An ingrown toenail is a condition in which an edge of the nail digs into the surrounding soft tissue. It causes pain, redness, and infection. Harvard medical school published an article (https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Foot-health-What-to-do-about-an-ingrown-toenail) that suggests what to do with ingrown toenails when the symptoms are minor (you see the redness and feel pain on your toenail, but no infection or severe pain) and when you have no medical complication such as cancer or diabetes.

Soak & Massage

  1. Soak the foot into the warm water

    1. Soak two or three times a day for 15 min

    2. If you wish, add Epsom salts.

  2. Massage the skin at the side of the affected toenail

  3. Dry the foot completely

  4. Apply an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin to the affected area

    1. Cover the area with a Band-Aid

Shoes

  1. Wear open-toed and low heeled shoes whenever you can.

  2. When you wear close-toed shoes, make sure that your shoes have a room for toes to move freely.

Nail Cut

  1. When the ingrown toenail grows out, cut it straight across: do not round the corners down

What to avoid

  1. Putting cotton under the affected toenail is not recommended. I could trap and mount the bacteria inside the toenail.

  2. Do not try to dig out the ingrown toenail by yourself at home. These procedures should be done by experts.

One thing to keep in mind is that those home remedies may work for you, but it is sometimes best to see a podiatrist (foot doctor) right away – according to the Harvard article.