How to relieve pain from ingrown toenails. How to get rid of an ingrown toenail at an early stage

As soon as you notice the first signs of ingrown toenail disease (pain in the nail plate area, slight swelling and redness), you should begin treatment immediately. First, you need to say “no” to tight shoes - this will avoid putting pressure on the inflamed area of ​​​​the toe.

However, it is worth understanding that such an unpleasant sore as an ingrown toenail, the treatment of which with folk remedies was described above, will not simply disappear. All these recommendations are only preparatory stage to perform a mini-operation at home to remove an ingrown toenail. How to do this safely and efficiently? Read!

All of the following procedures should be carried out after you have relieved pain, inflammation and softened the ingrown toenail.

To cut a diseased nail plate, you will need scissors with sharp and straight ends only. This is the tool that will allow you to cut off an ingrown toenail exactly horizontally.

If the diseased nail is already cut too short and incorrectly, then using a manicure file, try to round off its edges so that they do not dig into the skin. For this, you can also use a small plate (for example, cut from unnecessary photographic film) or a piece of cotton wool, which should be placed under the edge of the nail plate.

After some time, the “wild meat” will settle, sore spot will heal, and a properly trimmed nail will not bother your finger.

If suppuration or bleeding occurs, it is recommended to use ointments that will draw out the pus and prevent the development of infection. Levomekol and Vishnevsky balm are suitable for these purposes. The product is applied to a piece of gauze or bandage, applied to the wound and wrapped in plastic wrap, and a sock is put on top of the leg to secure the bandage.

At least once in their life, everyone has encountered this problem. An ingrown toenail is a very common phenomenon, because often we simply ignore the discomfort and wear synthetic underwear and tight shoes, which are the main reasons for its occurrence.

Drug treatment

If an ingrown thick nail has rotted or a large abscess has formed, then you need to contact a specialist, since home methods can only cause harm. Now there is a special operation, during which the plate is leveled and the skin around the nail, which prevents it from growing normally, is cut off. Applicable laser surgery, the pleasure is expensive, but very effective, in this way you can cure fungi, remove warts, remove cracks in the heel and foot.

Only a laser, a radical remedy, will help you get rid of this trouble forever. But it is worth considering that such an aggressive effect on the body is not allowed for everyone. For example, there are many contraindications for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for young children.

When choosing a place to remove an ingrown toenail, give preference to trusted clinics where one of the specialties is plastic surgery. Read reviews about their work, be sure to ask your doctor how he plans to treat your specific case and how much it costs.

Traditional methods

If an attack of pain occurs at home, what should you do? In any case, you can’t cut it right away; you need to start a little steam the plate for him to come out. To do this, you can use animal fat, preferably lamb and a bandage. Fix the fat with a bandage and wait a few hours, then remove the bandage and carefully trim the nail at the root.

You can use yarrow (aloe) juice. Grind the leaves of the plant with warm water (for one medium leaf we take no more than two tablespoons of warm boiled liquid). Spread the paste onto a sponge, apply it to the problem area, and leave it overnight. In the morning it will noticeably soften, and it can be cut off or trimmed with a pedicure file.

A radical way to deal with an ingrown toenail is sandpaper and wood block. We wrap sandpaper on the stick and begin to file the plate halfway with light movements, very carefully so as not to damage the skin.

If inflammation has not yet begun, but pain bothers you, then you can simply take bath with sea ​​salt . In case of heredity or during pregnancy (when the body is particularly susceptible to influence external factors), preferably several times a week:

1. Trim cuticle;
2. Treat your fingers with coconut oil;
3. Correctly cut;
4. Go for a hardware pedicure once a month.

If the nail is festering, then apply it to it tea mushroom . This remedy will also help if you have fungus on your feet. You need to apply a fresh layer of mushroom and secure it on your finger, put on woolen socks to steam your feet and go to bed. In the morning, just cut off the problem.

An ingrown toenail causes us a lot of inconvenience, not to mention its unaesthetic appearance. Most often this is a hereditary disease. This can be eliminated with special filing. Using a nail file, an opening is made in the nail plate on the hand or toe so that an open “book” comes out. Now we just leave everything as it is, and after a few days the ingrown toenail will go up on its own.
Video: how to get rid of an ingrown toenail at home

Prepare a special onion ointment: one head of onion and one head of garlic, crush it all and mix it with lard (or fat). Apply the resulting mass to your leg.

It often happens that the nail grows from the root, in which case you need to saw the plate over the entire surface to thin it. Then the edges will begin to rise, and the nail will begin to grow correctly over time.

