Treating Ingrown Toenails at Home
Ingrown toenails aren’t much fun. Nails are, of course, supposed to grow out and protect the soft skin underneath. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons they may get a bit sidetracked and cause collateral damage to the surrounding skin. That means, at a minimum, symptoms like pain, swelling and tenderness can be an issue. Fortunately, if you can catch them early enough they can often be treated at home. You can try soaking your foot in warm water with some Epsom salt for about 20 minutes a day to help alleviate the pain and symptoms. If you find that after a few days of soaking your foot doesn’t provide relief you can contact our office to make an appointment.
If you have diabetes, or any other condition that suppresses your circulation or immune system, skip the home care and come straight to us. Even if you don’t have such conditions, make an appointment if home care doesn’t seem to help after more than couple of days, or you notice any signs of infection (such as redness, swelling, or pus).
With any luck, that ingrown toenail will clear up in a few days. Unfortunately, luck is often in short supply when it comes to ingrown toenails. If you find that the problem isn’t getting better—or even getting worse—make sure you call us to make an appointment in Metairie or Covington. We are happy to evaluate the toenail and provide quick removal of the toenail. If the ingrown toenail keeps recurring there is an option for permanent correction. This involves removing the portion of the toenail that is ingrown and applying a chemical to the root of the nail to prevent it from coming back.
To prevent ingrown toenails be cautious to the way you are cutting your toenails. Cut them straight across, not so short and don’t pick on them or tear at the corners. And, lastly wear shoes with plenty of room in them.
To set up an appointment, just give us a quick call at your preferred office location:
Metairie: (504) 708-4810
Covington: (985) 809-1464