Ingrown toenail is a condition wherein the edge of a toenail grows inwards into the surrounding skin and soft tissue. Even if the condition is asymptomatic initially, it can turn into a painful problem if not treated in time. There are many reasons for someone suffering from the condition, like trimming the nail incorrectly, wearing ill-fitting shoes, injury, and fungal infection. It’s very important to cut the nails only along the line and not cut it too deep into the skin. Also, while trimming them, make sure to trim them straight across instead of in the shape of the toe. When buying a pair of shoes, you must wiggle your toes inside and if it doesn’t wiggle freely, go for another fit. The pressure applied from sideways and front can make the toenail to grow skewed. You must also buy shoes at the end of the day since our feet are at their largest at that time. You must treat the toenail as soon as possible to prevent any infection. If it gets infected, there may be more complications and in severe cases the toe may need to be amputated. Make sure you wear only white cotton socks and open sandals till your toenail is back to normal. Synthetic material and dye in colored socks can aggravate the problem of ingrown toenail. And, even if you do not like hospitals, if you have diabetes or any other circulatory problem, you may need to seek medical help to treat the problem.
To treat ingrown toenails at home, the simplest thing to do is mix two tablespoons of Epsom salt in warm water and soak your feet in it for about 15 minutes twice everyday. This will make the nail and skin softer. You should be able to lift the soft nail and insert a small piece of cotton (dipped in any antiseptic solution, apple cider vinegar, or diluted tea tree oil) between the nail and the skin. This piece of cotton will encourage the nail to grow straight and not into the skin. Do this everyday for about three weeks to sort out the problem of ingrown toenail. Applying tea tree oil or lavender oil is also beneficial. These essential oils will prevent any infection and will also soften the nail. You can then wedge the corner with the piece of cotton. If your condition is painful, you can apply a poultice of onion to ease the pain.