If the nail hurts a lot, then you can do manganese bath. Add a little, literally a pinch of powder to warm water and dip your feet. The pain goes away in a matter of minutes, then apply onion ointment and put on natural warm socks.

Quickly eliminate discomfort will help and soda bath, for five liters of water, four tablespoons of soda, five salts and a teaspoon of iodine. This way we will disinfect the wound and speed up healing. Pain-relieving baths:

1. Solyanaya;
2. Soda;
3. With a decoction of sage and chamomile;
4. Vitamin (vitamins A, C, E - one ampoule per 5 liters of water).

How to deal with sharp pain due to an ingrown toenail? Apply a painkiller to it, for example, a sponge soaked in icecoin or chlorethyl. It won't help for long, but it will help quickly.

Treatment in children

If your child has an ingrown toenail, take a bath with a decoction of oak bark. This excellent remedy against inflammation and suppuration. In general, this happens very often in children: tight shoes, frequent stays in rompers or tights. Children's nails are much more flexible; they can be trimmed without steaming.

Children are often treated with calendula. It is necessary to apply compresses from a decoction of the plant. After a few days, the plate will be significantly leveled, and the roller will become more pliable, and it will be possible to trim the shape. But remember that this disease does not manifest itself in a child just like that; you need to look for internal causes.

Calendula ointment has proven itself to be excellent. You need to mix a spoonful of wax with two calendula decoctions and one aloe leaf, add a little oil or lamb fat to the porridge and apply it to the ingrown toenail. After a few hours, you can try to remove it, since the pain will have passed and the plate will have softened significantly.

Prevention after treatment:

1. Wear only breathable, roomy shoes;
2. Linen made exclusively from natural materials;
3. When doing a pedicure, do not cut the nail at the root, just carefully give it the desired shape.
4. During each pedicure, strengthen the plate and soften the skin around it.

According to statistical data, ingrown toenails (onychocryptosis) occupy second place in the structure of inflammatory and purulent processes after complicated infections. Diagnosing the condition is not difficult. Conservative methods are used for treatment, but the main one is surgery.

Causes of an ingrown toenail

There is a hereditary predisposition to the formation of ingrown toenails. There have been many recorded cases where the disease was observed in members of the same family and passed from generation to generation. In addition, ingrown nails are the result of several predisposing factors:

• Wearing tight, uncomfortable shoes. Due to the compression of the fingers, the nail plate cuts into the soft tissue, as a result of which an ulcer appears on the skin, and then granulations grow.
• Fungal infection. Mycotic infection of the nail causes its thickening and deformation, which contributes to the deepening of the plate into the soft tissue.
• Injuries. Falling a heavy object or walking on your toes can cause damage that can lead to ingrown toenails.
• Individual characteristics buildings. Excessively curved underlying bone, flat feet - anatomical factors for the appearance of ingrown nails on thumbs legs
• Incorrect processing. Trimming the corners of the nails creates sharp edges that can contribute to the development of onychocryptosis.

Symptoms

The disease can affect any toe, but in most cases the toenail grows in on the big toe. As a rule, the outer edge of the plate goes deep into the soft tissue. An ingrown toenail causes severe pain, which gets worse when walking in tight shoes. Depending on the severity, the pathological process may manifest itself with the following symptoms:

With prolonged inflammation under the pressure of the granuloma and the edematous side fold, the nail plate becomes deformed, becomes thick and dull. The spread of the disease to the tissue of the posterior cushion can cause purulent complications (paronychia, felon of the finger, phlegmon), which often lead to disability. Among them:

• lymphangitis;
• erysipelas;
• osteomyelitis of the phalanx of the finger;
• hyperkeratosis;
• malignant process.

Treatment for an ingrown toenail

The disease is difficult to treat. Recurrence of onychocryptosis occurs in at least 30% of patients. Treatment of an ingrown nail plate on the big toe is carried out based on an integrated approach. The following methods are used:

• conservative;
• surgical;
• orthopedic.

Conservative therapy

Treatment of an ingrown toenail without surgery involves fighting inflammation, reducing pain, preventing injury to the plate and creating conditions for its growth. Conservative therapy for onychocryptosis is the use of lotions with antiseptic solutions, hot foot baths with potassium permanganate or infusions of medicinal herbs that have an anti-inflammatory effect.

