Tips Against Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails not only look ugly, but can also be really painful.

Ingrown toenails can become very painful and uncomfortable. If you don’t pay attention and drag it off, only surgically can provide relief.

We explain here what you can do against ingrown toenails !

Ingrown toenails don’t have to be! It is up to you to fight the causes so that it doesn’t get that far in the first place:

Ingrown toenails: how does it come about?

Shoes that are too tight

Women in particular often wear shoes that are too tight, which put pressure on the toes. It looks chic when the shoe comes together in a wedge shape at the front of the foot, but it is bad for your toes and nails.

The permanently increased pressure between the skin and toenail can easily lead to an ingrown toenail.

If you think you have to wear shoes like this, don’t wear them too long and afterwards walk barefoot for a while to relax your feet and let your feet breathe.

Plastic shoes

If the shoes are made of materials that your feet cannot breathe (synthetic leather, plastic, plastic, polyester lining, etc.), the phenomenon is made worse.

Sweating on the feet also softens the skin around the nail and increases the risk of ingrown toenails.

Materials that let your feet breathe and transport moisture away from your feet are: leather, wool lining, natural fur, cotton, linen and other natural materials.

Socks that promote sweating

Socks that do not transport moisture away from the foot also ensure soft skin on the feet that is swollen from foot sweat, which increases the risk of ingrown toenails.

Socks made of cotton, virgin wool or silk are good because they absorb moisture from the foot and keep the skin dry. Fine tights and other synthetic fiber socks conduct moisture away from the foot, but if it is stuck in a shoe that is made of plastic and is therefore hardly breathable, the foot becomes stuck in its own sweat.

Tip: If you have to wear fine tights or other non-breathable socks, put your feet in footwear that breathes and is made of natural materials!

Incorrectly cut nails

Often toenails are cut completely wrong and filed too round, because it should look “nicer”. With such a well-filed design, you are virtually guaranteed to have ingrown toenails.

Be sure to trim or file your toenails straight! The edge of the nail should be in line with the tip of your toe.

What can you do when you find that a toenail is about to wax in ?

As long as the area has not become inflamed, swollen, reddened, or purulent, you can try to get yourself relief:

What can you do about ingrown toenails?

Foot bath

Before you deal with the ingrown nail with a plaster (see below), you should take a warm foot bath.

Chamomile has an anti-inflammatory effect and so you can bathe your foot with the ingrown nail in warm, very strong chamomile tea for a good 20 minutes.

This softens the skin and nails. It will then be easier for you to put a band-aid on him as described below.

band Aid

Try gently pushing a padded strip of plaster between the nail and the pressure-loaded nail bed on the edge of the nail.

On the one hand, the plaster strip prevents proper ingrowth. The padding also takes some of the pressure off the fabric so that you feel less pressure pain.

It is important to renew this patch regularly so that no germs can form!

Cotton wool

If the nail has softened enough from a footbath to make it elastic, you can also try pushing a piece of cotton wool between the nail and the skin.

The cotton also takes the pressure off and prevents the nail from growing in further. The cotton wool also needs to be renewed regularly!

Nail brace

If none of these methods help, consistently used over several weeks, you should consult a podiatrist. He then puts a clip on your toenail.

This ensures that it grows back properly and can no longer grow in the future.

Important:

If the nail bed is already inflamed with pus, you shouldn’t experiment with home remedies. Otherwise the inflammation could possibly progress further and cause further damage in other places!

If you notice pus or discoloration of the tissue to purple or blue, it is imperative that you see a doctor.

You should discuss a therapy with tablets or a small operation with him!