Ingrowing toenail... do I HAVE to go and get it 'seen to'.. or can I do it?

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

Don't read if you a foot phobic.. adult feet ARE manky aren't they!

Anyway, weeks ago I damaged part of one of my big toes nails tripping over and catching it on a door (it's the kind of thing I do routinely.. ). Anyway, I left it instead of cutting it right down because I didn't want only half a toe nail because I was still wearing my flip flops and it would have looked manky.. so I left it to grow a bit first. Anyway, eventually I cut it down, but yanked it off rather ceremoniously on the other side of the nail (to where it had broken.) It was very sore.. but thought it would be better in a few days., (used to suffer a lot of falling off toesnail due to horses standing on my feet in my youth.)

Anyway, that was a week ago and the pain's got worse! I think there is a tiny piece ingrowing as it is very red and angry on one side. Tried to dig it out myself last night and now it's a bloody mess.. although feel slightly less sore I think.. not sure as I keep banging it.. I am the clumsiest person ever.

If it I haven't got the bit I think is/was ingrowing out and the pain gets worse again, how can I self treat it? I am a wimp.. I would almost rather have another baby that go and have a toenail ripped out!! DH has told me terrible horror stories about what they do..

I thought you could cut a v shape in the middle of the nail and this would 'pull' the sides out as it grew.. is this right? Not sure if the bit I have left it long enough to cut a v in tho..

Please don't tell me to go get it seen to.. I am the first to rush to the GP with something like a breast lump.. but I can't handle going about this!!! I am not good with pain. Just tell me what to do.. (please).. I can handle butchering my own foot.. but no someone else doing it. I even bravely poured surgical spirit on it last night and nearly shot through the ceiling! [grin[

I had the same thing a few years back.... you could try soaking it in warm water til the nail is really soft then using a pair of tweezers to bend it out if you know what I mean. The problem is that the chances are it will grow back this way again... and then it will get infected and every time you touch it green stuff will come out. I was like you and thought I coud fix it but after about 6 months of costantly picking at it and making it worse I eventually went to the doctors...

They refered me to the hospital chiropodity or what ever its called and honestly it wasnt that bad at all .... far far better than the pain I had been in for the previous 6 months. small injection in the toe, cut the nail and then put some magic solution hydro something on it which stops the nail from growing back.. honestly it really is the only solution and in a few months of having agony everytime you bang it, having your socks stuck to all the leaking "fluid" you will be begging them to fix it.. I promise!!!

Hello, can't advise but just wanted to sympathise. I know what you mean about not wanting to get it seen to. What about if you go and show someone, like the doctor but say you can look but not touch, just to find out if it is ingrowing? Might be infected and a course of anti-biotics may be all thats needed. Good luck !

After they have ripped it out [gag!].. and done the hydro wotsit thing to stop it ingrowing again, does the nail grom back normally?? Don't want a manky toe all my life!!

Thanks for the info and sympathy by the way. They are NOT sympathetic in this house.. they are fed up with me banging on about it!

(PS and do they definitely freeze/anesthesise is before dealing with it???)

Go to a chiropodist before you go to your GP. I had one that was slightly ingrowing and the chiropdist fixed it very easily! (Can't even remember what he did but it didn't hurt) DH had the same - of course he had to have his done when we were on holiday in US so had to go to very expensive "Podiatrist" who did the same as my cheap guy and charged us a fortune!

it's not that bad honestly, I have had both big toes done. they tend to point upwards so rub on my shoes iyswim
To keep it from not being infected, soak in v salty hot water.

Is a chiropodist very expensive?

(It hurts more again today, and some pus (bleeurrgh) came out this morning without me even touching it.. some am trying to get up the courage to go get it done.)

And will it grow back into a normal toenail?

I was very brave and went to the GP and he has given me antibiotics and did not set about my toe with a carving knife, nor send me anywhere for someone else to do the job! Yaaayyy! Such relief!

He thinks that it will probably heal up ok on it's own as my toenails are not prone to ingrowing; this happened as a result of an injury. But if it doesn't I will have to go and have in 'operated' () on.. via local anaesthetic obviously..). Hopefully it'll be ok.. It bloody hurts today..