How to Get Rid of an Ingrown Toenail at Home?

Have you ever felt your toe hurt when you wear a shoe? Is there redness around your toes? Do you feel that prick every time you wash your feet? Well, if you are nodding to all this by now, we know what you have been suffering from. Its that ingrown toenail that has been bothering your tiny toes! To help all you lovely ladies, we are here to give you an overview of this tiny monster that has been growing inside your skin and how you can eradicate it with some easy-to-do steps. Read on… you are just a few words away from getting rid of all that pain. Let us read to know here are some effective remedies on how to get rid of an ingrown toenail at home. Have a look!

What is an Ingrown Toenail?

An ingrown nail also known as Onychocrytosis is a condition where a toenail that doesn’t find its way to grow outside the skin, grows inside the skin instead. This usually happens at the edge of the toenail and digs itself into the sides of it. Described has a very painful experience, these toenails can get infected and cause serious harm if not treated at the right time. Most women complain of the big toe being affected, but it can happen to all other toes too. Usually people with thick, brittle and curved nails are likely to get them, but we will help you to figure out if you have one.(1)

Symptoms of Ingrown Toenail

Ingrown toenails are sometimes very difficult to find and it might take years for you to know you have one. But to ease it up for you, we have listed some major symptoms that will pace up your search and you can get hunting asap! Have a look.(2)

• Excruciating pain around your toe nail
• Swelling around the edges of the toenail
• Redness
• Pus discharge

You must be wondering what causes these ingrown monsters to grow. So lets give you gist of the causes for a better understanding.

Causes of Ingrown Toenail

There are quite a few causes that lead to these painful ingrown toenails. We have mentioned them all for you. Have a look!(3)

• It could be hereditary
• If you cut your toenail too short
• Rounding the edges of your toenail
• Wearing shoes that are tight
• If you hurt your toe by stubbing it
• Injuring your nail while playing a ball game

How to Get Rid of an Ingrown Toenail at Home

For the quickies, here are some very simple and effective home remedies that will reduce your long-lasting discomfort of ingrown toenail in minutes. Follow them with immense care and see results within no time.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Soak for Ingrown Toenail

Apple cider vinegar is effective in treatment of many diseases. It is also used for treating an ingrown toenail. One who is suffering from an ingrown toenail can soak their feet in apple cider vinegar solution. The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of apple cider vinegar gradually softens the toenail and reduces the discomfort. One can apply apple vinegar directly to reduce the inflammation caused by the ingrown toenail.(4)

You’ll need:

• unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• warm water

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Mix apple cider vinegar and warm water in 1:1 ration in a small foot tub
• Soak your effected ingrown toenail foot in this apple cider vinegar mixture for about 20 to 30 minutes
• Remove your feet and then dry thoroughly

Repetitions: Do apple cider vinegar soak at least 2 to 3 times a week.

Tips: You can also apply apple cider vinegar directly on your infected toenail using cotton ball.

2. Epsom Salt Foot Soak for Ingrown Toenail

Epsom salt foot soaks are extremely effective for treating ingrown toenail. It also help to cures athlete’s foot, sprains, toenail fungus.(5)

You’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt
• warm water

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Take a foot tub and pour epsom salt in warm water and mix well
• Soak your feet in this epsom salt solution for about 20 minutes.
• Remove your from water and dry thoroughly

Repetitions: Follow this epsom salt foot soak remedy 3 or 4 times a week.

3. Soaking Ingrown Toenail in Warm Water

Warm water foot soak really helps to treat ingrown toenail and also relieving the swelling, pain and tenderness.(6)

You’ll need:

• foot tub
• warm water

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Firstly fill water in foot tub
• Soak your clean foot for about 15 to minutes

Repetitions: Follow this procedure 2 to 3 times a day.

4. Cotton Under Ingrown Toenail

After completion of warm water soak place a cotton wool under your ingrown toenail which help it grow above the skin and also reduce pain and swelling.

You’ll need

• cotton
• Tweezers

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Soak your feet in warm water, and pat dry your feet
• Carefully lift the affected nail with a tweezers.
• Place a small rolled piece of cotton between your nail and the skin.

Repetitions: Do this method every time when you soak your feet in warm water.

Note: Use fresh and clean cotton every time.

5. Turmeric for Ingrown Toenail

The main compound curcumin in turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent. so it will helps to treat ingrown toenail effectively. This will even relieve pain and speed up the healing process.(7)

You’ll need:

• 2 teaspoons of turmeric
• water or mustard oil
• medical bandage

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Firstly clean your infected toenail thoroughly
• Mix turmeric in water or mustard oil until you get a smooth paste
• Apply this paste on your affected are and cover with a bandage

Repetitions: Follow this process 2 or 3 times daily.

Note: Use new bandage for every repetition.

