Dealing Effectively with Ingrown Nails Without Leaving Home

This situation, besides being painful, usually causes the contamination of the affected finger, so the patient seeks to cut out only the part of the nail that is embedded in the skin for a temporary improvement.

In order to break the cycle of the ingrown nail, it is necessary to perform a procedure that, although a little painful, is very effective. The first thing I like to do when I have to perform a surgical procedure on inflamed skin is to indicate antibiotic and anti-inflammatory for a few days, which assures me that the healing will be better and the surgical procedure will be well tolerated by the patient. In the case of onychocryptosis, if the toe is inflamed and sensitive with discharge coming out of the sides, I indicate Ciprofloxacin 500mg every 12 hours for 10 days and Ibuprofen 200mg every 8 hours for 5 days. On the fifth day of the antibiotic, I check the condition of the foot, and usually it is time to perform this technique. The idea of the procedure is to remove the ingrown piece of nail from the skin and cut it down to the base so that it does not grow back in that direction. It is a very effective technique that prevents the nail from growing back ingrown in many cases. If it happens again, the nail must be completely removed so that a new one grows in. This should be supervised by the specialist who will work so that it does not deviate from its direction.

Step 1

The first thing you do is soak the affected foot in a solution of warm water and soap for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Remove the foot from the water, dry it well and clean the toe with alcohol.

Step 3

With a rubber band, make a firm tourniquet at the base of the affected toe to decrease sensation and prevent bleeding. At this point, you can apply anesthetic cream or spray. Remember that this procedure is painful, but the benefit is incredible and the relief immediate.

Step 4

Look for the upper edge of the ingrown nail and pull it out of the skin over its full vertical length. This can be done with a sharp instrument such as a thick needle. Even flossing works to effectively pull out that piece of nail.

Step 5

With scissors or a scalpel blade, cut that piece of nail lengthwise, including the base.

Clean the bed well, which may have traces of pus in it. Remove the band from the base of the toe or finger.

The procedure is completed by suturing the skin to make the surface flatter. However, this can wait for a consultation with a specialist.

With the technique described, the pain improves 100% as well as the infection, partially curing the patient who, hopefully, will not have recurrences in the future. If it happens again, this procedure can be done again, and it is necessary to go to the specialist when possible to have it completed. Antibiotic treatment should be continued for the remaining five days and the region operated on should be cleaned daily with alcohol. Also, for one week, wear comfortable or open shoes.

Harrygouvas at Greek Wikipedia, Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0