We all know how painful an ingrown toenail is. Not only that ingrowns are quite tricky to treat because they can become infected or my reccur.
The best thing to do is to prevent them. How? Scroll down below to find out!
Ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenail is a painful condition of the toe that occurs when the sharp corner of the toenail digs into the skin of the toe. It may only present itself as a minor discomfort, but it can progress into an infection. It is medically referred to as onychocryptosis.
Causes
– Tight-fitting shoes or socks
– Improper trimming of toenails
– Poor foot hygiene
– Injury
– Nail infection
– Hereditary condition
Defense
To prevent ingrown: Don’t wear shoes that squeezed the toes or make you feel uncomfortable. When trimming, trim straight across but leave some of the nail’s white edge. Sharp corners of short nails can pierce the skin which can cause painful inflammation leading to ingrown.
Offense
Early stages: If you are on the early stages of an ingrown, the best thing to do is to lift the edge of the nails, just enough to place a small piece of gauze between it and the skin. If it does not get better in 3 days or there is a pus, consult your doctor immediately.
