Ingrown Toenail...

[Zephyr]

Not me, my sister.
She's had an ingrown toenail for over a year.
She can't afford medical insurance or to go to the doctor's office,
We've tried digging it out and keeping it cleaned and trimmed,
But it just keeps on coming back.

Any other suggestions?

[Oblivion]

Found this stuff at http://www.ehow.com/how_2377_treat-ingrown-toenails.html
The list seems kind of excessive...
But maybe follow the general steps
And it might help


Things You’ll Need:

* Children's Sandals
* Men's Sandals
* Women's Sandals
* Isopropyl Alcohols
* Adhesive Bandages
* Antibiotic Creams
* Cotton Balls And Swabs
* Cuticle Creams
* Exfoliating Cleanser
* Gauze Pads Of Paper
* Nail Brushes
* Nail Buffers
* Nail Cleaners
* Nail Clippers
* Nail Files
* Pedicure Kits
* Toe Separators

Step1
Wipe your instruments off with alcohol or betadine. Be sure to get the undersides of your nail clippers, as that is the cutting surface that will be against your skin.

Step2
Put 2 capfuls of povidone-iodine (Betadine) solution, into 1/2 gal. warm water. Put your foot in the water and soak for 10 minutes.

Step3
Dry foot thoroughly and then insert nail clippers under the nail border.

Step4
Clip out the ingrown toenail at a slight angle. Try not to cut your skin - keep the bottom of the clipper as close to the bottom of the nail plate as possible.

Step5
Grasp the corner and gently pull it out, once the nail is cut.

Step6
Wipe the area gently with an alcohol or a betadine-soaked gauze pad or cotton swab.

Step7
Soak your toe for 20 minutes each day in the Betadine solution for three days, or until soreness is gone. After soaking, dry gently and apply an adhesive bandage and some antibiotic cream.

Step8
Insert a sliver of cotton between the nail and the skin, for a few days. This will keep pressure off the toe. Remove the cotton as soon as the nail begins to grow out and away from the toe.

Step9
Wear loose shoes or go barefoot as much as possible, while your toenail is healing. Your goal is to eliminate any pressure from pushing against your toe.

Step10
See your podiatrist for chronic ingrown toenails. He may manipulate and elevate the end of your nail to prevent pressure on soft toe tissue, or correct the problem surgically.

[byee]

Found this stuff at http://www.ehow.com/how_2377_treat-ingrown-toenails.html
The list seems kind of excessive...
But maybe follow the general steps
And it might help


Things You’ll Need:

* Children's Sandals
* Men's Sandals
* Women's Sandals
* Isopropyl Alcohols
* Adhesive Bandages
* Antibiotic Creams
* Cotton Balls And Swabs
* Cuticle Creams
* Exfoliating Cleanser
* Gauze Pads Of Paper
* Nail Brushes
* Nail Buffers
* Nail Cleaners
* Nail Clippers
* Nail Files
* Pedicure Kits
* Toe Separators

Step1
Wipe your instruments off with alcohol or betadine. Be sure to get the undersides of your nail clippers, as that is the cutting surface that will be against your skin.

Step2
Put 2 capfuls of povidone-iodine (Betadine) solution, into 1/2 gal. warm water. Put your foot in the water and soak for 10 minutes.

Step3
Dry foot thoroughly and then insert nail clippers under the nail border.

Step4
Clip out the ingrown toenail at a slight angle. Try not to cut your skin - keep the bottom of the clipper as close to the bottom of the nail plate as possible.

Step5
Grasp the corner and gently pull it out, once the nail is cut.

Step6
Wipe the area gently with an alcohol or a betadine-soaked gauze pad or cotton swab.

Step7
Soak your toe for 20 minutes each day in the Betadine solution for three days, or until soreness is gone. After soaking, dry gently and apply an adhesive bandage and some antibiotic cream.

Step8
Insert a sliver of cotton between the nail and the skin, for a few days. This will keep pressure off the toe. Remove the cotton as soon as the nail begins to grow out and away from the toe.

Step9
Wear loose shoes or go barefoot as much as possible, while your toenail is healing. Your goal is to eliminate any pressure from pushing against your toe.

Step10
See your podiatrist for chronic ingrown toenails. He may manipulate and elevate the end of your nail to prevent pressure on soft toe tissue, or correct the problem surgically.


*sigh* this is why I like Nick so much. So thoughtful, to spend that much time on someone else, to help them. We humans are really at our best when we care about eachother.

Anyway, I think the key to ingrown toenails is to get them to grow out. The pain is actually casued by the nails natural growth downward (instead of outward) into the skin. So, what you want to do is put a bit of padding of some sort under the part of the nail that keeps growing into the flesh. Wedge it between the nailbed and the nail itself.

Podiatrists specialise in this, foot ailments, and they're quite good and worth the money. As your sister can verify, foot problems are very painful, and if she's got one for over a year (!), it might be a wise investment if 'Dr.' Nick's info doesn't resolve the problem.

[Yasmine]

i get ingrown toenails also. if you clip them, that's the best way to get rid of it. she might eventually stop getting them over time.

[RaisingSand]

If it's been like that for over a year, I would really suggest somehow finding the money (save for it etc) to go and see the doc.
Those home methods are all well and good, but if you don't know what you're doing, you could damage the nail (the way it grows etc) and the surrounding flesh, not to mention, I bet it hurts.

[Mr. Smithers]

Oh my goodness. I could never go to the salon looking like that.

That's why I take care of my feet, thank you Jesus!

[pontiacdriver]

I am sorry if this thread is a little old, but I just wanted to bring up one issue about your sister not having insurance. In a lot of states there are healthcare resources for those who do not have insurance. For example, townships, counties, and cities often have free clinics available for the uninsured treating basic problems such as what your sister has. You should look up your local health department which might be affliliated with one of the governmental agencies listed above and see if they have any services that might be able to help your sister. If the health department cannot specifically deal with your sister's concern, then get some recommendations from them on places that offer reduced priced health care.

[Teen Music Lover]

Hey try soaking the foot in warm water with Epsom salt, or Dish soap! Epsom salt works for the infection while the dish soap works to loosen the skin around the nail. I speak of experience.

[Gumleaf]

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