An ingrown toenail is not just an ugly sight but also very painful. It is a condition of the toe characterized by swelling and pain which is caused by sharp corners of the toenail digging into the skin at the corners or around. Initially, there is just pain and swelling that a person may suffer where the nail curls into the skin but later, the area can further swell to form an extra tissue that secretes yellow fluid.
First Aid for an Ingrown Toenail
This is how you need to treat an ingrown toenail to secure it from further infection and decay:
- Soak in warm water to soften the ingrown toenail
- Wet a piece of cotton and place it between the skin and the ingrown toenail to keep your skin from further cutting in
- Repeat this procedure daily till the toenail grows big enough to cut it off and trim
Ingrown toenails can be prevented through proper grooming of the nails and by wearing comfortable shoes.