Ingrown toenail: natural remedies to get rid of it

When a nail grows inside the skin it causes painful inflammation, which can also lead to infection: here’s how to fix this ailment.

It may happen, due to bad habits or infectious processes, that a nail becomes incarnate, that is, it leaves the nail edge and begins to grow under the skin that surrounds it. This is a somewhat annoying problem that mainly affects the toes – especially the big toe, where the nail is larger. If underestimated, the disorder can cause great pain and even lead to an infection. Here’s how you can get rid of it with some grandma remedy.

Ingrown toenail: the causes

Onychocriptosis (this is the medical name of the ingrown toenail) can be caused by foot problems such as hallux valgus, nail injury or fungal infection.

But often the problem is caused by some bad habits: wearing too tight or high-heeled shoes, cutting the nails incorrectly or suffering microtraumas in activities such as football.

How to recognize an ingrown toenail

When the nail becomes ingrown, the surrounding skin becomes red and inflamed . The pain becomes more and more persistent with the growth of the nail and small lesions can occur that give rise to an infection. Often, the ingrown toenail forms a little pus in the area around it, especially in the most severe cases.

If the pain is too severe or if you are infected, it is important to have a visit to your doctor. The problem is also at risk of chronicity, therefore it must be solved at the root. In less severe cases, you can try to relieve the discomfort with some natural remedy .

Ingrown toenail: natural remedies

• One of the grandmother’s remedies to relieve the pain caused by an ingrown toenail is the foot bath in hot water , to be carried out at least twice a day for 15 minutes. For a more powerful effect, add an infusion of thyme , boiled for about 5 minutes or tea tree oil with a disinfectant action to the water.

• The key ingredient in fighting inflammation is lemon. Cut one in half and make a hole in the center, sprinkling it with salt. Put your finger in the lemon and leave it for 20 minutes. The disinfectant power of salt and lemon helps to heal the ingrown nail.

• Onion also has anti-inflammatory powers: cook one and then mash it. The compound obtained must be closed inside a sterile gauze , to be placed on the affected nail. Leave it on for at least a couple of hours, covering the foot with a sock.

Photo source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-s-feet-on-swimming-pool-965988/