Not as much attention is paid to the feet, but it should be! It's important to take care of all parts of your body in order to stay healthy, and that includes foot problems like ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails can cause a lot of pain, swelling, and can even become infected, but what are they? An ingrown toenail happens when the corner of a toenail starts to bend back into the skin, growing in the opposite direction. Learn how to prevent these irritating injuries with this simple guide to common ingrown toenail causes and remedies.
Causes
Prevention is crucial in protecting your feet from ingrown toenails. To do that, let's look at some ingrown toenail causes you can work to avoid.
Toe Injury
First, there's toe injury. Something as simple as stubbing your toe can bring on an ingrown toenail, so it's important to watch where you step and be careful when you're carrying something heavy.
Tight Shoes
Yes, shoes that are too tight (or even socks or stockings) can cause an ingrown toenail. While beauty is pain, you might want to think twice before you squeeze into that size down!
Cutting Them Wrong
You can also get an ingrown toenail from cutting your toenails improperly. Cutting them too short, at an angle, or rounded all can promote the growth of an ingrown toenail. Make sure you brush up on your nail clipping skills to prevent that from happening!
Remedies
Now, if you've already got an ingrown toenail or know one is coming, you need to focus on getting rid of it. Here are some tips for ingrown toenail prevention.
Soaking Your Feet
One of the classic methods of how to stop ingrown toenails is by soaking your feet. Soaking your feet will soften the nail so that you can cut it without pain or bend it back. Most people soak in warm, soapy water, but others also like using apple cider vinegar.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Another way to stop an ingrown toenail is to wear comfortable shoes and socks. If you keep wearing tight shoes while you have an ingrown toenail, it will only encourage its growth. It might be a fashion sacrifice, but at least you'll be able to walk!
Wedge It Out
Finally, you can encourage normal growth by trying to wedge the nail out from under itself. You can do this by using a piece of dental floss or thread and putting it under your nail, pulling the folded piece out. You can also pack cotton buds under your nail to encourage it to grow back in its normal fashion.
Know Ingrown Toenail Causes So You Can Prevent Them
Now you know some ingrown toenail causes and remedies for them! You'll never have to wonder how to fix ingrown toenails again. If you are in search of a podiatrist to get you back on your feet, make an appointment at North Hill Foot & Ankle Clinic. We strive to put the spring back in your step while making you feel comfortable and preventing you from experiencing future problems!