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Ingrowing toenail? Sorry guys! But please help if poss
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I have an infected ingrowing toe nail. Went to drs and have antibiotics for the infection but as for cutting the nail back the for said they just want to leave it and it will sort itself out . Is this true? Surely my nail isn't going to cut itself out? Confused!
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I've managed them by cutting straight across the top rather than in a semi-circle and every day I rub either tea tree oil or Carex medicated hand gel around my toes
I also put plasters around my toes if I'm going for a long walk
I'm not saying they're cured but I'm living with them OK without any pain
Make sure the corners are not growing in, make sure there are no spikes at the edges, a sharp modelling knife is usefull here. Ignore any pus you may release, just make sure the corners are smooth.
Then keep the nail clean and use antiseptic cream to try to combat any infections. Check the edges of the nail every few days and be 100% sure there are no sharp edges.
Over a few weeks you will have the nail grow out, now never cut it short again, I just sandpaper mine.
Thank you I will definitely try this as I always try to keeping short to stop it ingrowing but it always even when cutting straight across like they tell u. Always the same bloody toe too!
I'd never understood why it worked until now.
The GP obviously never had the pain of in ingrown toenail as it can be ongoing agony to live with
That's great to hear!! I was a bit worried that all in all it could have been silly advice that I had given. It's worked for me at the very early stages of being ingrown but it's good to know this may actually work for the OP based on your Dads experience which was obviously more severe.
Try it OP!!!
What I found was that over time the toe nail grew so thick that I wasn't able to make small incisions.........that's when I moved to cutting straight at the tip of the nail
It's a good idea to soak your feet for a while in a bowl of water before cutting as it softens the toe-nails..........
Well I've known about it for much longer than 5 years!!! About 5 years and 2 weeks hahaha.
Obviously just my humour.
My Dad taught me this. He's the husband of old wives tales lolol!!
Thanks all. I think I shall go to drs and try my best to get them to refer me but if not will try the v cut myself
If it keeps causing problems you are perfectly eligible to be referred for NHS podiatry. They see loads of 'em. (I'm a podiatry student
I'm not entirely sure what they'll be doing to her as there are a few options and they likely won't decide until they see the toes in question. The first one is called partial nail avulsion and is said to be 98% effective, so I'm hoping it might be that one as it seems the least extreme.
My assumption is that if there was something non-surgical that could have worked she wouldn't have been referred to the hospital. Her big toenails curve upwards, that could be part of the problem. I just made the mistake of trying to find a picture of a similar toenail on google images.
The V shape cut is the easiest but least likely to work
Go to your GP and if they have a minor surgery dept, they could cut down the side of the nail on the side that's growing in. I had that done on both big toes when I was a kid, it worked on the left, but the right is still bad
Go to your GP and get them to refer you to hospital where they can remove your nail. That's what they're about to do with me, i'm just waiting my appointment.
Sometimes your GP could do it, but I have to go to hospital cos I'm on warferine
I suffered on and off for a few years until I managed to get the edges grown out.
Once the edges are out it will heal OK.
You can use it to make a memorial plectrum.
Thanks, wish I was more forceful with them, I'm just not that sort of person. Its like pulling teeth, they just hate referring, dunno whether its just my area or what cause my previous surgery was the same too.