Ingrown toenails in teenager

[Lifestooshorttosleep]

My DD (age 15) appears to have an infected ingrown toenail. Since yesterday we've been treating it with regular soaks in warm salty water. I don't typically like to bother our GP with stuff, but how long do you think we should give the home treatment before going to get antibiotics? She's not in constant pain, but it hurts when she walks.

No idea.

DD had this. She was having pain, we started the soaking, she got fed up and trimmed her nails down massively after looking on Dr google for how to do it.

She's either brave or stupid!

FWIW I wouldn't wait too long before going to the Dr. I did, and ended up needing several courses of antibiotics to clear the infection before anything could be done about the nail. I suffered weeks of discomfort and pain because I thought that I could deal with the problem myself and didn't think it was right to waste my GP's time with something so mundane.
From what you've said your daughter doesn't seem to be in a great deal of pain at the moment (I couldn't bear bed covers on my foot or wear shoes by the time I went to see the GP) but if the infection hasn't shown any signs of clearing up by Monday I'd be very tempted to make an appointment for her to see the Dr in case antibiotics are needed.

Thanks! I think we'll see how it is in the morning and take it from there. Appreciate the responses.

Ds2 (16) had antibiotics for this. It cleared up quite quickly but recurred. He was referred to and seen at the hospital outpatients and is having his nail removed next week. My nephew had exactly the same and has had no further problems.

Ds suffered with this off and on for a couple of years,anti biotics and soaking his feet every night helped a bit but finally this time last year he had both big toe nails removed. It was only after it was done and dusted that he realised just how much pain he had been in all the time and just how swollen his toes had been, he's gone down a shoe size! I would recommend getting it looked at

My ds2 had several courses of ab's then they removed the side of his nail. He was in a lot of pain before and had to be very careful what he wore on his feet afterwards.

Magnesium sulphate is brilliant at drawing the puss out of an ingrowing toenail. It's a white paste that you get from a chemist. Just apply it to some cotton wool and strap to the toe.

I had a few on my big toes and eventually because it would go, I had my toenail removed.
Hot salty water soak and squeeze puss out etc. if doesn't start to clear in a few days I'd book a GP visit.

Thank you all. We got some antibiotic gel from the pharmacy today and will head to the GP on Monday if it's not better.

If it keeps happening a visit to the podiatrist may well help. My Son had this and needed to have them cut and shaped differently as his were prone to keep curling under.

The GP was worried and referred us for surgery, but the podiatrist thinks it's not that extreme yet so we're on a regime of soaking in some special liquid, antibiotic yellow cream, bandage, no shoe and crutches to keep weight off! We go back for another check on Tuesday! I'll ask about getting them cut and shaped differently itwillbebetter, thanks