Ingrown toenail

[lohby]

I have an ingrown toenail issue.

I had an infected ingrown toenail last week, on anti-biotics (finishing on Wednesday) and it is no longer leaking pus.

I say ingrown but it is not actually ingrown.

I had chiropody just before it got infected and there is no nail edge stuck into the skin, just the normal bit where the nail joins the skin on the edge of the nail bed. But it is still sore and red and a bit swollen all the way down the edge of the nail so I am not sure what to do really. I don't think it is infected and there is NOTHING there causing the pain but it is not right.

Should I go back to the Drs? I have had a good poke look and I can't see anything and my chiropodist did cut my nails when she did my feet.

Any advice or suggestions?

Soak your foot in warm salty water and then try and place a tiny piece of cotton wool under the nail with scissors or tweezers. This will take pressure off the sore spot ... in theory then you can put more underneath as it eases and comes away.

But there is no nail there? The sore spot is along the edge, there is nothing under the skin of my toe.

I will try soaking it though.

There's obviously something digging into the skin otherwise you wouldn't have ended up with an infection. Even if the nail digs into the skin a little bit it can still be painful.

Can you try to get to see a podiatrist so that they can conduct a proper examination?

or soak in salty water and smother in sudocream. that cures all

You might have a wide nail bed or too much curvature of the nail which can cause problems.

Can you self-refer/go through your G.P. to a chiropodist?

I was told to curve the edges by the brilliant podiatrist. I do this on all nails as even the small toes have pain.

One of my nails is flat and the other is so curved and thick.

Wear as many open toed shoes and soft easy shoes like Campers and flipflops. Hard formal shoes are no good for nails they push them down. Leather lined if possible due to sweaty feet causing bateria.

It seems to be better now. I am not sure why it got so sore.

I have chiropody every 8 weeks so I thought I was doing what I could to prevent ingrowing nails but apparently not!

I had/have this with my big toe - it came on after my first pregnancy. I saw a podiatrist (not sure on the qualifications of chiropodists, podiatrists, etc, but was referred by doc and advised I could self-refer in future).

Anyway, she said:

1. it can happen after pregnancy as a result of extra weight (no offence intended, but this was true in my case)
2. it can happen because of wearing sandals with no heel strap, where you have to curl your toes to keep them on. If the shoe falls off when you lift your foot, it would give you an ingrown toenail.
3. to use an old toothbrush in the shower to brush debris from the sides of your toenails, brushing away from the foot (ie towards the ends of your toes)
4. Use moisturiser to keep the skin and nails soft and less like to poke in and cause soreness
5. My GP had advised to cut the nail edges at 45 degrees but the podiatrist said this was totally wrong - let the nail grow out to ensure no sharp edges can dig in.
6. Wear foot-shaped shoes - no pointed toes or anything that squashes your foot.

Her advise has helped me avoid serious pain again, but I do seem to be more prone to toenail problems now. I do have quite curved big toenails, as a previous poster suggests. HTH.