The scientific name for the ingrown nail is onychocryptosis. This unpleasant phenomenon is characterized by the fact that the nail plate grows into the lateral edge of the nail roller. This ailment is quite common. An ingrown toenail is especially common.
The main symptoms that indicate a problem are:
- Pain in the area of the nail, accompanied by bleeding from the soft tissues and their inflammation. The discomfort is especially aggravated while walking, the pain is much stronger if the shoes are narrow and uncomfortable.
- Isolation of pus and the appearance of edema in the lesion.
It is noted that an ingrown toenail is a particularly dangerous phenomenon for people suffering from diabetes and impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities. This is because this disease can lead to gangrene (in the absence of proper treatment).
An ingrown toenail can be found even in children. Among the main causes of this disease, the following are distinguished: orthopedic pathologies of the feet, overly tight shoes, nail fungus, congenital tendency to its occurrence, incorrect pedicure, flat feet.
How to treat an ingrown toenail ?
To resolve the problem, one of four methods is used: surgical intervention, the use of folk remedies, laser removal, and the conservative method. Each of them is considered in detail below.
Surgical intervention. This method involves various kinds of procedures that affect the ingrown toenail. At the initial stage of the disease, it will be enough to remove that part of it on which a seal has formed due to inflammation. In more complex situations (when purulent discharge and deformation of the nail are observed), surgical intervention, in which the ingrown nail is removed, cannot be avoided.
The use of folk remedies. At the very beginning of the development of the disease, when inflammation and pain are not so pronounced, the likelihood of successfully resolving the problem at home is quite high. How to cure an ingrown toenail? It is necessary to adhere to certain rules:
- Only comfortable shoes with a wide front should be worn, this will significantly reduce the pressure exerted on the toes. It is recommended that you walk barefoot as much as possible or with your fingers open (if possible).
- Do not cut the ingrown nail briefly. This only activates the process of ingrowth and deformation. Pedicure is performed with scissors, the blades of which are straight.
- Every day do baths (with salty warm water) for the feet. These procedures will reduce pain, relieve swelling, eliminate inflammation (if it is not strong), soften the nail and skin around it. Instead of salt, you can add furatsilin or potassium permanganate (this will help prevent infection). After inserting a cotton turundum under the edge of the problem nail so that it is in an elevated position. If infection could not be avoided, apply an antibacterial ointment.
Laser removal. This method is the least traumatic and most effective. Currently, it is used more and more often. The bottom line is: not the entire problem nail is removed, but only its ingrown part and the edge of the growth zone evaporate. In this case, the risk of relapse is minimal, since the edge of the nail plate (inner) no longer grows.
Conservative method. It helps to avoid surgery. The therapy is carried out by means of corrective devices such as braces, special springs, elastic plates made of plastic or metal. They contribute to the gradual extension of the nail plate, subjected to deformation. The procedure for fixing such a device can even be done by a manicurist.
Be healthy!