TMI WARNING - picture of infected toe

[fuckmemytoehurts]

Hi all,

I seem to have acquired an infection in my big toe. I usually get a pedicure but I've been so busy I (badly) and painted them. It started getting sore last night and now it looks like this.
I have streaks underneath the skin coming away from it, you can see in the picture. It looks like stains on my skin but it's not, they are weird streaks underneath the skin that won't go away.

It's incredibly painful, throbbing and hot to touch. Does this warrant a GP appt or a pharmacy? I can hardly walk on that foot. My main worry is the streaks coming away from it, as the infection seems to be spreading.

From reading online it could possibly be a whitlow?

Any ideas? Can I self treat at home?

Soak it in warm soapy water and when the skin has softened, gently ease it away from the nail. Do this every day until it heals.

Do you have any TCP or Dettol. For tonight I would bathe it in a warm diluted solution of either. You could even sit with your foot in a warm bowl of water with Dettol or TCP in if you can stand the smell. Tomorrow I would get advice from a pharmacy as it is possible you might need antibiotics and it would be helpful to get them before Christmas if needed.

If you have tracks going up foot from it, I'd seek medical assistance.. My cousin had tracks going up.her arm caused by an infected scratch. She was given antibiotics intravenously

I’d usually say, soak several times a day in hot salty water. The salt helps reduce inflammation as well as being cleansing. Gently clean the area at the edge of the nail to remove dead skin and try and open the area up a bit by lifting it away from the nail. it will drain and allow it to heal.

But you are talking about streaks under the skin. Can you edit the photo to show where you mean?

.

Salt water might help but might be worth 111

Walk in centre is your best bet as likely needs antibiotics

I had exactly the same a couple of months ago. I tried the salt water for a few days, and then had cream antibiotics for a few days followed by two weeks of oral antibiotics. Obvs it could be different, but I wished I’d spoken to a doctor earlier as even after antibiotics it’s took another 4 weeks to feel ok. Good luck

Tracking is not a good sign. Id ask 111. You need to get checked before Christmas.

Yes, do this but add a handful of salt to the water as it's a natural antiseptic. It'll take a while to clear up but keep on it every day.

Can you mark where the tracking is so you can see if it gets bigger?
Are you able to get to a late night pharmacy for advice?

I can't see tracking can see fake tan drops.

If you can hardly walk I'd definitely seek proper advice OP, you don't want it flaring up over Christmas and not being able to see anyone .

Here's possibly a better picture. Is that what tracking is? The little red lines coming away towards my foot?

DH is currently sorting a dettol bowl, I'm actually on antibiotics already for another infection from a surgery I had 11 days ago. Co-amoxiclav. Hopefully they will help but guessing not if this has come up in the mean time.

What causes things like this? I wore pointed heels a few days ago but that's about it!

Pressure around your toes will cause it. The skin is compressed against the sharp edge of your nail and it gets inflamed.

Tracking is dark red streaks coming away from the injury. It’s usually more of a red swollen hot area, with the redness intensifying into streaks at the edges. Like a sun throwing flares ☀️

What I see is more like tan lines or colour from your shoes that’s seeped into creases or made patches from sweat.

They seem too orange to be tracking. Looks like a transfer of colour from somewhere like your shoes.

The same cour seems to be in-between your other toes - is it fake tan marks?

I had similar and went to a out of hours clinic via 111. Had antibiotics and a small telling off for not going sooner. I'd seek nhs advise

Minor injuries/111 if you think it needs seeing tonight but GP tomorrow at the latest.

A podiatrist will sort that it is an ingrowing toenail

It's going to hurt (a lot) but it would be best to remove the nail polish before showing it to anyone, they don't have x-ray eyes. It's possible it's not even a big infection from under the nail but a cut from the other toenail next to it being pressed against it in the shoes. Toe injuries hurt like hell. Get some Aloe Vera gel on it for the swelling and Arnica cream (around, not in, the cut) for bruising. Alongside the Dettol/salt foot bath. See how far that gets you. It might start to heal up in a day or two. Bruising takes a couple of days to fully emerge, unless you get arnica on it right away to minimise it. A whitlow is an abscess under the nail. That looks more like a cut with possible infection, from either the nail growing into the skin gradually without you being aware, or either that toenail or the one next to it being pressed into the skin so hard it cut it.

Exactly this. Had infected toe, soaked it for days in salt water, ended up on antibiotics, just get antibiotics ASAP

Also get some toe separators for nail painting, go bearfoot with these on and you can probably walk ok. It doesn't want the other toes squished up next to it.

I think you will definitely need to go to the doctors and they will probably give you antibiotics and you might need to get your toenail cut off. What you could do at home is bathe your toe in warm salty water.

This.
You don't want sepsis.

If you can't get a GP or similar to look at it tomorrow then see a podiatrist privately while you wait.

Meanwhile take the nail varnish off and soak foot ih salt water solution