Infected In growing toenail

[Whatelsecouldibecalled]

Not as good as some pics on here!

Is this an infected toenail. It hurts around the edge of toenail and sling cuticle. Hurts like a bastard. Red hot and swollen.

If so other than salt bath what can I do? (Currently bathing in salt)

Try some teatree oil, it's brilliant.

GP for antibiotics first if it's infected, then get yourself to a podiatrist because if it is ingrowing, then it needs to be treated. Might be caused by shoes being too tight/wrong shape/not wide enough which will cause trauma to the soft tissue of the toe. Or might be caused by the nail being cut wrongly. You have my sympathy as it looks dreadfully painful.

That looks so sore!

Try a dilution of hydrogen peroxide (and water) that you get from the chemist. Mix it up and apply with a cotton bud, making sure the liquid seeps into and down the side of the nail. Do this twice a day.

If that red area is still growing I think you need antibiotics.

i’m not a HCP btw but the inflamed area is big.

I'd clip and rip, so my advice probably isn't the best.

If it is an infected toenail, antibiotics won't help as the nail is effectively a razor blade that will continue to cut into your skin and it cannot heal whilst the invading alien is there. Ring your gp and ask or demand an urgent referral to a podiatrist, tell them you've had an ingrown before and it's returned. You're lucky, mine always looked worse than that so you will probably get away with conservative treatment rather than cutting away part of the matrix.

See if podiatry accept self referrals in your area. Ours do.

I think you need to see a podiatrist as it seems the base of the nail itself is ingrown and embedded. You won’t be able to free it without bleeding and it will be sore

Not sure it’s a long term solution, but I’ve smothered mine in sudocrem after soaking with salt water and put a big plaster on. Feels so much better.