An Ingrown toenail is common, especially among people who do not allow their feet to breathe or wear shoes that are too tight. Ingrown toenails cause redness, swelling, and pain that can be relieved using home and medical remedies. Most people experience an ingrown toenail in their lifetime. Complications of an ingrown toenail include infections. There are different ingrown toenail relief Houston treatments, ranging from medical surgical and home remedies. In the initial stages, combine home and over-the-counter medication for the ingrown toenail treatment. If you have an infected ingrown toenail,you need to see a podiatrist ingrown toenail Houston for medical attention and treatment.

Common ingrown toenail remedies

  1. Soak in warm, soapy water to ease the pain and reduce swelling. You can soak your foot in warm, soapy water for up to 20 minutes. Epsom salt brings additional relief.
  2. Use apple cider vinegar to soak the foot. Apple cider vinegar has proved to be a remedy for most things these days. Apple cider vinegar has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving abilities.
  3. Encourage proper nail growth with cotton or dental floss. The podiatristsrecommend that you tuck small bits of waxed dental floss or cotton under the edge of the ingrown toenail to encourage proper nail growth.
  4. Apply an over-the-counter antiseptic ointment or cream to reduce the risk of infection and promote healing. Use it at least three times a day.
  5. Wear comfortable and spacious footwear. Avoid too tight shoes and socks so that you avoid aggravating the condition. If you continue wearing tight shoes and socks, the ingrown toenail may get worse. Wear footwear that leaves space in the toes and limits the pressure on your toenails.
  6. Take pain relievers mostly available over-the-counter. Ibuprofen is more effective in relieving pain and swelling.
  7. Use a toe protector that acts as a cushion for the ingrown toenails. Toe protectors are available to fit the affected area or the entire toe. Use the protector until the ingrown toenail is healed.
  8. Toe braces are composite devices used to shield the ingrown toenail until it is healed. These can be used to prevent ingrown toenails too.
  9. Visit your podiatrist. If you notice signs of increased redness, swelling, foul odor, pus or discharge, and warmth in the affected toe and surrounding area, book an appointment with an ingrown toenail specialist. The podiatrist will prescribe antibiotics and reduce pain and swelling as they fight the infection.
  10. Nail removal as a last resort. If the ingrown toenail does not improve with other treatments, partial or full removal of the toenail is considered. In severe cases or recurring cases, the doctor might recommend removing the entire toenail. The doctor uses a local anesthetic to remove part of the nail border and the underlying nail bed or the middle growth plate. Removing the entire toenail is potentially painful and creases the risk of infection. It however does not guarantee that the toenail will grow back without being misshapen.

Ingrown toenails are easy to treat at home in the initial stages other than leaving them untreated.