Ingrown Toenail Solutions

Today we're going to talk about ingrown toenail solutions and specifically how to solve the problem of getting ingrown toenails. This specific post will address preventative measures but if you're interested in techniques on how to help ingrown toenails or how to deal with ingrown toenail in children issues it's recommended that you shoot over to those portions of this website.

Now a far as preventive ingrown toenail solutions go it's important to think about the old saying that says "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." What this means is that a minimal amount of effort in the way of doing a couple of simple things to decrease the likelihood of getting ingrown toenails can result in saving you lot of time and more importantly pain and suffering should you be unfortunate enough to get another ingrown toenail or even your first.

The most widely recommended technique by foot doctors is to clip your toenails often (but not too often) in a flat manner as opposed to the curved nature of fingernail clipping. Look at the picture below to get a visual idea of what the straight and curved cutting looks like.
If not done properly taking care of ingrown toenails can be a recurring problem throughout ones life and in many instances the challenge turns from looking for a cure to managing treatment and finding a way to enjoy the time in between inflammations.

The odd part is that many of us when first taught to cut our nails and maintain them aren't properly warned about the potential dangers of neglecting this seeming mundane task.

Be diligent in your efforts to maintain a healthy foot and hopefully you'll never find yourself in desperate need of ingrown toenail solutions.

Ingrown Toenail in Children

If you're wondering about how to treat an ingrown toenail in children issues it's important to realize that in some regards this can be pretty similar to handling issues that arise with adult ingrown toenails and in other regards it's something to be taken very cautiously because there can be some differences.

What to do:

There are in deed certain very simple measures that can be done to help alleviate pain and correct the problem without risk the health and safety of the child. One technique discussed in more detail in the post on how to help ingrown toenails is the idea of soaking the foot with the problem in warm water a few times a week. The water does not have to be uncomfortably hot, but just comfortably warm. Doing this even just two or three times a week for 15 or 20 minutes at a time can help relieve pain in some early stage circumstances.

What not to do:

Before going out to a nearby pharmacy to pick up a product like Outgro which is an over the counter type topical medication that is perfectly safe for almost all adults consult a pediatrician and/or a podiatrist for their professional opinions on the best way to handle this dilemma. The key is to seek out sound advice and to not do anything at all risky when dealing with a child's health.

Aside from causing a potential allergic reaction by applying a topic pain reliever to a child whose body is not yet equipped to handle the medication the worst mistake that a caring parent can do is to try to fix the problem with an instrument or tool (like nail clippers or tweezers that are unsterilized. Before applying any sort of apparatus to a child's sensitive ingrown toenail area make absolutely certain that the metal object has been scalded with hot water or even placed in boiling water to kill germs and bacteria that may be living on it.

NOTE: The tool (clippers, tweezers, etc.) being used should be cooled down so it's not uncomfortably hot to the skin when actually being used. After sterilizing with very hot water allow the item to return to room temperature so as make the process as kid friendly as possible.

NOTE: For many children just the routine choir of clipping toenails can be frightening because of the sharp object that's been handled around their sensitive and ticklish toes by someone else (probably a parent). Loving parents should just understand that it's perfectly normal for children to behave this way.

NOTE: It's very important to have ingrown toenails in children handled properly because the last thing that anyone wants is for the problem to persist well into adulthood and for the rest of their lives.

How To Help Ingrown Toenails

If you're wondering how to help ingrown toenails there are numerous options and results will vary depending on the individual and on the severity of the problem.

Like many medical issues both large and small the stage that the issue is caught at has a lot to do with how effective the treatment is. Of course an ingrown toenail is nowhere near as serious as many more life threatening issues but for the people dealing with constant pain and extreme sensitivity it is undoubtedly a problem that they want to resolve as soon as possible.

Here are some tips to try in an effort to avoid seeing a doctor:

1. Soak the affected foot in warm water for between 10 and 20 minutes a day three times a week if you can. If you don't have a special foot soaking tub just use a bath tub and sit on the side of the tub with a book or magazine if you want. This can help when the pain is in part caused because of dry hard skin being punctured by the ingrown toenail.
   
2. Insert a small piece of cotton between the toenail and the nail in the corner where the problem is occurring. Cotton from a q-tip works well for this.
3. If you're going to fuss around with your toe on your own with toenail clippers or the file that comes out of the clippers make sure to sterilize the instrument as best you can by running it under hot water for several minutes. The last thing you want to do is to infect your toenail area.
4. Wear comfortable shoes. This may seem obvious but many people don't realize that spending some time in sandals or something similar that doesn't put undue pressure on the ingrown toenail can be very beneficial. If footwear is an issue because of your job speak to your boss about what sort of footwear options you might have. At the very least take your uncomfortable, confining shoes off during the day when you're sitting at your desk and your feet are hidden.
5. Visit your local Walgreens or CVS or whatever drug store you have in your area and ask the sales people about products sold in the store for ingrown toenail relief. Often times they'll have special padding or topical solutions that you might want to try out. Occasionally one of these simple solutions might be all that you need.
6. If the pain continues buy a product like Outgro (pictured below). This is a topical solution that does an excellent job of eliminating the pain. All you have to do is apply it to the problem area after you shower or a couple of times a day and it basically numbs up the skin around the problem area. With the skin less sensitive not only are pain issues resolved but it also allows you to comfortably correct the ingrown toenail issue yourself with a sterilized instrument like the file on the back of most toenail and fingernail clippers. Depending on where you live you may be able to find Outgro at a local drug store (it's an over the counter medication). If you call around and can't find it or simply don't see it in your local drug store you can order some from amazon.com(which is what I have to do). Part of the benefit of ordering online is (a) you get better deals and (b) it's delivered right to your door. Personally when I've had to order I'll order three or four bottles at a time (still well less than $20 total) so that I always have some in case an emergency painful ingrown toenail pops up or if a friend has a problem I can be their hero by saving the day and giving them a bottle.
   
   
   
   


7. Once the problem area has been treated with Outgro for a few days you can usually fix your own problem by sliding the nail file from the back of a toenail clipper between the nail and toe in the problem area. This creates space between the problem ingrown nail and the skin that it had previously been puncturing. At this point with a little work you should be able to comfortable twist or clip off the ingrown toenail with a little effort. The Outgro solution used to numb the skin in the problem area also serves to weaken the troubled area of the nail so that it can be worked off in a pain free manner.