An ingrown toenail is a pretty self-explanatory condition where the sharp corner of the nail grows into your foot. Although it is a relatively minor problem, it can cause significant pain. This blog will give a brief overview of how ingrown toenails occur, how to treat them, and how to prevent them from recurring.
How do Ingrown Toenails Happen?
Quite simply, the main reason ingrown toenails occur is that so many of us wear shoes that are too small. By wearing tight-fitting shoes, we force our toes together and place them under immense pressure. Many of us would spend half our day or more in shoes, so it’s quite common for the nail to be forced to grow into the toe.
Another leading cause of ingrown toenails is the fact that many people do not trim their nails correctly. You may think that this is a skill people should have picked up by adulthood, but the reason for it is quite simple. Our toes are rounded, so it seems natural that the tops of our nails should be too. In reality, though, curvy clipping makes the sides of the nails sharp and causes them to grow outward, so keep the cut straight from now on.
How are They Treated?
In most cases, ingrown toenails can be treated with a straightforward home remedy. Depending on the nail’s position, you may need to adjust the technique slightly.
First, soak your feet in warm water for 20 minutes at least 3 times a day. Don’t make the water too hot, as you could harm the skin on your feet. You just want to soften the skin, so warm water should be fine. After the soak, you can try to cut the nail into a straight line. If the nail is not yet in a position to be cut yet, you may have to place a bit of cotton under the stubborn bit to encourage it to grow in the right direction. Once it has grown enough, you can cut it.
Ingrown toenails can often lead to infections, so make sure you use plenty of antibiotic cream until the issue resolves.
How can I Prevent Them?
As mentioned earlier, the two most common reasons for ingrown toenails are tight shoes and bad clipping. Now that you know the right way to clip your nails, the best course of action you can take to prevent ingrown toenails from recurring is to make sure you are wearing the correct footwear. To see how to do this, visit our blog on finding the right shoe for your foot type.
