Ingrown Toenails

Dexy_

I've had ingrown toenails on both my big toes for over 3 years. For the past 2 years the entire top half of each tow had been swollen and red, even a slight bump and I am in pain for at least 10mins before it dies down.

Everyone I know just kept telling me to leave it alone and it'll go away, just soak it in antiseptic and cut out the nail and the "gunk". Well, after 3 years of doing this once a week, it certainly isn't working.

I have asked my doctor, and he tells me the same thing as above.

Is there anything I can do about this? I'm sick of having to wear shoes 2 sizes bigger, and never nice ones Help!

terrigrace

Some of my clients have had luck cutting a v shaped notch in the center, front of the toenail. It takes pressure off the corners as they grow out. Also, don't cut them short, if you can stand it only cut them to just below the tip of your toe. The canadian trained foot care nurse who trained me actually would take tiny pieces of an alcohol wipe (or any sterile cotton bandage) and insert it under each edge of each toenail. It's old school, but works a lot of the time. Did your doctor consider having part of the nail removed? If you keep having recurrent infections, it may be the best way to help the nail. Good luck!

Dexy_

I don't cut my nails at all, they don't really grow at all. Except, not up, maybe out

Dave198lbs

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TexasNurseMom78

I have had this too and my doctor numbs it up and cuts it out. Only way to make it better. Cant believe a doctor would tell you to cut it out yourself!

TexasNurseMom78

I have had this too and my doctor numbs it up and cuts it out. Only way to make it better. Cant believe a doctor would tell you to cut it out yourself!

Ichbinceiling

I worked for a podiatrist for 3 years and I too, get ingrowns constantly.

You need to seek professional help and get them cut correctly, like seeing a podiatrist. They'll show you how to correctly maintain your toenails yourself.

I know that for myself, I have to do the "v" technique. It helps, but isn't the prettiest. Do yourself the favor, before your deductible is up and go seek professional guidance.

chubbybunnee

I get these from time to time, and even though they aren't supposed to do this, my local nail salon fixes them for me. The real fix is to have your doctor numb it and remove part of the nail. I haven't had them this bad before, but a friend of mine did and after having part of her nail removed, she felt a lot better!

Alexandria1213

Your doctor sounds like a nut. Yes, if you don't have any pain tolerance and can handle ripping out half your nail go for it. Ive had ingrown toe nails a few times and every time I had to go to a foot specialists and have part of my toe nail removed. Not a lot of it, but just enough to stop the problem. All a ingrown toe nail is, is part of your nail growing wrong and jabbing into the side of your big toe, so the doctor will go in and cut the toe nail so it will start growing right. It's usually caused by cutting your toe nails too short or having something hard slam on them.

HotMommy0609

I'm prone to getting ingrown toenails so I feel your pain! What has worked for me is getting regular pedicures. They dig them out for me, as nicely as possible without hurting me, Then they cut my toenails the proper way so they hopefully don't happen again.

What you can do at home is soak your affected toe in warm water and epsom salt. If your ingrowns are causing you a lot of trouble I would suggest going to a dermatologist and having part of the toenail removed. Not sure exactly what they do, but I know my neighbor did that to get relief.

DonM46

Had this problem when I was a teenager. Dr cut out several in his office -- very painful. Cutting the V-notch didn't work. Leaving them long didn't work.
Finally, he put me in the hospital. While I was "under" he scraped the bone under the nail so it wouldn't grow back.
As far as keeping the nail from re-growing, that didn't work, either; however, I haven't had a problem with ingrowing since.
The oddity is that I have 2 toenails. They are split about 60-40 across the width.
They kinda overlap each other, so I have to keep them trimmed short or it hangs on my sock.
I can live with that easier than having recurrent ingrown nails.

tinytubbs

What a crappy doctor....if you are able go to a different doc....when they cut it out ask them to kill it too and it will never grow back in that section.....if you have had a chronic problem it is worth it and after a while you won't even be able to tell.

tinytubbs

your doc didn't do a good job numbing then because you shouldn't feel anything when they cut it out

pinkgigi

My daughter has this problem. A friend who is studying to be a podiatrist said she would need it cut out BUT when I took her to the doctor (which is much cheaper), he gave her a prescription for an antibiotic and it got better, much less pain than having it cut out.

GG

meshellmybell76

I'm prone to getting ingrown toenails so I feel your pain! What has worked for me is getting regular pedicures. They dig them out for me, as nicely as possible without hurting me, Then they cut my toenails the proper way so they hopefully don't happen again.

What you can do at home is soak your affected toe in warm water and epsom salt. If your ingrowns are causing you a lot of trouble I would suggest going to a dermatologist and having part of the toenail removed. Not sure exactly what they do, but I know my neighbor did that to get relief.

Me too! In fact I just went today. It is amazing how much pain that itty bitty little piece of nail can cause. I don't give a darn about the pretty paint job (although that's a nice bonus!), I basically use them as a podiatrist.

hellotina

I have had this too and my doctor numbs it up and cuts it out. Only way to make it better. Cant believe a doctor would tell you to cut it out yourself!

agreed! i work @ a dr's office & he'd never tell someone to do it themselves.. he always does it for them.

bcampbell54

A shot in the dark here, but I suffered a long time with these, until I happened to buy a new pair of good-fitting shoes. Quite by accident, mind you.
I might recommends trying to get someone to fit you properly.

bcampbell54

Great advice should be said twice. Double posting%~<*<|\

j_hark1022

I was an Irish dancer for 10 years and I get them all the time. Whenever my toenails grow, they always grow into the sides of my toes on both sides right at the corner of the nail. As my feet are unsightly anyways, I always used to just cut them very low because I didn't care. I have tried to grow them out a few times in the hopes of them just pushing through the skin in the corners to solve the problem once and for all, but it just gets to be too painful when I wear gym shoes. I just settle for trimming them down in the center and pulling out that chunk thing that grows with it, it's just such a relief afterwards that I don't mind the 2 seconds of pain to pull it out.

Guess I'll never get to have a pedicure!

honeysprinkles

I'm in the same position as you. They aren't too bad, but every now and then (like just now when I was doing my workout) they start to bother me. My fiance just had his get really infected and he had to have the doctor numb his toe and pretty much remove half of it! it was so gross, just make sure you don't let it get to that point. Other than that, I don't really have any advice! they suck though!