Anybody who has an ingrown toenail should seek treatment as soon as possible. Treating this condition will save you a lot of discomfort and embarrassment. There are currently two types of treatment available – home remedies and medicinal treatment.
Ingrown Toenail Treatment Options: Home Remedies
There are a few reasons that consumers may want to try home remedies before seeing a doctor. They may be embarrassed by their toenails or on a tight budget. Regardless of the reason, home remedies can cure toenail fungus. Listed below are a few treatments you can try at home.
Foot Bath
A foot bath is a relatively easy way to treat this condition. All it requires is a basin, warm water and some Epsom salt. You should soak your feet for at least an hour and dry them with a clean towel.
Antibacterial Cream
Applying antibacterial cream will prevent the bacteria from spreading.
Painkillers
Painkillers will relieve discomfort while the foot is healing.
Cutting the Toenail
By cutting the toenail properly, you can help the toenail get back into the proper position. Ideally, the edge of the toenail will not be close to the skin.
The Most Effective Ingrown Toenail Treatment
While home remedies do work in some cases, they are much less effective than traditional treatments. In fact, it can take months for the toenail to show improvement when one is using home remedies.
The quickest and easiest way to treat ingrown toenails is to see a specialist. In mild cases, the specialist may prescribe antibiotics. However, if the antibiotics do not help, surgery may be needed.
Those who are worried by the thought of surgery can rest easy. This surgery is short and has a fast healing time. Before the surgery is performed, the doctor will administer anesthesia. This will numb the area so that the doctor can use a scalpel to remove part or the entire toenail.
The toenail will then grow back normally. It is worth noting that phenol or sodium hydroxide will be applied to the root of the nail after surgery. This will kill the roots and prevent ingrown toenails from recurring in the future.
The surgical procedure is about 15 minutes and provides a permanent solution to the problem. Once the ingrown toenail has been removed, patients will be responsible for their post-operative care. This involves cleaning the nail and applying an antibiotic solution. While treating an ingrown toenail is difficult, it is not impossible. People with this problem should contact Clear Toes Clinic for more information about remedies and treatments.
