Your fingernails and toenails are an interesting part of your anatomy and play an important role in protecting the delicate skin at the tips of your fingers and toes. They’re made of the same tough cells as your skin and are surprisingly strong.
These curved protective coverings help your sense of touch, enable you to scratch, and provide a barrier against infection. Each of your nails has three parts:
Despite their protective properties, nails are prone to damage and infection, leading to problems like ingrown toenails. This common condition can affect anyone and often occurs in the big toe, but can strike any of them and is generally easy to treat.
But does it need treatment at all, or can it heal without help?
Residents of the Tarzana or Inglewood, California, area looking to manage the pain and discomfort associated with ingrown toenails can get help from Drs. Ashkan Soleymani, Michael Salih, Arash Jalil, Saman Tabari, and their experienced staff at Cedars Foot and Ankle Center.
This problem develops because the corner of your toenail grows into the skin and becomes infected. It’s caused by:
Other factors that can increase your risk include being highly active and sweating profusely, sports where you run and kick frequently, and various medical conditions, like diabetes, poor blood circulation, nerve damage, and other nail infections.
When the nail grows into the skin, you’ll start experiencing swelling, tenderness, and pain in that area. If the toe becomes infected, it may bleed or ooze pus. Address the problem early before infection worsens your condition.
Since the problem can’t resolve on its own, consider these at-home treatments:
Putting the affected foot in warm water with Epsom salts up to four times a day to help relieve some of the problems with the toenail.
When you’re not soaking it, keep your foot as dry as possible. Moisture increases the risk of bacterial growth, which can lead to infection.
One of the best ways to prevent ingrown toenails is to wear shoes that fit properly. Tight or too-small shoes crowd your toes, push the nails into the surrounding skin, and put you at risk for infection.
Be sure to cut your nails straight across the nail bed and not too short or at an angle. You’ll want to file down the rough edges, too. Our team recommends clipping them every 4-6 weeks so they don’t grow too long.
With proper nail care, you can prevent an ingrown toenail, but it won’t resolve on its own without intervention. When you need help with a painful or infected ingrown toenail, make an appointment with the team at Cedars Foot and Ankle Center to get the treatment you need.
