Ingrown Toenail Care: How to Recognize an Infection

Ingrown toenails are painful, but they can usually be cleared up at home using a professional ingrown toenail file and some antiseptic. You can even prevent an ingrown toenail from occurring in the first place by following a few simple tips. All in all, an ingrown toenail is nothing to go to the emergency room over. But if you have an infection, you will probably need to see your doctor for treatment for your ingrown toenail.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the toenail grows into the skin surrounding the nail. The most common causes of ingrown toenail are:

• Rounded toenails rather than square toenails
• Tight shoes and socks
• Irregularities in the way the nail grows
• Injury
• Fleshy toe

If you address an ingrown toenail immediately, you can repair it with a professional ingrown toenail file, some antiseptic and comfortable footwear. All you need to do is soak your foot in warm water, pull the nail out and away from the skin with the ingrown toenail file, clip excess, and square the shape of your nail. It should heal up on its own if you do this every day.

You should always look for signs of infection when you have an ingrown toenail. Signs to look for include:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Puss
• Heat
• Pain that progresses up the foot

If you believe an infection is present or if you can not lift the nail out of the skin, you will need to see a doctor. You can try continuing the treatment with a professional ingrown toenail file and antiseptic for another day or two. If it doesn't help, however, you should be prepared to see a doctor. A doctor will administer a local antiseptic and cut away the part of the nail that has become ingrown. He may also prescribe antibiotics if the ingrown toenail has caused a secondary infection.

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