Are You Sick?

Toenail - Ingrown

Toe pain from sharp corner of toenail cutting into surrounding skin.
Redness and swelling around the corner of the toenail is common.
The area may drain pus or yellow fluid.
The red area is very tender to touch. Pressure from wearing a shoe may make it worse.
Some people with an ingrown toenail can barely walk.

The toenail is usually pushed into the skin by wearing tight shoes.
The tiny cut made by the nail allows bacteria to enter the skin. The cut then becomes infected.
The sharp corner of the buried nail keeps growing. The deeper it goes, the more painful it becomes.

When to Call for Toenail - Ingrown
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now You have a fever and spreading red area from your toenail Spreading red area or red streak that's very large Severe pain	Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours Spreading red area or streak, but no fever Entire toe is red and swollen Pus pocket (yellow or green) seen in skin around toenail or under toenail. You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent Contact Doctor During Office Hours Can't locate and free up corner of toenail After using Care Advice more than 2 days, pus is not gone After using Care Advice more than 3 days, still hard to walk After using Care Advice more than 7 days, not starting to get better After using Care Advice more than 14 days, not cleared up Ingrown toenails happen often You have other questions or concerns	Self Care at Home Minor ingrown toenail

Ingrown toenails are always painful.
Pain is caused by the sharp toenail edge cutting into the skin around it.
The pain can be stopped. Find the toenail corner and lift it out of the raw tissue.
This will allow the area to heal.
Most ingrown toenails can be treated at home. Surgery or nail removal is rarely needed.
Here is some care advice that should help.

Soak the toe in warm water and soap for 20 minutes twice a day.
While soaking, massage the swollen part of the cuticle (skin next to the nail). Massage away from the nail.
While soaking, also try to bend the corners of the toenail upward. Use your fingernail to lift it.
Dry the toe and foot completely.

Goal: to help the toenail corner grow over the cuticle, rather than into it.
The area won't heal until you expose the corner of the nail.
Often you can lift it with your fingernail.
If not, take a short strip of dental floss or fishing line. Try to slip it under the corner of the nail. Then, gently lift the nail upward. Cut off any sharp edge.
Take a small wedge of cotton from a cotton ball. Try to place the wedge under the nail corner to keep it raised. Sometimes this step is not possible.
Raise the corner away from the cuticle with every soak.

After each soak, use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). Put it on the swollen part of the toe.
You can buy this ointment without a prescription.

Until it heals, try to wear sandals or go barefoot.
When you must wear closed-toe shoes, protect the ingrown toenail as follows:
Inner Edge of Toe. If the inner edge of the big toe is involved, try this: Tape a cotton ball or foam pad between the lower part of the first and second toes. This will keep the upper toes from touching.
Outer Edge of Toe. If the outer edge is involved, use a cotton ball. Tape it to the outside of the affected toe, but lower than the painful area.
This will keep the toenail from touching the side of the shoe.
Weather-stripping from a hardware store makes the best foam pad. Reason: has adhesive on one side.
Never wear tight, narrow, or pointed shoes.

To help with the pain, take an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Ibuprofen works well for this type of pain.
Use as needed, but do not take more than the maximum recommended dosage as stated on the package.
If you are not sure what to take, ask a pharmacist.

Cut you toenails straight across, so you can see the corners. Use a nail clipper.
Do not round off the corners. Keep the corners visible.
Do not cut them too short.
After baths or showers, the nails are soft. Bend the corners of the toenails upward.

Make sure that your shoes are not too narrow. Give away any pointed or tight shoes.
Tight narrow shoes are the most common cause of ingrown toenails.
Shoes should have a wide toe box. The toes should not feel cramped.