Ingrown nails are very common and can happen quite easily. Usually, it is pretty simple to detect if you have one or not with a few simple signs or symptoms.

Some of the more common symptoms and signs of an ingrown nail are tenderness or swelling on the skin that is adjacent to the nail. Hard skin surrounding the nail is also a sign of an ingrown nail. If you have any of these symptoms it is important to check if your nail has become ingrown.

Some ways to prevent ingrown toenails are to soften your nail by soaking your foot in warm water. Using a clean sharp nail cutter also helps and trimming straight across the top as opposed to rounding the corners. Also, try not to trim your nails too short as that may cause them to dig into the skin deeper.

There are many ways to treat an ingrown nail both at home and professionally through a physician’s care. If you decide to take care of the problem at home you need to first make sure you do not have a nail infection or medical condition going on with the toes or nails. If your infection free you can begin by soaking your feet in a combination of warm water and Epsom salt. A few minutes into the soak you should begin to rub/massage the side of the nail where the cuticles and fold are, this will help to reduce the inflammation. You also want to make sure to avoid cutting the nails too often or too close to the skin. If this fails, you can then begin to seek medical attention.