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How to prevent ingrown toenail

lifeforce80 Comments on How to prevent ingrown toenail

ingrown-nail “Ill-fitting grammar is like ill-fitting shoes. You can get used to it for a bit, but then one day your toes fall off and you can’t walk to the bathroom”- Jasper Fforde

While your toes may not literally fall off from ill fitting shoes, you may face other problems, of which ingrown toenails are very common. If you have borne the pain of an ingrown toenail before, you may find the following tips to prevent ingrown toe nails useful.

An ingrown toenail is a condition in which the side of your toenail grows into the soft fleshy region surrounding the nail. This often results in pain, swelling and redness in the region surrounding the toenail.

Factors that make you more prone to developing ingrown toe nails

Here are some of the risk factors that may put you at an increased chance for developing an ingrowing toe nail:

  • Shoes that are either too large or too small
  • Frequent or repetitive injuries or pressure on your feet
  • Sports that require you to repeatedly start and stop like football, basketball or tennis.
  • Foot deformities like bunions or fungal infections of the toes or toenail deformities that are present since birth
  • Being overweight or diabetic or having joint swelling or other conditions that cause your feet to swell
  • Not maintaining hygiene of your feet or having a tendency to sweat extensively

Prevention of an ingrown toenail

Here are the precautions that you can take to prevent an ingrown toenail:

Don’t cut your nails too short

Cutting your toenails too short causes the pressure from your shoes to force the nail to grow into the tissue. The ideal size? Cut your nails so that they are at an even height with the tips of your toes.

Don’t curve your nails

While it is common to cut your finger nails in a curve, avoid doing that for your toes. Cut your toe nails in a straight line. If you have your nails done at a salon, get your pedicurist to cut your nails straight across. After all, what use is fashion if it is going to cause you so much trouble later?

Get well fitting shoes

Shoes with too much space in front of your toes or those which pinch on your toes should be avoided. Avoid wearing open-ended shoes if your work puts you at risk of injuring your feet.

Check your feet regularly

If you have diabetes and your nerves have been affected, you may not experience much pain. Hence check your feet daily for the earliest signs of an ingrown nail.

If you found these tips useful, do let us know by leaving your comments below. If you would like to know more about Dr Rajesh Shah’s research based homeopathic treatment at LifeForce Homoeopathy, do write in to us at info@lifeforce.in. Alternately, you could also connect with Dr Rajesh Shah’s associate doctors at +91-22-66888888

– Dr Amrita Sodhi, Associate Doctor to Dr Rajesh Shah, Team LifeForce

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