Advice for ingrown fingernail

What can I do for an ingrown fingernail
( 5 Oct 2007)

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An ingrown nail is a condition that occurs when the nails of the feet or hand grow improperly and curve inwards into the tissues of the respective area. The reasons for this occurring are improper cutting of nails and having too much tissue around the specific nail. The treatment to deal with the condition range from just soaking one’s feet in warm water until the problem solves itself to completely removing the nail if required.

Nails are basically a hardened piece of a protein called keratin, a substance that is also found in hair. The human nail grows out of the nail matrix that is found at the beginning of the nail bed and is a living tissue that generates the hard keratin as long as it is alive. The nail bed itself along with the nail grooves dictate the shape of the nail to grow.

If you notice, the nail tissue at the beginning of the nail is softer than the nail further on and it is while at this area that the sculpting of the nail starts. Nails grow at a rate of three millimeters a month. When the normal growth of nail is restricted by badly fitting shoes as well as by the bulging of the digit, the nail growth can be affected and the nail could end up curving inwards into the nail bed. When this happens, there will be injury to the tissue that is called an ingrown nail. Most of the research done on ingrown nails implicates the nail for the defect rather than the tissue and most of the corrective actions that are taken to rectify the condition are usually applied to the nail and not the grooves. The grooves of the nail are especially a causative factor as the digit becomes rounded due to weight gain or continuous load bearing pressure, as is the case in the toes of the feet – the region where most ingrown nail problems are reported.

One of the important things to do if this problem is just starting out is to start cutting the nail properly. One of the common misconceptions of nail care is that the nail must be cut in a curved way that reflects the roundness of the digit itself. In the process of doing this, it is inevitable that the nail is cut too deeply before the “white line” where the nail disconnects from the skin. The nail should be cut in a straight line and curved cutting should not be over emphasized more than a standard nail cutter would allow. In time, this condition would rectify itself. Consult a doctor if there is bleeding and ulceration of the surrounding tissue.

answered by G M on 25 Sep 2009, 12:13:38

Care for your ingrown nail by keeping it clean and dry. Cut the nail straight.

Few home remedies are –

Soak your nail in olive oil, wheat germ oil, lavender oil or sesame oil for at least 10-15minutes. Massage afterwards.
Add lavender oil and apple cider vinegar in warm water. Soak your nail for 15-20 minutes.
Warm salty water is also beneficial. Soak your nail in it.
Use of Listerine for soaking fingernail is good for infection.
Applying coconut oil on affected area also helps. Taking 2 teaspoons of coconut oil every day also helps in removing infection.
Use the mixture of one teaspoon of olive oil and two drops of oregano oil on the nail. Do not exceed application for over 3 weeks.

answered by R S on 29 Oct 2007, 2:26:44

Advice for ingrown fingernail

What can I do for an ingrown fingernail ( 5 Oct 2007)

What can I do for an ingrown fingernail
( 5 Oct 2007)