6. Tea Tree oil for Ingrown Toenail

Tea tree oil has powerful antiseptic properties, making it excellent for treating ingrown toenail and also preventing infections caused by ingrown toenail.(8)

You’ll need:

• 1 or 2 drops of tea tree oil
• 1 tablespoon of any carrier oil (olive or coconut oil)
• bandage

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Mix tea tree oil and carrier oil well in a bowl
• Apply this mixture on infected area and cover it with a bandage
• Leave it over night

Repetitions: Do this method daily until you get a desired result.

Note: Use new bandage for every application.

7. Lemon for Ingrown Toenail

Lemon has both antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. The citric acid present in lemon juice also will help in curing the infection.(9)

You’ll need:

• 1 lemon
• bandage

Preparation time: 2 minutes.

How to do:

• Cut the lemon into thin slices
• Pace the lemon slice on ingrown toenail area and cover it with bandage
• Leave it overnight

Repetitions: Follow this process daily once.

8. Ginger for Ingrown Toenail

Ginger contains gingerol, which is strong chemical compound which helps to kills the fungus. The anti inflammatory properties of ginger help to reduce swelling and inflammation.

You’ll need:

• 2 teaspoons of ginger powder
• water

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Mix ginger powder in water to get a smooth paste
• Apply this paste on your ingrown toenail area and cover with bandage

Repetitions: Do this remedy 2 to 3 times a day.

9. White Flower oil Ingrown Toenail

Using white flower oil is an ancient Chinese therapy for healing. The oil is not obtained from the white flower, but is an assortment of many oils. Eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender are the main ingredients of oil.(10)

How to do:

• Applying a few drops of oil on the ingrown nail and massaging gently can reduce discomfort.
• Gradually in a few days of application, the ingrown toenail will go away.

10. Hydrogen Peroxide for Ingrown Toenail

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective remedy to treat ingrown toenail it help to relieve pain and inflammation caused by an ingrown toenail.(11)

You’ll need:

• ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide
• warm water

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

How to do:

• Mix hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a small foot tub
• Mix approximately ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide in a small tub of warm water.
• Soak your ingrown toenail foot in this solution for 20 minutes.
• Finally leave your foot from this solution and dry thoroughly

Repetitions: Do this hydrogen peroxide remedy once or twice daily.

11. Vicks VaporRub for Ingrown Toenail

Menthol is one of the main ingredients of vicks vaporub, which is an excellent remedy for curing ingrown toenails. Applying vicks vaporub to the ingrown toenail gives relief from chronic pain.

You’ll need:

• vicks vaporub

Preparation time: 2 minutes.

How to do:

• Take few amount of vicks vaporub apply directly on infected area

Repetitions: Do this procedure 2 to 3 times a day.

12 . Apply A Dressing Ointment

If you have broken toenail which lands up growing inside your skin, it is good to use an topical anti-bacterial ointment like Neosporin on it. This would fasten up the healing process and gradually reduce your pain.

13. Trimming Ingrown Toenail

• Do not let those toenails grow too long. The longer they grow, the more bacteria they accumulate.
• Trim them straight and avoid curvy edges.
• Usually curvy edges tend to get sharper thus putting pressure on the toenail.
• This, if not avoided leads to a horrible ingrown toenail.

Do’s and Don’ts for Handling Ingrown Toenails

I. Do’s for Ingrown Toenails

If you suspect that you are suffering from the above condition, you should do the following to get rid of the pain and discomfort.(12)

• The pain will reduce drastically if you soak your feet in lukewarm water and gently massage the affected area of your toe.
• To avoid further infection and inflammation, use an anti-bacterial ointment around the toe’s edges.
• To ensure the ingrown toenail is aligned properly, use a floss or a thin thread to bring it in place. Please be gentle while trying this.
• Wear cotton and sweat absorbing socks.
• Keep your toenails trimmed and cut them in a straight line.

II. Don’ts for Ingrown Toenails:

1. Do not cut a notch of the toenail in an abnormal way.
2. Avoid shaping the edges of the toenail too sharp or deep round.
3. Avoid stuffing cotton under your toenail. It increases the chances of the infection.
4. Avoid readily available pain killers as they only subside the pain for a short span of time. They won’t cure the underlying cause.

We are quite certain that these measures will give you all the relief you need and make your feet all happy. But to help you pamper your feet better, we have some astonishing home remedies to cure ingrown toenails. Check them out! All the above activities can press your toenail and force it to grow inward. If you are doing any of these, then you should stop right away. To help you understand these ingrown toenails better, we have listed some do’s and don’ts to take care of them well.

I hope this overview has given you an in-depth insight on those painful ingrown toenails and now you are well acquainted with the remedies to get rid of them. We wish you speedy recovery and if the problem persists, please seek Medical Help!

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