Is your nail too large for your toe, or have you stubbed your toe and developed an ingrown toenail? Your toe might be hurting after having a nice pedicure. Well, no matter how little it seems, it does cause a lot of pain and annoyance. In fact, if ingrown nails are left untreated, they can become infected and can potentially hurt you a lot. Most people generally prefer to take care of minor bruises, bumps, and other medical issues on their own if possible. So, how to remove your ingrown toenail? Let’s find out.
Will an Ingrown Toenail Heal Itself?
In some cases, your ingrown toenail can grow out and heal itself eventually. You might wonder: How long does it take for a toenail to grow? On average, your toenail grows 0.4 millimeters every week. If your nail separates from the nail bed, it will take up to 18 months to grow back.
However, that isn’t always the case. There’s also a risk of developing complications if an ingrown toenail is left untreated. In most cases, ingrown toenails won’t go away on their own without intervention. But you can still treat it yourself at home.
Just make sure to visit your doctor if the ingrown nail doesn’t improve with home care. It is also possible that they have an underlying medical condition that affects your feet, like diabetes. For patients with diabetes or other diseases, they should never leave their ingrown nail to heal independently. It’s essential to note what to do for an infected toe. In some extreme cases, an infection can dig into your bone and even spread to the bloodstream, and cause many severe health complications.
Does Vicks Help Heal an Ingrown Toenail?
Yes, Vicks VapoRub helps heal an ingrown toenail. It can also reduce the pain caused by an ingrown toenail, as it contains camphor and menthol. These ingredients are topical analgesics, which can also be used as a toenail softener. People often ask: How to soften toenails? Putting Vicks Vapor Rub on your feet will help ease pain and help soften your toenail if you’re trying to clip it, even if it’s baby ingrown toenail. You can soak Vicks VapoRub on cotton or put a dab of it and apply it to the sore area of your nail. Place the soaked cotton under the bandage for 12 to 24 hours to relieve pain.
How Do I Keep My Ingrown Toenail from Coming Back?
There must be something wrong when ingrown toenails keep occurring on and on. You should look back at your practices that affect your feet. If necessary, you can opt for minor surgery to treat ingrown toenails once and for all. We’ve listed down some valuable strategies that can help to prevent ingrown toenails from coming back. These include:
1. Protect your toe. Stubbing your feet or accidentally dropping heavy objects on your feet can lead to the frequent occurrence of an ingrown toenail. Try wearing protection or close-toed shoes when there’s a risk of having trauma to your feet.
2. Be easy on your toe. Wearing tight-ended shoes only makes you feel uncomfortable but can also exert extra pressure on your toenails. This can likely result in your toenails growing into your flesh instead of growing out naturally.
3. Trim your toenails properly. Most people often trim their toenails like they do their fingernails, i.e., short and shaped. However, make sure not to trim your toenails too short and curved. You should leave a little length while trimming your toenails and also cut them straight across. This practice will help prevent the risk of toenail ingrown development.
What is the Best Thing to do for an Ingrown Toenail?
After trying home care for a couple of days, if your toenail still hurts, the best thing to do is visit your doctor. Below are some practical ways to treat most ingrown toenails with proper home care.
1. Soak your feet in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Soaking helps reduce inflammation and relieves pain. Repeat this step four times a day.
2. Place dental floss or fresh bits of cotton under your toenail. This will help your toenail to grow above your skin.
3. Apply antibiotic or antibacterial ointment on the affected area and bandage your toe. This will help prevent your toenail from becoming infected.
4. Wear sandals or open-toed shoes until your toe gets better.
You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen sodium, to help ease the ingrown toe pain.
How Does an Ingrown Toenail Affect Your Health?
An ingrown toenail can cause severe complications if left untreated. It can cause infection, which can later spread to your bone and enter into your bloodstream. A toenail infection can also cause foot ulcers, open sores, and even blood flow loss to the infected area. Tissue decay is also possible if the toenail infection is left without treatment. Moreover, people with diabetes are most vulnerable to complications. So they should visit a doctor without any delay.
How Long Does It Take an Ingrown Toenail to Heal?
Your toenail will likely heal in 3-4 days if it isn’t infected. However, you may require more extensive treatment, such as surgery or antibiotics, if your ingrown toenail becomes infected. This can likely take longer. For 24 hours, keep your toe clean by soaking it in warm water. Cover it until it is fully healed. You will likely return to your regular routine after a few days. But make sure to avoid putting pressure on your toe for about two weeks.
What Happens if You Don’t Treat an Ingrown Toenail?
If you don’t treat the early stages of an ingrown toenail, it can become infected. This infection can spread to the bones and lead to open sores, which can cause sepsis, flesh-eating disorder, and foot ulcers.
How Do You Treat an Infected Ingrown Toenail?
You can treat an ingrown toenail at home for a few days. Just don’t yank on your nail, and make sure your hands are clean before treating your ingrown nail with cotton or dental floss. Also, apply antifungal or antibiotic cream to the ingrown toenail and surrounding area. You can take pain medications to help reduce symptoms of pain and discomfort. Consider visiting your doctor if pain persists or infection doesn’t dissipate within a few days.