Sometimes, the nails of your toes get to grow out of place and therefore the growing nail pushes itself down on the skin. This disorder is called an ingrown, (ingrowing toenail or onychocryptosis or unguis incarnatus). A sharp corner of the growing nail digs and stabs into the skin at the end of the toe. This condition may at first be unnoticed, especially if you do not tend to look after your feet. But later on you may experience a swelling pain and inflammation at the affected area and this is when care and treatment should be sought.
If left untreated, this ingrown toenail may stab into the skin and cause wounds. In some cases, a small piece of the nail gets imbedded into the skin and causes infection (an infected ingrown toenail). This would result in further pain and sometimes would need an ingrown toenail surgery is required to solve it. This disorder is generally very common, and is mostly found in adults. And, toenails may become ingrown as care is not taken in cleaning and grooming the feet. The most common toe to have this condition is the big toe.
More often than not, ingrown toenails are a byproduct of improper care of the feet. Wearing tight-fitting shoes or high-heeled sandals usually increases the possibility of developing this disorder as more pressure is placed upon the toes and nails as you continue to use these improper forms of footwear. Improper trimming and grooming of the nails also play a big part in the development of ingrown toenails. When improperly cut, toenails may grow straight into the skin. Try trimming straight across and not rounded to avoid nails biting down into the skin.
Pain is usually the first symptom of ingrown toenails. Shortly after the pain is felt, you will notice that the tip of the affected toe becomes reddened and swelling will occur.
Care And Home Treatment For Ingrown Toenails
Some home treatments for ingrown toenails – Ingrown toe nails are simply treated if diagnosed early on. There are several steps that you may take in your own home to avoid and treat this disorder. Soak the affected area in water for at least four times a day. There is no need to add soap or an antibacterial agent in the water. The water itself would prove to be effective in removing the swells and redness in the toe. It is effective that after soaking, wash the toe and rub gently with soap. Keep the foot warm and dry for the rest of the day. Refrain from wearing tight shoes or high-heels on the duration of the ingrown nail. While treating ingrown toenails, try to wear open sandals or slippers to relax the foot until this condition is treated.
