chou.