Preventing Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are a common condition in which the corner or side of a toenail starts to grow into the soft flesh. It most commonly happens to the large toe and causes symptoms such as redness, swelling, and pain. It is important to care for an ingrown toenail because if left unchecked it can lead to infection. At East Texas Foot & Ankle Center, in Tyler TX, our podiatrist Dr. James Kent and his staff make sure that their patients understand common problems that they may have, such as ingrown toenails, and how they are treated. Read on to learn more.

How To Avoid Ingrown Toenails

The best solution to any type of injury is usually to try to avoid it in the first place. Ingrown toenails are no different and can be prevented if taken the right precautions.

  • Correctly trimming your toenails, and not too much
  • Keeping toenails trimmed
  • Wearing proper-fitting shoes
  • Wearing protective footwear when working with heavy machinery

These are just some of the ways you can try to prevent having to worry about ingrown toenails. For patients who may also be suffering from diabetes, it is very important that they are checking their feet regularly as a complication of diabetes is the loss of feeling in the feet or diabetic neuropathy. So you need to check your feet for any visible signs of injury, and if you spot any, you need to see your podiatrist as soon as possible.

Treatment of Ingrown Toenails

At East Texas Foot & Ankle Center in Tyler, TX, we see many cases of ingrown toenails. There are also a few things you can do at home to treat ingrown toenails.

  • Soaking your feet in warm water
  • Using cotton or dental floss to make a barrier between the edge of the nail to allow the skin to heal
  • Applying antibiotic cream or ointment
  • Changing your footwear to something more sensible
  • Taking anti-inflammatory or pain reliever medication

If the ingrown toenail gets too painful or infected, it is very important to reach out to your podiatrist in Tyler, TX.

Learn More About Ingrown Toenails And How Your Podiatrist Can Help

Dr. James Kent and his knowledgeable staff make it their priority to teach their patients on how they can make sure to avoid annoying painful things like ingrown toenails. With such a common problem people have to deal with it on a day to day basis. Call our office in Tyler, TX, at (903) 939-3668 to set up an appointment today and learn more about how we can help you. 

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