Suffering From Ingrown Toenails?

Here are some strategies to treat and prevent ingrown toenails.

Ingrown toenails are a little problem that can cause a whole lot of pain. If you’ve ever had one, then you certainly know. If you are a healthy individual, you can often treat the problem on your own. Still, if you have diabetes, it’s important that you turn to our Meriden, CT, podiatrist Dr. Tina Boucher right away to treat the ingrown toenail and prevent infection.

DON’T Try to Perform Your Own Nail “Surgery” 

We know it might be tempting to try to pull the edge of the nail away from the skin, but digging or picking at the nail, or even trying to cut it down further, can lead to a bigger mess such as an infection. One of the best solutions is to soak your feet for 15-20 minutes in warm Epsom salt water, which can ease pain and inflammation.

DO Apply an Antibacterial Cream 

You don’t want to deal with an infected ingrown toenail, which will land you in our Meriden, CT, office. One way to reduce your risk for an infection is to use an over-the-counter antibacterial cream after washing and thoroughly drying your feet. It’s essential to keep your feet clean, particularly the area around the ingrown toenail, to prevent infection.

DO Use the Right Nail Clippers

Did you know that the clippers used to trim toenails are different from those used to trim nails? Since toenails are wider than your fingernails, it’s only natural that toenail clippers will also be wider. This allows it to cut cleanly across the entire toenail. So, make sure you use the appropriate nail clipper the next time you’re trimming your nails to prevent an ingrown nail.

DON’T Clip Nails Too Short or Angled 

Not knowing how to trim toenails properly is another reason people deal with ingrown toenails. People who trim nails too short (below the tips of their toes) or trim the edges of the nails at a curve are more likely to deal with ingrown toenails. To avoid ingrown toenails, you should cut the nails straight across and keep them level with the tips of your toes.

If you think it’s time you turned to our Meriden, CT, podiatrist Dr. Boucher to treat your ingrown toenail, all you have to do is call Central Connecticut Footcare Center at (203) 238-3668 to schedule a consultation.