Care Advice
What You Should Know About Ingrown Toenails:
- 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.
Warm Soaks:
- 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.
Elevate Corner of Toenail with Dental Floss:
- Goal: to help the toenail corner grow over the cuticle, rather than into it.
- The area won't heal until you expose the corner.
- 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, 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 elevated. Sometimes this step is impossible.
- Elevate the corner away from the cuticle with every soak.
Antibiotic Ointment:
- 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.
Taking Pressure Off Toenail with a Foam Pad or Cotton Ball:
- Until it heals, try to wear sandals or go barefoot.
- When your child must wear closed shoes protect the ingrown toenail as follows:
- Inner Edge of Toe. If the inner edge of the big toe is involved, try this technique. 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 lower toe.
- 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.
Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Use as needed.
Prevention - Nail Trimming:
- Cut your child's toenails straight across so you can see the corners. Use a nail clipper.
- Do not round off 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.
Prevention - Wear Shoes That Fit:
- Make sure that your child's 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.
What to Expect:
- With treatment, the pus should be gone in 48 hours.
- Pain should be gone in 1 week.
- Area should be healed up in 2 weeks.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Spreading redness or fever occur
- Pus pocket occurs
- Not improved after 7 days
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.