Full detailed information on ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenail is a painful condition which can cause quite a lot of discomfort to the sufferer. Basically, this condition manifests through one's toenail cutting into the flesh of the nail bed, creating a painful wound. Note that both nails and toenails can become ingrown, but the latter is far more common. Either way, ingrown toenails manifest through redness in the area, the toe feeling warm and painful to touch, possibly producing pus. If this situation is neglected, it can evolve into infection and become more painful and more serious, needing medical treatment. Usually, you can prevent this by applying proper care to the ingrown toenail. However, if you seem not to be able to help yourself, seeking medical assistance is always a good choice.

If you suffer from diabetes, your blood circulation in the leg area may be decreased, and you may be more prone to complications due to ingrown toenails.

Reasons behind Ingrown Toenails

Ill-fitting shoes and badly cut toenails are the main triggers of ingrown toenails. When the toenail grows into the surrounding tissue, it is bound to be painful and to prevent you from wearing shoes without discomfort. Most commonly, the great toe is the one prone to ingrowing, even though any given toenail can become ingrown if you neglect it.

How Can Ingrown Toenails Be Treated?

The best way of treating a sore, ingrown toenail is soaking it into a mild antiseptic solution in order to disinfect the area. Make sure you soak the troublesome toenail at least four times a day, in order for the infection to cease. Alternatively, keep in mind that partial nail removal with the cauterization of the nail matrix, which is the material keeping the nail connected to the nail bed, results in successful treatment of this problem in up to 90% of cases.

If you are not sure what to cut or how to perform the procedure right, pay a podiatrist a visit. Also, you can seek medical assistance from a physician who will remove the infected part of the toenail and disinfect the area adequately.

Finally, since prevention is the best possible cure, make sure you cut your toenails straight across, without making a curve or cutting the toenail too short. Additionally, avoid wearing small or uncomfortable shoes.

All in all, the treatment is simple and it only requires you to be careful and pay attention to the health of your toenails. Keep the above mentioned information in mind and enjoy healthy, pain-free toenails.