Unfortunately, such a problem as an ingrown nail on the big toe worries many. Often, its presence causes discomfort when walking, as well as complications. In addition to all this, a finger with an ingrown nail has a somewhat unaesthetic appearance, which is also not good. Why does the toe nail grow? How to get rid of this problem? About all this further.
Causes of the problem
From the photo of the ingrown toenail on the big toe, you can see what a sight, especially in neglected form, is far from pleasant. It is especially difficult to observe for fashionistas who adore open summer shoes. So why is there such a problem? One of its main reasons is a love of high-heeled shoes with a narrow block. Perhaps this is why a large number of women suffer from this phenomenon.
Also a very common cause of the formation of ingrown nails on the big toes is genetic heredity, presented in the special structure of the plate and the direction of its growth. So, if one of the parents has such a difficulty, then it is highly likely that she will overtake the child.
The cause of the formation of ingrown plates is a disease associated with suppuration or swelling of the skin around the nail. As a result of this phenomenon, the shape of the plate can be sharply deformed, because of which it will begin to grow. It often happens that the cause is a finger injury, which also often changes the direction of growth of the nail.
Another common reason for the appearance of an ingrown nail on the big toe is the incorrect technique for pedicure, or rather trimming the plate. Such is recognized by cutting it too short with a sharp object. In this case, as a result of constant wearing of narrow shoes, the roller by itself begins to support and grow.
The basic rule for treating ingrown toenails on the big toes says that before you begin to determine the choice of procedures to fix the problem, you need to find its cause and act on it.
The main symptoms that the nail has grown
How to understand that the nail has already grown into the skin? There are certain symptoms by which this phenomenon can be quickly and accurately determined. First of all, you should pay attention to whether the side rollers have become thicker and denser. If so, then it's time to sound the alarm and look for methods to eliminate the problem of ingrown toenails. In addition, we must also look at the overall picture of the nail plate: if it has some ribbing, becomes thicker or is deformed in some places, this phenomenon also indicates the appearance of a problem.
In some cases, there may be a situation where the color of the ingrown nail plate changes, especially when compared with those on adjacent fingers. Often it acquires a slightly yellowish tint, and in some cases becomes white.
What sensations are accompanied by the appearance of the problem? As a rule, an ingrown toenail on the big toe hurts. This is especially felt when wearing narrow shoes. In some cases, even redness of the skin on the sides can be observed. Doctors and employees of professional beauty salons recommend that you do not start this problem and fix it immediately when you detect the first symptoms. Such advice is due to the fact that in a running situation, suppuration and sometimes even blood discharge are often observed.
Prevention
From the photo of ingrown toenails on the big toes, you can easily notice that this phenomenon is not the most beautiful and pleasant. That is why many men and women are actively interested in the methods of preventing this disease. What are they?
First of all, it should be understood that not everything that is beautiful will be useful. This rule applies to shoes. Fashionistas and women of fashion in order to avoid this problem should be minimized wearing narrow and closed shoes, especially if it has a heel, since its presence only exacerbates the problem. As many experts note, staying in it for more than four hours a day already entails an increased risk of nail problems.
In order to avoid such a nuisance, you need to pamper your legs and fingers more often with pleasant baths, as well as rest without socks and shoes of any type. The presence of regular hygiene procedures is also important - feet should be washed every day, and pedicures should be done every 2-3 weeks at least, observing all the rules. Professional masters of pedicure and manicure know all the requirements for processing nails, so if possible, it is best to contact them. If the procedure is carried out at home, the basic rule should be remembered: the plate must be cut exclusively at a right angle, leaving its small length (about 1-2 mm.). After the cutting procedure is completed, the edges of the marigold can always be corrected with a file.
Home repair
If the nail on the big toe began to grow, then you can try to fix the problem at home without contacting specialists. However, it should be noted that the method that is proposed here will be effective only at the initial stage of the problem; in all other cases, it can only aggravate the situation. In addition, it should be understood that if the ingrown toenail on the big toe is rotten, then you should also not self-medicate. In this case, you must immediately consult a doctor, otherwise there may be irreparable consequences.
