Infected Ingrown Toenail: Causes, Treatment and Prevention

Have you ever experienced having an ingrown toenail? Everyone surely hates ingrown nails. They are painful and they can sometimes be disgusting when discharge starts to come out.

The medical term onychocryptosis or unguis incarnates refers to ingrown toenail. It is a condition of the toe wherein the nail penetrates the skin. It is a painful condition that is usually caused by improper toenail cutting. Normally, the toenail is cut in such a way that it curls inward and becomes sharp enough to cut into the skin. Cutting your nails too short can also trigger its inward growth.

A mild ingrown toenail can be relieved by cutting the part of toenail penetrating the skin. The process can be very painful but one will feel a sudden relief once the sharp part is removed. It is always recommended that you act as soon as you feel pain in the sides or corner of your toenail to avoid having infected ingrown toenail, which can be more painful.

There are three stages of infected ingrown toenail. First is the characterized by pain and swelling. The nail have already curled or folded towards the skin. Second is when there is an abscess with yellowish discharge come out from the skin. It is also characterized by increased pain. This is more likely to turn into a bacterial infection called paronychia when left untreated. The third stage is usually characterized by having hypertrophic granulation tissue on the walls of your toenail.

A mildly painful ingrown toenail can be infected. Some signs that it was infected are abscess, discharge and severe pain. Severe infected ingrown toenail can lead to osteomyelitis, which is the condition wherein even the bone is also infected.

Treatment for the Infected Ingrown Toenail

There are several home remedies for infected ingrown toenail. One can try soaking the foot with infected ingrown toenail in lukewarm water. Cutting and trimming the nails the right way so that the corners are elevated. You can also take antibiotics or pain killers but make sure you consult a doctor first. In fact, your doctor can provide treatment by putting gauze with antibiotic. It is effective in relieving pressure and helping the nail grow properly.

There are also surgical treatments. The severely infected ingrown toenail may undergo resection which may or may not be followed by matrixectomy, which can be done by applying chemicals or by dissecting so that the nail will no longer grow.

Prevention of the Infected Ingrown Toenail

The best way to prevent getting infected ingrown toenail is to avoid ingrown toenail. Make sure that you cut your nails the proper way. Avoid cutting them too short. You should also ensure that the corners are not too narrow to affect its growth.

You should also try your best to wear shoes that you are comfortable with. Too tight shoes that grip your toes tightly may push your nails towards the skin. You should also avoid giving your toes and toenails trauma. Some activities like football and soccer can traumatize your toes and toenails especially when you run or kick the ball incorrectly. However, this is very rare.

Stages of an Infected Ingrown Toenail.