What do you do for an ingrown toenail?????

[DisneyPhD]

I know I know, med advice on the Dis. A major no-no.

I just feel silly calling the doctor over an ingrown toenail. Like they would all laugh at me.

My DH normally picks at it with this evil finger nail device and it hurts like heck (even more then it does now.) I have been putting antibiotic save on it and soaking it some. It has been hurting for a day or two.

What do other people do for those evil things? I seem to get them all the time on one foot. I am scared to cut my nails it happens so much, but I hate super long toenails (TMI maybe.)

How about you, go to doctor, take care of it yourself? Grin and bare it????

 

[Aprille]

Cut a "V" in the middle of the nail to relieve pressure.

 

[Kath2003]

The only way to solve them is to see a doctor and have the minor surgery required to remove them.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Soak it in Epsom salt.

 

[sorcerormickey]

My BF gets them all the time. After a few times of going to the Podiatrist (and a $150 bill each time), I asked the Dr to show me how to do it myself.

I have a pair of small nail scissors and I just dig in and cut it out. Luckily, my BF lets me know when they *just* start hurting, so they don't get too deep. A little peroxide afterwards and its good to go.

We've gotten one toe grown out enough so it doesn't happen on that foot anymore, but the other toe is just not cooperating.

Good luck!!

 

[disneynutt1225]

The only way to solve them is to see a doctor and have the minor surgery required to remove them.

:yes: DH suffered with ingrown toenails for a few years before I finally made him go to the doctor to get them taken care of. He had surgery last April to get the ingrown sections removed and he's been fine ever since.

 

[jbmom]

I had to have my ingrown toenail taken out by the dr. It was nasty, but I haven't had a problem since. You could do like my mother in law did. She had horrible ingrown toenails all the time, they finally took all her toenails off! Her toes look silly now.

 

[DisneyPhD]

:yes: DH suffered with ingrown toenails for a few years before I finally made him go to the doctor to get them taken care of. He had surgery last April to get the ingrown sections removed and he's been fine ever since.

This is what I am afraid of. I don't want to. Still doing it in the doctor office is going to be better then my DH picking at it and me screaming!

What the surgery a planned thing with recover time, or did they just do it in the office in 5 min and it was over? I am scared.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I had to have my ingrown toenail taken out by the dr. It was nasty, but I haven't had a problem since. You could do like my mother in law did. She had horrible ingrown toenails all the time, they finally took all her toenails off! Her toes look silly now.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!! How yucky!

 

[Kath2003]

What the surgery a planned thing with recover time, or did they just do it in the office in 5 min and it was over? I am scared.

It's done under local anaesthetic, takes about 10 minutes. You'll need to treat it very carefully for 2-3 weeks afterwards - using antiseptic and bathing it in saltwater.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

DD got one a couple of days before her dance recital and few weeks ago. We talked to the ped. and she recommended soaking it several times a day in a baking soda bath. And she also recommended and cream to put on it-Triple Antibiotic ointment. DD's was fine in a few days. She did tell us to watch for cellulitus though.

Good Luck!

 

[disneynutt1225]

This is what I am afraid of. I don't want to. Still doing it in the doctor office is going to be better then my DH picking at it and me screaming!

What the surgery a planned thing with recover time, or did they just do it in the office in 5 min and it was over? I am scared.

It's not that bad, from what DH says (and he can be a baby sometimes, LOL). He was out of work for a few days, but only because he's a firefighter and on his feet an awful lot. It was an "in the office" procedure, and he didn't have to do any cleaning for it at all. He had a couple of shots of novicaine in his toe, and the doctor went in and clipped off what needed to be clipped. Had a couple of sutures done and that was it! He had to go back a 5 days later to get the stiches out, and then he was good as new!

 

[kuusimo]

I was lucky enough to get this problem from my dad. I had one toe hurt so bad and infected that my mom took me to the dr and they did surgery. It took less than 30 minutes and we were home. I have not had another one since. That was 20 years ago. My other toe will act up. One thing that has helped me is to put some cotton underneath the toe in the corner. It just takes a little bit. That helps the toenail to grow up vs. into your skin. You need to change the cotton every other day. I just use a toothpick to push it down there. This is more preventative though, so not sure if it will work at this point. It is actually more common than you think though.

