What To Do About Ingrown Toenails

You can sometimes treat an ingrown toenail at home if you are safe and careful, but if ingrown toenails are a recurring problem, if it's painful or difficult to do so, or if you suffer from diabetes, then your best option is to seek help from your North Syracuse, NY, podiatrist. Ingrown toenails can be made worse by improper treatment and you risk serious problems if it's already infected or you suffer from a condition that can worsen the problem. Learn more by getting in contact with your local professionals from Podiatry Services of CNY.

At-Home Care

At-home care for ingrown toenails should be performed only if there is no serious pain, no sign of infection, and you are able to safely do so.

You can soak your feet a few times a day for about 15 minutes each time, making sure to completely dry your feet after every session. You can then very gently push the skin with a cotton ball and see if you can trim the affecting nail.

When to Seek Help

If you have tried conservative treatments to try to care for your ingrown toenail and are not seeing results you should speak with your podiatrist.

It's almost important to do so if you are noticing signs of infection, such as redness, inflammation, and pain.

Those who suffer from diabetes are at higher risk for infection and may find it difficult to gauge their level of pain, so if you have diabetes you need to see your foot doctor before problems like these arise.

Treating an ingrown toenail should be done as early as possible as you risk serious complications without care.

Ingrown Toenails

Your doctor can treat an ingrown toenail by cutting away the affected part of the nail, the portion that is digging into the skin. But for certain circumstances a full nail removal may be necessary, although it can take just over a year for the nail to grow back, you'll be able to start over with a healthy new nail.

If you are struggling with an ingrown toenail you can schedule a consultation with your North Syracuse, NY, podiatrist with Podiatry Services of CNY by dialing (315) 458-1777.