It is recommended to use local antimicrobial drugs, for example, Levomekol, Baneocin. These measures are supplemented by displacing the inflamed tissues, placing gauze strips and rollers soaked in an antiseptic under the sharp edge of the nail. During treatment, it is necessary to trim the plate correctly and wear only loose shoes.

Orthopedic methods

The principle of operation of such treatment methods is based on gradual extension and increase in the radius of curvature of the nail, as a result of which the edges of the plate are raised, moving away from the tissues of the roller. Pre-hard areas are treated with a softening compound. Orthopedic treatment of an ingrown nail plate involves the use of custom-made staples (Friser staples) or springs. Recently, correction has been carried out using plates. The structures adapt to the curvature of the nail and are glued to it with special glue. The duration of treatment is 3-4 months.

If the cause of an ingrown toenail is deformation of the bones of the foot, orthoses are used - medical devices designed to form the correct position of the musculoskeletal system. These devices help get rid of calluses that cause the nail plate to grow into the skin. In addition, orthoses protect the phalanges of the fingers from pressure and excessive friction.

Surgical intervention

Radical treatment is indicated when conservative treatment methods are ineffective. Surgical removal of an ingrown toenail is carried out using one of the following methods:

• Classic – the operation is performed using a scalpel, and is characterized by high morbidity and long-term rehabilitation. The procedure takes place under local anesthesia. If the lateral ridges are inflamed, before the operation tamponade of the ingrown area is performed with a special material impregnated with an antiseptic. Options:

• Marginal wedge resection – removal of the affected area at an angle of 45°. To avoid relapses, bilateral resection of the nail plate and treatment of the matrix with phenol are performed.
• Selective resection - not only the ingrown corner is removed, but also part of the growth zone. Unlike other methods of surgical intervention, this method produces relapses in only 2%.
• Complete resection – removal of the nail plate.
• Phenolization is the destruction of the germ zone. After this procedure, the plate no longer grows.

• Radio wave – the operation is carried out using the Surgitron installation. The high precision of the radioknife allows you to avoid thermal damage to healthy nail tissue. The manipulation requires local anesthesia. The radio knife, which looks like a stick with a loop, cuts skin covering without touching it, and removes the damaged area. Then the doctor treats the growth zone. After surgery, stitches are not necessary. The treated area heals after a few days.
• Laser – evaporation and dissection of pathological tissues inflamed due to ingrown nails occurs. The procedure includes 3 stages. First, the area to be corrected is numbed. In the second stage, the damaged segment is removed, allowing the nail plate to return to its normal width. The operation ends with deep sanitation of the side wall of the finger. Due to the photocoagulating effect, bleeding is prevented. The method helps to carefully remove granulations, minimally damaging adjacent tissues. The laser has a pronounced antimicrobial effect, which excludes the addition of a secondary infection. Recovery period lasts 2-3 days. Relapses after laser use are rare.

ethnoscience

When the first symptoms of an ingrown toenail appear on your big toe, you should avoid tight shoes. Treatment of ingrown toenails at home is carried out using:

1. Butter. Steam your feet in a soda solution. Lubricate the affected areas with butter, cover the top with gauze and polyethylene, then bandage your fingers and leave the remedy for treating ingrown nail plates overnight. In the morning, remove the bandage and steam your feet in a saline solution. Try to lift the ingrown corner of the nail and place a cotton swab under it. Repeat the procedure daily for two weeks until the plate grows back.
2. Aloe. Cut a fresh leaf of the plant, then apply it to the problem area and bandage it. Leave it overnight. In the morning, cut off the protruding stratum corneum and apply a new sheet. Repeat the procedure until the nail grows back.
3. Honey and onion compress. Mix the onion, crushed to a pulp, with tbsp. l. honey Steam your legs and apply the prepared mixture under the bandage to the problem area. Do these compresses every night for 10 days, and in the morning try to lift the ingrown edge.
4. Bath with infusions medicinal herbs. Take 2 tbsp. l. chamomile, St. John's wort, calendula flowers. Steam the dry raw materials with boiling water and let it brew for half an hour. Keep your feet in the strained infusion for 20-30 minutes. Lift the steamed ingrown edge of the big toenail and place a piece of gauze or cotton wool under it. Carry out the procedure daily for two weeks.

If the inflammatory process becomes severe, the problem can be solved exclusively by surgery. In such a situation, use traditional methods treatment is ineffective and is fraught with secondary infection of the wound surface.

Prevention of ingrown toenails

Preventive measures boil down to correct selection footwear and foot care. In order to prevent nails from growing into soft tissues, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of orthopedists. They advise choosing comfortable shoes with a wide front that will not restrict the movement of your toes.

