How To Heal An Ingrown Nail

An ingrown toenail is a common problem where the blast grows into the toe. It tin be painful, simply there are things you lot tin do to ease the pain.

Cheque if you have an ingrown toenail

You usually get an ingrown toenail on your big toe. But y'all can become them on any toe.

An ingrown toenail in someone with white skin. The big toe looks red and swollen and the side of the toenail has grown into the toe. — Your toe may exist cherry-red, painful and bloated.

A ingrown toenail in the big toe seen from the front, showing the toenail curving into the toe. — Your toenail may curve into your toe.

Your toe tin can likewise get infected.

Signs of an infected toe include:

pus coming out of it
you feel hot or shivery

How to treat an ingrown toenail at home

If you lot become to a GP with an ingrown toenail, they'll usually suggest y'all attempt these things offset.

Practise

soak your foot in warm, salty h2o to assistance soften the skin effectually your toe and reduce the chances of infection
continue your human foot dry for the rest of the day
wear broad, comfy shoes or sandals
have paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease the hurting

Don't

do not cut your toenail – leave information technology to abound out
do not choice at your toe or toenail
practice not wear tight, pointy shoes

A pharmacist can help with an ingrown toenail

Yous can ask a chemist near:

treatments to help ease the pain and prevent an infection
whether you demand to see a GP

Detect a pharmacy

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

treating your ingrown toenail at dwelling is not helping
your toe is painful and bloated with pus coming out of information technology
you have a very high temperature or you feel hot or shivery
you lot accept diabetes and an ingrown toenail – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

Data:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP

It's still important to get assistance from a GP if yous need it. To contact your GP surgery:

visit their website
use the NHS App
telephone call them

Find out well-nigh using the NHS during COVID-xix

Treatments for an ingrown toenail

A GP tin can:

check your toe to see if information technology'southward an ingrown toenail
requite you lot antibiotics if your toenail is infected

If you have a badly ingrown toenail, they may refer you to a foot specialist (podiatrist).

Treatment from a human foot specialist

A podiatrist may offer further treatments, such as:

cut abroad part of the nail
removing the whole blast

Yous'll take an injection of local anaesthetic to numb your toe when this is done.

Referral to a podiatrist on the NHS may not be available to anybody and waiting times can be long. You can pay to come across a podiatrist privately.

Find a podiatrist

How to prevent ingrown toenails

To assistance finish ingrown toenails:

practice not cutting your toenails too short
cutting directly beyond the nail, not the edges
do not wear shoes that are too tight or do not fit properly
continue your feet clean and dry them thoroughly

Page last reviewed: 24 January 2022
Next review due: 24 January 2025