Thursday, September 6, 2012

Help For Ingrown Toenail Whitestone

By Kerri Turner


To most of us, trimming our nails to keep them short and clean is a routine we go through without thinking too much about. Or, it is something that is done while we get a pedicure. Cutting the toe-nails in a wrong way however, can cause a painful condition known as in-grown nails. Ingrown toenail Whitestone nail technicians or a GP may be needed to take care of it.

A nail becomes in-grown when its edges curl and start digging into the skin below it. The are starts to swell and to redden. At the early stages, mild pain will be felt but if a large portion of the nail has gone in, the pain may be acute and putting on shoes may be difficult.

An in-grown toe nail can be avoided by choosing shoes that fit well and not those that press the toes and toenails together which will cause a nail which a jagged edge to start digging into the skin. It is also important to always cut toe-nails straight and not curved as is done for finger nails.

Some conditions that affect the bone can also cause in-grown toe nails. This is especially the case with osteoporosis and arthritis which cause the bones to become weak and start to degenerate. This affects bone structure too. Arthritis patients usually see the toe starts to curl in a downward direction and the nails may grow in the same direction.

The other cause of in-grown nails is injury caused to the toes like a heavy object falling on a foot or stubbing a toe against furniture. The impact can cause the nail to jut downwards into the skin.

If the problem is noted early, it can be taken care of by one of the nail technicians at a Whitmore salon or spa. They can be able to take out the part of the nail that has grown in. They do not make a cut but only trim the nail and file it until it can be picked out. If they cannot remove it, a doctor will have to be seen for minor surgery to remove it.

After extraction or removal, keep the area scrupulously clean to prevent further infection. The foot would be particularly prone to infection because bacteria thrive in warm, moist area and feet that spend most of the day stashed in shoes provide just that.

While they heal, the feet should be soaked in warm water with some salt dissolved in it or some antiseptic. If it is too painful to do so, make the solution and clean the affected area with it. Dry it with more cotton swabs. A soft foam toe cap may be used but not a band aid or bandage that would be tight and painful.

Also, wear open toed shoes or shoes that have a wide toe-box that give the toes plenty of room rather than squeeze them together. It is also important to keep seeing the doctor or ingrown toenail Whitestone nail technician to check that the toe is healing well. Regular ideas are also a good idea.




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