What to do if your toenails grow into the flesh - Myths and treatments

Some people often like to wear sneakers or pointed-toe shoes, which can easily cause the toenails to grow into the flesh. This is a very painful and uncomfortable thing. It will be very painful when walking. If the toenails that grow into the flesh are not removed in time, it will easily cause infection and suppuration of the toes over time, causing inflammation and affecting movement. In the face of this situation, you should pay more attention to it in your daily life, don't wear shoes that are too tight, and cut your toenails frequently to prevent them from growing into the flesh.

Ingrown toenail

Toenails often grow into the flesh, which is called ingrown toenails. If not treated, the toenail will grow into the flesh and fester, causing the nearby tissue to become congested and turn purple. In severe cases, surgery will be necessary.

Ingrown toenails are a common foot disease caused by trimming the toenails too deep or too low, or by wearing skinny shoes that squeeze the toes.

In the early stage, ingrown toenails only cause pain. Ingrown toenails are very likely to be complicated by nail groove tissue infection, which is clinically called paronychia. At this time, there is obvious redness, swelling, and heat in the local area, accompanied by severe pain. After suppuration, purulent secretions will flow out locally.

Myth 1: Pedicure to treat ingrown toenails

Most people with ingrown toenails trim their own toenails at home, while those with better conditions go to pedicure centers to have their toenails trimmed. Both of the above methods require one to endure the pain and pick out the part of the toenail that has pierced the flesh, but after the toenail grows longer, it will still pierce the flesh. Due to repeated trimming, chronic stimulation of the nail groove tissue proliferates and thickens, making it easier for the nails to grow into the flesh. In addition, those pedicure places are not medical places and do not have strict disinfection measures, so it is easy to spread other diseases, such as onychomycosis.

Misunderstanding 2: Repeated nail extraction treatment

Some patients go to the hospital immediately when they find that they have paronychia. However, the routine practice of most hospitals is to perform nail extraction to treat ingrown toenails. They do not do anything to the germinal layer of the nail root, so the newly grown toenail still grows in the original direction and eventually grows into the flesh. Moreover, this method causes greater pain to the patient.

Treatment

Soak your feet every day and trim them in time after soaking.

The specific method is to soak your feet in warm water for 10-15 minutes every night, then use a nail clipper to try your best to cut off the part of the nail that has grown into the flesh, but don't cut too hard. If bleeding occurs, it will be more likely to cause bacterial infection and aggravate the condition. When trimming, be careful to trim the front edge of the nail as straight as possible. To trim such nails, use a special ingrown nail trimming scissors. The blade of such scissors is finer and sharper, which can not only trim thoroughly but also reduce the pain during trimming. Remember to apply some iodine after pruning. If you are afraid of pain, you can apply a little on the pruning head before pruning.

Keep your feet dry and breathable for a long time

If you go out, it is best to choose some shoes with better breathability, especially girls should not wear high heels. It is best to choose shoes that are half a size larger to avoid squeezing your fingers.

Wear shoes that fit you well and change into different types of shoes

The high heels of sports shoes will cause great pressure on the front of the foot, which will cause the toes to grow into the flesh. Therefore, it is recommended to wear flat-heeled, comfortable shoes, which can also help relieve symptoms. In addition, do not wear each type of shoe for too long, otherwise it will easily cause continuous local stress on the toenails.

Pay attention to disinfection and prevent infection

Because trimming nails may cause bleeding, you can simply use iodine-containing disinfectant to disinfect and sterilize the swollen and painful area to prevent infection. Be careful not to dirty the wound.

Precautions

Take good care of the skin around your nails to prevent it from getting damaged, and do not cut your nails too short.

Develop good hygiene habits and do not remove hangnails at will. Once hangnails appear, cut them with scissors and avoid removing them forcefully.