How to Treat Ingrown Toenails

Ever get ingrown toenails? I have, they are very painful for such a little area affected! It’s kind of an odd subject to discuss with people, but having ingrown toenails is more common that one would think. Biggest cause for ingrown toenails are, shoes that are too tight or don’t fit properly (wearing wrong size or even too narrow for wide feet), trimming your toenails too short and even hereditary, yes its true!

Some hints I have learned over the years to avoid ingrown toenails is to try and wear open toed shoes whenever possible, sandals are the best, this places no pressure on the toes and toenails. When you trim your toenails, trim them no shorter than even with the top of your toe. Just think ladies, your toenails can be painted up cute and guys, ladies DO notice a mans feet!

This wonderful home remedy or cure I have tried and it does work! First soak your feet in warm water with half a cup of Epsom salt and half cup of witch hazel (you could even add a few drops of peppermint oil or lavender), for 30 minutes. Not only is it relaxing, it will help soften your skin for the next step.

Now grab your salve, I use Watkins Petro Carbo Salve because it is a drawing salve and pulls out any infection. You could also use any triple antibiotic ointment. Now take a cotton ball and pull off a tiny bit and roll it into a ball then roll it in the ointment. Now this part may be a tad painful but its an important step, use something pointy but dull, like a nut pick is what I use, or even a tweezers and gently slide the cotton ball with the ointment under your toenail and slide it under the area that is ingrown. It may hurt a bit but what this is doing is gently pulling up the toenail out of the skin it is growing into.

Change the cotton ball every day till you see the edge of the nail out of your skin where it is supposed to be. Try and wear proper shoes during this time. The first day of this home treatment is the most uncomfortable but in the end, your ingrown toenail will be no more! Now you know some tips to prevent ingrown toenails and also if it happens again, you wont have to suffer and will know what you can do take care of it!

Source by Pete A. B.