What happens if you don't cut an ingrown toenail?

Untreated ingrown toenails can become severely painful, and can easily get infected. If that infection isn't dealt with promptly, it can spread and deepen, potentially even reaching the bone. By this point, if you haven't sought help from a podiatrist, extreme measures like amputation may now be on the table.

How long can you leave an ingrown toenail untreated?

They will not go away without intervention, but people can usually treat them at home over a few days. A person should speak to a doctor if: the ingrown toenail does not improve with home care. they have an underlying health condition that affects the feet, such as diabetes.

Can I just leave my ingrown toenail?

Minor ingrown toenails can heal on their own as the nail grows out. However, severe or infected ingrown nails require professional medical care. It's important to learn the signs of an ingrown nail infection so you know when it's time to go to the doctor.

What happens if you leave an ingrown nail alone?

The main symptoms of an ingrown toenail are pain, discomfort, and tenderness, particularly along one or both sides of the affected nail. Redness and swelling can also appear. Left untreated, you can develop a deep infection in the tissue around your toenail that could become serious and even require surgery.

How do I get rid of a deep ingrown toenail?

How To Prevent Ingrown Toenails

When should I be worried about an ingrown toenail?

When to see a doctor. The dividing line between relying on home care and seeking medical help for an ingrown toenail is if you see signs of infection. If the pain worsens considerably, or if you see pus or blood, increased redness, nail discoloration, or notice a bad odor, you need to seek professional care promptly.

Is it worth removing ingrown toenail?

Many ingrown toenails can be successfully treated with home care. But if you have complications, such as a skin infection, or if you get a lot of ingrown toenails, surgery may help. People with diabetes or other conditions that affect the foot may be more likely to need surgery.

Should I poke my ingrown toenail?

Ingrown toenails can quickly turn into infections, which often manifest as red and swollen areas of skin. You may also notice pus under the skin, but it's important to not pop the area.

How long does it take for an ingrown toenail to grow out?

An exposed nail bed may be very painful. Removing your whole ingrown toenail (complete nail plate avulsion) increases the likelihood your toenail will come back deformed. It may take 3-4 months for your nail to regrow.

What does an infected ingrown toenail look like?

Yellowing, thick or cracked nails (specifically with fungus infections) An abscess filled with puss, located where the jagged edge of the nail is puncturing the skin. Throbbing. Pain in and around the toe.

How do you know when you need an ingrown toenail removed?

What is the fastest way to fix an ingrown toenail?

One of the fastest and easiest ways to treat a case of an ingrown toenail is to soak the affected toe in an Epsom salt solution. The best way to do this is to put the toe in water while rubbing the Epsom salt into the affected area.

Why do I keep getting ingrown toenails on my big toe?

Causes of ingrown toenails include: Wearing shoes that crowd the toenails. Cutting toenails too short or not straight across. Injuring a toenail.

Why does my big toenail hurt when I press on it?

The most common cause behind pain in toenail when pressed is Ingrown Toenails. An ingrown toenail happens when the skin that surrounds your nail grows over the tip. When you cut your toenails shorter than you need to, or if you wear shoes that are too tight, you make yourself susceptible to ingrown toenails.

Will a pedicure fix an ingrown toenail?

Some people find relief from their ingrown nails after getting a pedicure, while others do not. It all depends on the cause of the ingrown nail and what was done during the pedicure to treat it. If you're not sure whether or not a pedicure will help, it's best to speak with your podiatrist.

Can a nail salon fix ingrown toenail?

Can pedicures get rid of ingrown toenails? Many may believe that visiting a nail technician for a pedicure can rid or prevent ingrown toenails. However, this isn't the case. Pedicures aren't recommended by podiatrists and are actually believed to make the condition worse.

How much does it hurt to get an ingrown toenail removed?

At the beginning of the procedure, the podiatrist or other specialist will numb the patient's toe. However, before the numbness sets in, the patient may feel a slight sting or burn from the numbing medication injected into the toe. This discomfort lasts about 10 seconds and fades away as the toe numbs.

What are the stages of an ingrown toenail?

Stage 1 begins with the initial inflammation and is followed by moderate pain, swelling, redness, and visible fluid accumulation. Stage 2 occurs if the symptoms begin to worsen. Signs that the nail is entering stage 2 are increased pain and pus discharge from the wound.

How urgent is an ingrown toenail?

If you've been experiencing tenderness or painfulness in your toe for extended periods of time, or you have an ingrown toenail condition that's recurring, it may be time to see your physician. Any sign of infection, such as pus, merits an immediate visit to your doctor.

How do doctors fix an ingrown toenail?

First, they cut your toenail along the edge that is growing into your skin. Then, they pull out the piece of nail. The doctor may apply a small electrical charge or liquid solution to the exposed part of your nail bed. This is called ablation.

What is the white hard stuff under my toenails?

This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. People with hyperkeratosis may notice a white, chalky substance under the nail. When this occurs in the toenails, the pressure of shoes pushing down on the nails might cause pain.

How do you flatten an ingrown toenail?

Orthonyxia or toenail bracing

If a metal brace is used, the edges are hooked on each side of the nail, then are tightened by pulling them together. This pressure aims to pull or flatten a nail that is too curved and prevent its edges from growing inward into the skin.

What kills ingrown toenail infection?

The swelling and pain that you experience with an ingrown toenail often come from bacteria that gets trapped between the nail and your skin. Dr. Rambacher recommends using a topical antibiotic to kill the bacteria. If that doesn't work, then he may prescribe oral antibiotics.

How to know if ingrown toenail infection has spread to bone?

How do you know if your ingrown toenail is getting worse?

Redness, swelling, and throbbing can all be signs of an infection. Similarly, feeling pressure under the nail and/or its being warm to the touch can also indicate a problem. Another red flag is if the toe is foul-smelling or draining pus or fluid.