Feet are our main tool for getting around. Therefore, your health is essential for us to have a good quality of life.
Did you know that one of the main foot ailments is ingrown toenails?
The ingrown toenail bothers (a lot!) the feet, so we quickly looked for a treatment to be able to cure it soon. It is essential to know what to do to be able to reverse an ingrown toenail picture.
The most frequent causes of ingrown toenails are the wrong cut of the nails and inappropriate shoes, which causes your nail to bend and “snap” into the skin, hence the name: ingrown toenail.
Ingrown nails, in addition to causing pain, may present inflammation, which is the body's reaction against the aggression of the nail, hurting the skin and becoming infected, if it has contact with any bacteria.
See below everything about ingrown nails, its causes, how to identify, the treatments indicated and if it really has a cure.
What is ingrown toenail?
The clinical condition of ingrown toenails in the foot is known as onychocryptosis and consists of the growth of the edges of the nail that dig into the skin and hurt your toe. There may be pain, redness, swelling and even pus around the nail.
The area where the nail starts to ingrown becomes red and painful. There is a nail that is curved and is visible to the naked eye, but there are others that are under the skin, where this contact with the edge of the nail can start to swell.
What are the causes of ingrown toenails?
See below what are the main causes of ingrown toenails:
- Inappropriate shoes, when too tight, can put excessive pressure on your toes, pushing the nail and pressing on the sides that hurt the skin of your toe;
- In the case of shoes that are too loose, we also have a problem, as the feet slide inside them, causing friction that can change the shape of the nails;
- Wrongly cut nail, too short or with too rounded edges;
- Pathologies that cause deformities or injuries such as arthrosis, for example, can change the course of the nail;
- Nails too thick or too thin;
- Problems with walking, walking puts pressure on the nails and can get stuck;
- Bunions are also common causes for ingrown nails.
How to identify if your nail is ingrown?
The patient himself can identify an ingrown nail, usually when the nail presents redness, pain and swelling, it is time to seek the help of a podiatrist to do the treatment.
The podiatrist is trained and experienced in the treatment of ingrown nails, don't expect the situation to get a degree of inflammation and severe infection, like those nails with granulomas (flesh that sticks out of the nail).
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If a medical referral is necessary, the podiatrist will direct you to the healthcare professional responsible for your treatment. In general, dermatologists & orthopedists are indicated.
If you have diabetic foot or poor blood circulation, your foot should be treated by a diabetic foot specialist.
In this case, look for a professional immediately to avoid aggravating your problem.
Know the treatments indicated to treat ingrown toenails
If you can't prevent your nails from getting stuck and the condition keeps repeating itself, it's recommended to look for a podiatrist.
For the treatment of ingrown toenails, the podiatrist is one of the specialists in foot care who has technical knowledge, adequate material and experience to unnail your nail in the least painful and correct way.
In addition to clearing it, it will be able to guide you and make treatments that solve the cause of the problem and not just the symptoms.
Get to know some treatments used to solve the cause of ingrown nails: orthotics, bandages and bulkheads.
1. Acrylic, Metallic or Elastic Orthosis
One of the treatments indicated for the treatment of ingrown toenail correction is the orthosis.
The orthosis is used to control the growth of the nail, acting as a lever that forces the nail in the right direction, lifting the sides, correcting the curvature, making it slide, favoring its growth and avoiding contact with the skin.
There are three models of orthotics: Acrylic, Metallic and Elastic Fiber. The action mechanism is similar to a dental appliance and the objective is to lift the sides, they are applied to the nails and fixed at two points on the nails to be analyzed, as it depends on the place you want to release.
The process is painless and the treatment depends a lot on the curvature of each nail. We cannot exactly define the treatment time, on average it varies from 3 to 12 months.
Initially, maintenance takes place every 15 days, then spaced out according to the evolution of the treatment.
Treatment success depends on the patient, as they must follow the podiatrist's instructions, periodically perform maintenance and complete the treatment to resolve the cause of the problem.
In addition, adopting care and prevention habits such as cutting nails correctly, wearing proper shoes, posture and correct hygiene are essential to solve the problem.
2. Bandages
They came as an alternative for those who don't like the “nail esthetics” with the orthosis, or have a very thin nail to put the orthosis on. The bandage is an option that works super well, with proven results.
Her theory is to widen the sides a little more, so that the nail doesn't find barriers when climbing.
But beware, they cannot be applied at home, they may seem easy, but it takes into account several aspects, such as finger placement, gait, shoes you wear, your biomechanics in general.
If such care is not considered by a specialist, it can aggravate the condition rather than improve it.
3. Bulkheads
When you go to the podiatrist and he considers that that nail is a cutting problem or that the reason for the pain is the positioning in bed, he can use a shield on you.
A bulkhead are those small pieces of cotton that must be changed every day and placed in the position indicated by the podiatrist.
You need to pay attention to how to place it, as you will not be able to lift the nails, so as not to run the risk of peeling the nail from the skin.
If the instruction was not clear or you do not remember when you get home, contact the professional to receive the information again.
The mechanism of cotton is to let the nail slide and grow without obstacles too.
When nothing works, or the podiatrist realizes that more intervention will be needed, he or she may recommend a doctor to treat your nail.
There are some surgical treatments for ingrown toenails, after you run out of possibilities as the surgery requires rest.
See below the most used medical procedures.
4. Ingrown toenail surgery
If after changing habits and treatments with the podiatrist did not work, ingrown toenail surgery is your last option, especially if you have recurrent inflammation, in which case it is best to seek medical help.
The types of ingrown toenail surgeries are:
- Canthoplasty: is the surgical removal of the so-called hyperplasia (flesh around the nail), which often folds over the corner and the nail, causing bleeding and inflammation and repairing the nail corner (of the nail);
- Matricectomy: is the reduction in the width of the nail by the root (matrix) to adapt the nail to the bed.
There is a minimally invasive technique, which is Phenolization, which consists in the application of an acid (phenol 88%) aiming at the destruction of the ingrown portion of the nail and its remodeling.
The sooner you treat the ingrown nail, whether it is due to a wrong cut or anatomical changes in the finger, the better the results and the fewer complications.
Take care of your feet, they are your allies on a daily basis and deserve attention. Stop suffering from ingrown toenails, look for a podiatrist.