In order to get rid of the problem at home, you need to prepare a pleasant relaxing foot bath from warm water with the addition of a small amount of manganese. Alternatively, for this purpose, you can use tincture of calendula, chamomile or other medicinal plants that have anti-inflammatory properties, and also relax. As for the temperature of the water, it should not be very hot. After the bath is ready, you should lower your legs into it and hold for a while until the nail plate is softened to a sufficient level.
While this process is taking place, you can start preparing a special gauze flagellum, which must be thoroughly saturated with a solution made of hydrogen peroxide and furatsilin. They must be mixed in a ratio of 1: 1. After all this, the formed tourniquet should be bent from the very corner under the nail plate as deep as possible. As practice shows, at this stage there are small pains that need to be endured. Then, on the surface of the entire plate, ointment from the ingrown nail should be smeared. On the big toe, after that it is necessary to wear a fingertip.
In order to achieve the desired effect, this procedure should be performed twice a day, each time using a new strip of gauze. During self-medication, it is recommended to give preference to the most free shoes. As practice shows, if such a procedure is carried out correctly, the ingrown nail will independently come out from under the skin over time.
Pharmacy products that can be used to remove ingrown nails
Modern medicine offers a huge assortment of tools that help fight the problem of ingrown nails. All of them are presented in different forms, but most of them are expressed in the form of ointments, gels, as well as creams. Which of them are the most common and effective? What exactly can they be used for?
Ointment from ingrown toenail on the big toes "Levomekol" is especially popular among everyone else. This tool allows you to eliminate the appearance of infectious symptoms, as well as irritations. It is often recommended after the procedure for removing part of the nail plate, as the tool perfectly relieves pain. This ointment is not contraindicated for pregnant women, which makes it more universal.
Another effective tool to eliminate problems associated with ingrown nails is Vishnevsky ointment. It is a thick white mass with a pungent odor. It contains a large number of components that trigger anti-inflammatory processes and cleanse the nail plate. After each use, it is necessary to very carefully cut the corners of ingrown nails.
"Dimexide" is a tool, presented in the form of a solution, which must be moistened with gauze to disinfect the wounds that have appeared. It is used after the removal of ingrown parts of the nail during the entire period that is necessary for recovery.
Ichthyol ointment is also quite widely used in medicine in the field of removal of ingrown parts of the nail plate. It is popular not only because of its antifungal effect, but also because of the analgesic properties that are especially valuable after surgical or laser intervention. As practice shows, with the daily use of such a product, applied to a gauze tourniquet, you can finally remove the ingrown nail from under the skin and remove it yourself at home.
To achieve the most effective result, all of the above funds must be used in combination with other ointments and gels, the action of which is aimed at softening the nail plate. Which among all those that are offered on pharmacy display cases are the most popular and effective?
First of all, doctors speak well of Nogtinorm ointment, as well as of Gevol gel. They are recommended to be applied after the legs are steamed in a soda bath. So the result of the action will be safer in relation to the possibility of inflammation. Using these tools, as the nail grows, you should not cut it very short, and moreover do not try to remove the part of the nail that is still under the skin. This will provoke infection.
Folk remedies
There are a considerable number of folk remedies that ideally help to deal with the problem. How to treat ingrown toenails using traditional methods?
The procedure for using each drug is the same: at night, you need to apply a folk remedy to the problem area after steaming the feet. A fingertip should be worn over the finger or wrapped with polyethylene. You can improve the absorption of the substance with a gauze bandage. The next morning, as a result of the action of the product, the skin softens significantly. It is at this moment that you need to bend a pre-prepared thin tourniquet from gauze under the nail and try to pull the corner out.
What tools are used for this purpose? First of all, traditional medicine offers to soften the skin near ingrown nails with the help of butter or aloe juice. Some sources suggest using crushed plantain (leaves). It helps to fight against possible inflammations, which may accompany nail extraction. In addition, a mixture of onions with honey and the steaming of feet in a bath with soda (a 3 tablespoon of warm water is placed a tablespoon of baking soda) do a great job.
