Podiatric Treatments for an Ingrown Toenail

With so many home remedies available online, some people think it’s easier to treat conditions like ingrown toenails without spending time and money on trips to the doctor. Unfortunately, even if you successfully sift out the misinformation, it’s possible your condition may not improve with at-home treatment alone. 

We encourage everyone to be proactive about foot care, so understanding when to seek professional help is vital for protecting your health and well-being. At Clover Podiatry, our foot doctors offer various services, including treating ingrown toenails, with dedicated care and minimally invasive techniques that hopefully eliminate your issue and get you back on your feet. Here’s what you should know about ingrown toenails and when it’s time to call us for an evaluation.

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What’s an Ingrown Toenail?

An ingrown toenail is a condition where the corner or side of your toenail grows into the flesh around it. The nail presses into and may even cut the skin, causing pain and tenderness, inflammation, and swelling. 

Some common causes of ingrown toenails include:

• Shoes that are too tight around the toes
• Cutting toenails too short or curved around the edges
• Nail infections
• An injury to the toenail
• An abnormal gait
• Having nails that are naturally very curved
• Frequent perspiration or other conditions that cause damp feet and softened nails 

Complications From Ingrown Toenails

If you let an ingrown toenail go untreated, it’s possible that the tissue around the nail will become infected. In rare cases, infection can spread to the bone. Signs of infection include: 

• Pus coming from the area around the ingrown toenail
• Fever and possibly accompanying body aches and chills
• Redness or inflammation around the area or spreading out to the rest of the foot

If you have certain medical conditions, you’re more likely to experience such complications. So if you have diabetes, severe nerve damage, or poor circulation, it’s important to see our skilled Vancouver podiatrists about an ingrown toenail immediately to prevent infection. Without proper medical treatment, an infected toe may require amputation.

At-Home Treatment for Ingrown Toenails May Not Be Enough

If your ingrown toenail is somewhat new and still minor, here are some at-home treatments you can try: 

• Foot soak. Try resting your feet in warm water with a gentle soap for up to 20 minutes to soften the toenail and the skin surrounding it. You can try gently pressing the skin around the nail to encourage it away from the nail. Always dry your feet thoroughly.
• Apple cider vinegar soak. Follow the same instructions above, but add a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar to the water rather than soap. The vinegar's natural antibacterial properties may help kill harmful bacteria near the ingrown toenail.
• Encourage the nail to grow above the skin. After soaking your toes, you can try gently lifting the edge of your nail and placing a small piece of cotton or floss between the nail and skin. Change the cotton or floss every day.
• Antiseptic ointment. Apply an antiseptic ointment like Neosporin to the area to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. Cover with a bandage.
• Wear breathable socks and properly fitted shoes. Non-breathable footwear traps moisture, increasing the risk of infection. 
• Over-the-counter pain relievers. Medication like ibuprofen or naproxen often helps relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

How Our Vancouver Podiatrists Provide Top-Notch Professional Care for Ingrown Toenails

If at-home treatment isn’t improving your symptoms after several days, or the condition worsens, schedule an appointment in Clover Podiatry’s Vancouver office to determine your next steps. After a thorough examination, we may recommend the following medical treatments for your ingrown toenail:  

• Lifting. Expanding on the home remedy above, we use some type of support to direct the nail to grow about the skin. This process may take as little as two weeks, but can be longer—a couple of months or more—depending on the rate of nail growth. You’ll continue to soak your toe and replace the cotton or floss each day, or we’ll apply cotton soaked in a waterproof solution that eliminates the need for daily replacement. We may also prescribe a corticosteroid cream to help reduce inflammation during recovery.
• Using a gutter splint. This is like the lifting technique, but we use a tiny slit tube as a splint. It stays in place until the nail grows above the skin’s edge, and helps ease any discomfort.
• Taping. Another solution is to apply tape to the skin so we can pull it away from the nail’s edge. 
• Partial removal. A more severe ingrown nail may require a matrixectomy. During this procedure, which only takes a few minutes, your doctor numbs the toe and trims away the ingrown portion of the nail. Another option is a wedge excision, which removes part of the nail and tissue in the affected area so the problem doesn’t happen again.
• Complete removal. If you’re plagued by chronic ingrown toenails—especially if they occur on the same toe—your doctor may suggest more permanent solutions such as a total nail avulsion and/or nail bed ablation.  During this process, we’ll numb the area and conduct the removal with a chemical, laser, or other methods.  

Follow all post-procedure instructions carefully. This includes recommended pain relievers and rest and elevation for the first 24 hours. Depending on your treatment, you may have to avoid certain activities for a period of time and not swim or soak in a hot tub until your doctor clears you to do so.

Preventing Chronic Ingrown Toenails

We know how painful ingrown toenails can be, so if you want to avoid developing this condition again, here are a few helpful preventative measures: 

• Trim your nails straight across. This helps prevent them from curving downward into the skin as they grow out. If you have a condition that causes poor blood flow and are unable to cut your own toenails, see a podiatrist regularly to have your nails trimmed.
• Don’t cut your nails too short. Keep them even with the tips of your toes so the nail edges rest loosely against the skin. 
• Avoid tight shoes. Shoes that crowd the toes may push nail growth into the surrounding skin.
• Wear protective footwear. If your work or other activities put you at risk of a foot injury, wear steel-toed shoes.

While you usually only cut your toenails every few weeks, it’s critical to conduct regular foot inspections daily, especially if you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, neuropathy, or poor circulation. Not only will you spot the start of an ingrown toenail more quickly, but you will also notice other potential health issues such as cuts, foot wounds, and other problems.

If something doesn’t look right, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment in our Vancouver office. With exceptional customer service and doctors and staff members with excellent bedside manners, you’ll leave feeling cared for and confident in your treatment.