Ingrown toenails are one of the most common foot issues people have. They are very easy to prevent if you know how to take care of your feet.
Ingrown toenails are quite painful. They occur when the nail grows into the side of the toe. They are most common in the big toe.
The most common cause on ingrown toenails (by far) is bad nail care. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent yearly treating this very preventable condition.
Here are a few nail care tips to prevent and treat ingrown toenails. Follow these steps and you could save yourself a lot of money in the long run.
- Cut the nail straight across. It’s not a fingernail. Ladies—be sure to tell this to your pedicurist.
- If the nail starts to grow into the side of your toe, don’t cut or dig at it.
- Soak the toe in warm water, then rub the side of the toe downwards and away from the nail to squeeze the swelling out.
- Remove the dry skin from between the nail and the sides of the toe and slide a small piece of tissue paper under the corner of the nail and let it grow out.
- Do not try to cut the nail shorter, it will just come back again and again.
If you have diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, it is important that you come to your doctor immediately for treatment.