Surgical intervention
Surgery on an ingrown toenail also helps to resolve the problem. However, as practice shows, this method of treatment is used only in the most advanced cases. After surgical procedures, the patient will certainly experience some pain and discomfort, which will last for several weeks (up to a year). At this time, it is very inconvenient to use shoes, and indeed to walk on foot. In addition, specialists in this field also note that in almost 50% of cases of removal of the ingrown part of the nail, the problem is repeated again, especially for patients who have it at the genetic level.
Laser removal
Removal of an ingrown toenail on the big toe is recommended by many experts using a laser. According to them, this method is less traumatic for humans and is more effective. In practice, by removing a part of the ingrown nail on the big toe with a laser, there is absolutely no blood discharge, due to which the operation is performed more efficiently and quickly. With the help of a laser, all granulation sites are removed quite carefully; during this procedure, possible fungal deposits that managed to settle at the site of ingrowth are also killed.
Doctors who use this method of treatment are ready to guarantee that the pain during walking will be much milder than in the case of surgery. In addition, relapses of the problem resolved in this way are less common. As a rule, the recovery period of a nail after such an intervention is no more than 10 days.
Other troubleshooting methods
The toe nail grows - what should I do? First of all, you should contact a specialist who will choose the most effective way to fix the problem. It is worth noting that this is not always laser removal or surgery - modern medicine provides several more methods for treating ingrown toenails.
One of them is carrying out manipulations with phenol. As practice shows, this procedure is completely painless and involves applying to certain areas of the product, which prevents the further growth of excess plate cells, which stops the process of growth. This method is completely painless and is cheaper than, for example, laser removal.
Another option to deal with the problem is the radio wave method. An operation involving radio waves is very quick and painless. It is a process of cutting a nail plate with a scalpel and six-second processing of an unnecessary area using waves.
In order to correct the nail, often use acrylic gel - a special medication with which the nail plate is raised at the corners to the surface of the skin, so that there is no ingrowth. However, as experts note, this method is suitable only for those cases when the problem is at the initial stage and is not too neglected.
If inflammation appears
An ingrown toenail on the big toe can become inflamed - this is one of the types of complications after surgery. As a rule, it is observed when surgery has been performed. What to do in such a situation? First of all, you need to contact a doctor and consult about options for solving the problem. What tools can he offer for use? The most common option among them are antifungal and soothing ointments, creams, as well as gels.
In addition to the above funds, there are also those that help to cope with inflammation after removing the ingrown parts of the nail. Among them are very popular baths that can be done with soothing herbs, as well as with their infusions. As practice shows, an excellent solution in this situation can be a warm solution of water with the addition of Epsom salts - this tool perfectly helps smooth out pain and disinfect an inflamed wound. This method can be used at least every day - it is completely harmless.
How to apply ointments recommended by the doctor against inflammation? First of all, it is necessary to slightly raise the nail plate in the manner described above (using an impregnated gauze tow), then gently apply an anti-inflammatory agent and put on a fingertip. Professionals in this field do not recommend using metal devices (with the exception of scissors) in the process of combating ingrown nails. They can damage the nail plate, which can lead to not the most pleasant consequences.
What can not be done in the process of self-medication
Many people who have an ingrown toenail ache, begin to self-medicate at home. As a rule, this ends very poorly, as the procedure is performed incorrectly, with very gross errors.Orthopedic doctors who deal with problems with ingrown nails specify that a person experiences pain when the plate is already quite deeply eaten into the skin, it is not possible to get it on its own in this case. When making incorrect attempts to eliminate the problem, the ingrown toenail on the big toe festers, as a result of which the infection begins to nucleate and spread. So, what absolutely should not be done while self-medicating?
First of all, punctures of skin growths with the help of needles and tweezers should be avoided - this causes the appearance of purulent formations on the finger. Also, you can’t try to pick your fingernail with metal tools - this will certainly end badly. Another problem is the frequent attempts to cut the ingrown nail. As practice shows, the relapse of its ingrowth is repeated. If you want to remove it, you can steam the legs using the bath and lift it in the manner described above.
The big mistake is that when rubbing a nail with a piece of coal, the problem disappears. This popular method is false and can only aggravate the situation. In the case of pus formation in the nail area, do not try to squeeze it out using your fingers or improvised devices. Also, do not bite your nails with your teeth.