What to Do With Your Ingrown Toenail

An ingrown toenail is a common condition for both men and women. It happens when the corner or side of one of your toenails grows into the soft flesh of that toe. It usually affects one of your big toes and if not taken care of properly can lead to pain, redness, swelling and sometimes infection. This usually happens when the toenail breaks the skin and bacteria enters and causes an infection. Sometimes, skin may start to grow over the ingrown part of the nail.

Many people with ingrown toenails take care of the condition by themselves. Warm soaks and proper nail trimming may be what is needed, but sometimes it is best to see a foot specialist when you first feel the pain and the pressure. If the pain is severe or it is spreading, a podiatrist can usually relieve your discomfort and help you avoid more complications of an ingrown toenail.

\"Foot Specialist\"

If you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor circulation to your feet, go directly to your doctor rather than risk any complications.

What to Do With Your Ingrown Toenail

The signs and symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:

• Pain and tenderness in your toe along one or both sides of the nail.
• Redness around your toenail.
• Swelling of your toe around the nail.
• Infection of the tissue around your toenail. 

There are many reasons why ingrown toenails develop some of which are congenital. For instance, your toenails may be too large. People whose toenails curl under are also prone to the condition. Stubbing a toe or having a toe stepped on or some other trauma can cause a piece of the nail to jam into the skin.

High heels are also a problem because the heel transfers most of your body weight toward the front of the foot. This puts more pressure on the big toe and often deforms them over the years. This can also lead to ingrown toenails.

However, the most common cause is cutting your toenails incorrectly causing them to re-grow into the skin. Tight hosiery or shoes with narrow toe boxes make matters worse.

What You Can Do About an Ingrown Toe Nail 

Left untreated or undetected, an ingrown toenail can infect the underlying bone and lead to serious infection. If your symptoms are minor such as the toe being red and not very painful, and you don't have a complicated condition such as diabetes, you can take some simple measures at home to treat your ingrown toe nail.

• Soak the foot in lukewarm water 2 or 3 times a day for 15 minutes. I always add Epsom salts but I'm told there's no scientific evidence this will heal anything or help the pain.
• Massage the skin at the side of the toenail gently pushing it away from the nail.
• Some suggest placing cotton under your toenail after soaking to help the nail grow above the skin edge. Some doctors say this is too risky because it traps bacteria.
• However, do apply a topical antibiotic such as Neosporin or Polysporin or bacitracin. Cover the area with a band aid.

Preventing Ingrown Toenails

• Wear sandals or other low-heeled open-toed shoes whenever possible.Wear low-heeled shoes that have enough room at the toes. If you wear stockings wear moisture-wicking socks so your toes move freely.
• Keep your feet clean and dry.
• Use a toenail clipper (not a fingernail clipper).
• Cut your toenails across, going with the curve. Do not round the corners down and don't cut the toenails too short.

If you toenail becomes infected it is  time to see a doctor such as a podiatrist (foot care specialist) or a dermatologist. You may need to take oral antibiotics for an infection and the doctor may have to remove the ingrown part of your nail.

What to Do With Your Ingrown Toenail

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Toenail Fungus Remedy - Bleach Foot Soak - Remember, Safety First When Using This Home Cure

Have you ever heard of someone using that bleaching solution you use to remove the stains in your white garments not in that way though but as a toenail fungus remedy? Apparently, some people do and you can read about their testimonials in the internet and probably other publications. It is a home remedy but is still less popular compared to vinegar as a toenail fungus remedy.

Accordingly, bleach may be applied by swabbing it on the infected nails by using a cotton ball or a Q-tip. Some people have another method in using this toenail fungus remedy, preparing a diluted solution probably one tablespoon of bleach in one gallon of water and then soaking their feet for at least 10 minutes. This can be done once or twice a day for a few months until your nails are back to normal. This is to ensure that the fungus is totally eliminated, or done as a precautionary measure.

\"foot Soak\"

So how does bleach work? You see, this compound contains chlorine, a bleaching agent and disinfectant. Adding bleach to water is treating it with chlorine. This treated H2O will make its way under your toenails, where the fungus lives, and then kill it. Again, it is not a one-time treatment so you have to be patient when using this garment-whitening solution. Otherwise, your initial efforts will be useless as fungus easily grows or moves back.

Another important reminder is if you use bleach as a toenail fungus remedy, you need to thoroughly wash your feet with soap and water after every soak. Bleach is a corrosive compound and washing will prevent skin irritations. Chlorine can hurt you especially if it is too concentrated and/or your dermis is very sensitive. Make sure you consider the pros and cons before using bleach as a toenail fungus remedy.

Toenail Fungus Remedy - Bleach Foot Soak - Remember, Safety First When Using This Home Cure

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Bleach for Toenail Fungus

Perhaps you have heard of people using bleach for toenail fungus (onychomycosis). This is a home remedy that used to be more popular but it has been largely replaced by prescription medications and commercial home remedies. The downside of home bleach treatment is that it requires twenty to thirty minutes every day, a time commitment that many people find difficult.

On the other hand, using bleach for toenail fungus is much cheaper than almost any kind of remedy specifically marketed for onychomycosis, and most people already have some with their laundry supplies. Indeed, you may already have some stored with your cosmetics: some people are already bleaching toenails for entirely different reasons.

\"foot Soak\"

Foot care professionals recommend a weekly foot soak in a solution of one part chlorine bleach to 100 parts water, just to keep the feet feeling fresh and clean. Others recommend a stronger solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water for bleaching toenails to remove stains. In this case, the solution is applied directly to the toenail. If you're using bleach for toenail fungus, however, you'll need to be a bit more aggressive.

First, it's a good idea to trim down the nail as much as possible, and even file it down from above so that you actually make the whole nail thinner. File it down as much as you dare. Most people recommend using very diluted bleach for toenail fungus - one tablespoon in a gallon of water - and soaking for 30 minutes daily. Even better, soak for 10-15 minutes morning and evening. Bleaching toenails in this gradual, gentle way will decrease the chances that you will irritate your skin with the solution.

Some people have used more concentrated bleach for toenail fungus: a one in four solution applied directly to the nail or undiluted bleach applied to the nail and washed off after three or four minutes. Some tough individuals have just applied undiluted bleach to nails daily and left it on. Keep in mind, however, that chlorine bleach is a hazardous chemical: it is corrosive, and will damage any skin that is exposed while you're bleaching toenails. In addition, the fumes from the chemical should not be inhaled. It is much safer to use a diluted solution.

If you decide to use bleach for toenail fungus, be prepared to set aside the time daily for a couple of months. It may even take longer than this. If bleaching toenails doesn't appeal to you, consider trying one of the commercial natural remedies for onychomycosis. They are more expensive than bleach, but less so than prescription drugs, and there is scientific evidence that some of them are effective against the fungus that infects toenails.

Bleach for Toenail Fungus

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bleach for Toenail Fungus, a blog dedicated to the treatment of fingernail and toenail fungus.

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