You need to cut your nails without cutting off the corners so that the edge of the plate is a straight line. To prevent onychocryptosis, it is recommended to undergo a medical pedicure every month. The essence of the manipulation is the hardware treatment of nails and nail folds with cutters, after which soft capolin tissue is laid between the plate and the lateral soft tissues to cushion and lift the problem area.

To avoid the development of complications, at the first signs of the disease you should contact a surgeon or podologist. The doctor will externally assess the condition, then refer you to general analysis blood test may advise you to determine your glucose level. If you suspect fungal infection you need to contact a dermatologist who will prescribe the appropriate course of treatment.

Video

Ingrown toenail

Ingrown toenails

Typically, the toenail becomes ingrown on the big toes. The first sign of the disease is redness of the skin, and pain is felt when pressing on the finger. The symptoms will not just go away; to avoid swelling, purulent discharge, tumors, timely treatment must be carried out. If this is not done, the finger will become bluish-red and begin to fester. It will increase in volume, causing constant pain when walking.

There are several reasons for an ingrown toenail:

• improper pedicure, that is, very deep cutting of the nail at the edges
• hereditary predisposition
• narrow or uncomfortable shoes
• weight gain, especially sharp, for example, during pregnancy
• toe injuries and many others

Ingrown nails are an unpleasant disease that is difficult to treat.

You can carry out therapy using traditional methods, or immediately contact specialists. You should contact not only surgeons, you also need to visit an orthopedist. Only a competent doctor can find out the cause of the disease and prescribe the right treatment. If a nail grows in the same place more than 2 times in a row, it is recommended to remove it completely.

How to get rid of an ingrown toenail using traditional methods

Treating an ingrown toenail at home will lead to positive result, if carried out in the early stages of the disease. You can use aloe leaf. Peel part of the plant from the outer skin, apply it to the damaged area and bandage it with a bandage. Leave the bandage on for a day, then trim the ingrown edge of the nail and reapply the sheet. Repeat the procedure until complete recovery.

In the absence of pus and bleeding, baths with the addition of soda and iodine help well. Take a bowl of water at room temperature and pour boiling water into it. You need to add hot liquid as long as you can stand it. Stir 200 g of soda and a few drops of iodine, add 200 g of salt. Lower your leg and hold for about 15 minutes. Then dry with a towel and carefully cut off the steamed edge of the nail.

Before doing a pedicure, you need to wash all instruments with an aseptic solution so as not to cause an infection and not to provoke ingrowth.

For steaming, it is good to use decoctions of herbs and flowers. Chamomile and calendula, St. John's wort relieve inflammation. Potassium permanganate can be used in small quantities. If suppuration of the affected area begins, apply Vishnevsky ointment. This remedy will draw out the pus and prevent further spread of the infection.

Butter helps effectively. Apply a piece of the product to the nail and tie it with a bag. As soon as the pain subsides, remove the bandage and carefully push a piece of gauze under the nail plate, tie it with a bandage and leave it on.

Use an abrasive file to file down a small groove in the center of the top of the nail. Then the nail will thicken towards the middle, and not along the sides. This will lead to the growth of a normal plate, without cutting into the skin of the finger. And even in this case, it must be trimmed correctly and the length adjusted. If necessary, you can get a pedicure in beauty salons.

When is laser nail removal used?

• More details

Ingrown toenail on the big toe. Treatment in hospital

Traditional methods do not always help. Therefore, in difficult cases, for example, when the pain cannot be eliminated and it becomes difficult to move, you should contact the medical center. The surgeon, under local anesthesia, will remove the ingrown nail, clean the wound of pus, and carefully apply pain medication. After the procedure, you will need to wear daily dressings until the new plate grows in. This is a long-term procedure; you will have to go to the hospital for at least a month after surgery.

There are other methods for removing ingrown toenails. For example, gentle laser correction of the nail fold. Specialists painlessly remove “overgrown skin” around the nail. But, since the laser burns out soft tissue, the wound will take a very long time to heal.

After any intervention, relapse is possible

This does not depend on the competence of doctors; only safety measures can completely eliminate the predisposition to ingrowth. Thus, it is not recommended to wear someone else’s shoes or walk in in public places in shoes. In addition, some experts associate the formation of the disease with foot fungus, therefore, at the same time as treatment, they advise disinfecting your shoes, boots and shoes. And also, treat nails with antifungal agents.