Is my toe infected? (Pictures)

[icantwaitforsummer]

Hi I need some advice on what to do with my toe. I was sorting out my nails and toes for my upcoming trip to China on Saturday. I accidentally cut the side of my toe with my nail drill.

It was 4 days ago and it’s still tender and red today. I have soaked it in salt water, put fresh germaline and a plaster on it for 3 days. It’s still red.

Do I just let it heal and leave it alone? It’s fine and it will get better?

Or do I try and get an impossible doctors appointment tomorrow (when I’m supposed to be working) before I venture east?

I think that needs seeing. There’s what looks like a small lump in the red area. The fact that you are going away makes me think you’re right to get it seen.

I’d sterilise a needle and poke it down the side 🤣

Don't stick a needle in it!
That does look infected and needs a HCP to look at it and probably ABx.

It looks infected. Is there a walk in clinic near you?

It looks infected. Ring 111 and they’ll tell you where to go if you can’t get a doctors appointment tomorrow. Don’t use a drill on your nails, they’re so damaging.

Hmm, looks sore OP!
I think, in view of a long flight, I would try and get some "just in case" antibiotics. Without travel, I think I would advise to soak twice daily in salt water and watch and wait but you don't have that luxury.
I think it could go either way...either settle or deteriorate especially with long haul travel.
Pack painkillers!
And good luck with getting it seen.
Have a lovely holiday...my DD and partner are going to China on Saturday too!

I get these. What I do is put my toe in cooling, but still hot, boiled water with salt in it. This seems to make it more active. Dry it with something clean. Then thorough clean my hands then hook my nail under the infected bit and pull it away from the nail. You should get a satisfying ooze of pus. Pull it as far as you can to get as much pus out and clean it off with then drown the toe in tcp. If the tcp make it sting it’s good as you know the toe is being treated. I get some magnesium sulphate and dob that on with a plaster and keep the foot clean overnight. I wear shoes as little as possible.

This seems to rid it in a couple of days. If the redness got bigger I would go to the doctor.

edit to say: I have no idea what a nail drill is - I just get them if I cut my nails too much and the side grows into the skin.

Its paronychia, looks very much like an ingrowing toenail. Get some antibiotics to calm it down then get your GP to refer you to NHS podiatry. You may need nail surgery. Its free on the NHS. We have a one month waiting list for nail surgery in my department.

I get these on my thumb sometimes when I pull the skin too much. Eventually I squeeze out the pus and it goes down. I really don’t think you need to go to GP - pharmacy at most.

I was going to sy it was a whitlow, but after @Gettingbysomehow 's post it seems that is just a less scientific name.

I get them occasionally and what I do, which I'm not recommending, is use the post of a stud earing to piece where the skin is white, on the side and watch the pus oose out, clean it, add some Savlon and a plaster.

DS had an infected finger nail a few weeks ago. It was pus-y and grim - worse than your picture. He went to a walk in (he's at uni) to get it lanced. The GP said they don't even do that in the surgery so I'd advise to go to a minor injuries/walk in and get it seen to. Took another couple of weeks to go down completely. No antibiotics needed, but I don't think he would've had the nerve to do it himself (my own father did mine when I was a young kid but considering I still remember it is probably testament to the fact it wasn't a good experience).

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ingrown-toenail/