 

[poohandwendy]

Please, please quit picking at it! Basically, you have to wait for it to grow back out over the skin that it is pressing against. if it is too painful, you need to see a doctor. Do not continue to cut at it, it needs to get past that skin or you will continue to have a problem with it.

And keep anti-bacterial cream on it, if it is inflamed.

Sometimes surgery is needed, dependent on how severe it is, but for most people just not cutting back the nail too far will keep the problem from occuring. Always cut the nail straight across and not into the sides.

hope that helps and it feels better soon.

 

[sunee]

Please, please quit picking at it! Basically, you have to wait for it to grow back out over the skin that it is pressing against. if it is too painful, you need to see a doctor. Do not continue to cut at it, it needs to get past that skin or you will continue to have a problem with it.

And keep anti-bacterial cream on it, if it is inflamed.

Sometimes surgery is needed, dependent on how severe it is, but for most people just not cutting back the nail too far will keep the problem from occuring. Always cut the nail straight across and not into the sides.

hope that helps and it feels better soon.

ITA w/ PAW. (There's a sentence for the folks who are always complaining about acronyms.)

And I'd add the podiatrist is NOT going to laugh at you. You are far from the first person to have pain from an ingrown toenail. Just call him up. And if you have diabetes, call him first thing - and mention the diabetes. Of course, if you have it, you'd probably already know to do that.

 

[teacherforhi]

Go to the podiatrist. While cutting the "V" will relieve the pressure, it really is a temporary fix at best. I had the surgery about 10 years ago and it's the best thing I ever did. Mine had actually gotten so bad that the doctor was afraid he'd have to amputate.

 

[DisneyPhD]

ITA w/ PAW. (There's a sentence for the folks who are always complaining about acronyms.)

And I'd add the podiatrist is NOT going to laugh at you. You are far from the first person to have pain from an ingrown toenail. Just call him up. And if you have diabetes, call him first thing - and mention the diabetes. Of course, if you have it, you'd probably already know to do that.

I don't have a podiatrist (I did over 10 years ago due to an ankle injury that wasn't healing, but I don't think he even practicing any more.) Since I have an HMO I think I have to call my doc, see him, get a referral from him, go to the other podiatrist. Who has time for that??????? All dragging 2 kids with me or finding child care. Especially the last week of school (for DD) field trips, parties, my nephews graduation.

I have been soaking it in Epson salts. That has helped. I have been keeping Neosporin on it. I will go call the doctor tomorrow if it still is bugging me. It was to the point that I didn't want to do much today.

I have been doing online searches, some of the pictures give me the willies! Icky!

Oh and I do get this from my dad who also gets them often. He puts it off way too long. He does have other feet problems. He does have a good Podiatrist, so I guess I could get his name.

I don't have diabetes, no other health problems, not over weight (or at least still in normal BMI range, but not what I want to be. ) It just seems so funny (not Ha,ha) to be in so much pain and hassle over a toe! This thread is making me feel better about it though.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Well DH was able to cut off the top corner that was ingrown. It feels much better. It still hurts and is sensitive lower down the nail though. It is either ingrown there (and no way to cut that out myself) or it just hurting and infected from before. I am putting Neosporin on it and soaking it in Epson salts. Both seem to be helping a lot and since I am super busy for the next few days and it seems to be getting better I think I am going to wait until Wed and if it still hurts call the doc then. (or if it gets wrose call sooner.)

Why does soaking it in Epson salts help? It seems to really be making a difference.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Why does soaking it in Epson salts help? It seems to really be making a difference.

It softens everything up, plus draws out the infection. Glad you are starting to feel better.

 

[Feralpeg]

After suffering for years from ingrown toenails, I had a procedure done that worked wonders. I had tried all of the usual things like cutting the V, using the Dr. Scholl's product, etc. I even had my toenail removed. Once it grew back, it was a problem again. I finally went to a doctor who removed the root of the nail from the nail bed just along the outer corner. In short, the part of the nail that was always cutting into the side of my toe could not grow back. Once it healed, you'd never know I'd had anything done by looking at it. But, I no longer had any pain. I'd recommend this procedure to anyone who suffers from ingrown toenails.