Ingrown toenails develop because the toenail starts to grow into the side of the toe, usually because of activity like sports causing pressure on the toe. They are painful and often limiting. With any condition, some people will try to let it “run its course” and cure itself. However, this can be dangerous with ingrown toenails and could potentially lead to an infection or more severe ingrown.
An ingrown toenail will usually not cure itself. Most patients with ingrown toenails require some sort of treatment to see any improvement in the condition. This is because ingrowns are caused by the direction of nail growth. If an ingrown is left completely alone, it will simply continue to grow in the same direction. For this reason, not only will an ingrown toenail not cure itself, but it will likely get worse if left untreated.
Some people are able to see results with minimal home treatments for ingrown toenails, like epsom salt baths. When these soaks are done regularly, the skin surrounding the ingrown toenail can soften allowing the ingrown to start growing around it. In this way, sometimes an ingrown toenail can “cure itself” without needing any invasive treatments.
If you have an ingrown toenail, you should not leave it alone and hope that it will cure itself. Without medical attention, most ingrown toenails will get worse. This could lead to increased pain and even infection. The best thing to do if you have an ingrown toenail is to seek out treatment from a licensed podiatrist. They will be able to remove the ingrown toenail so that you can start healing as soon as possible, rather than passively wait for it to get better. To schedule a consultation with a podiatrist, give us a call at (424)-299-4627 or visit our website for more information.