How to Manage Ingrown Nails

Ingrown nails are a painful and irritating condition caused by the nail growing into the skin around the nail. It is usually the corners of the nail that become ingrown but the front of the nail occasionally becomes ingrown as well. There are steps that can be taken at home to mitigate the discomfort associated with ingrown nails. More severe cases may require treatment by a doctor.

Things You'll Need

• Nail clippers
• Emery board
• Cotton ball

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Instructions

Managing Ingrown Nails

• 1

  Cut the front of the nail in a straight line with the nail clippers. This will allow the ingrown corners of the nail to grow out past the skin.

• 2

  File down the top of the nail with the emery board. Thinning the nail in this way will allow a reduction in the curvature of the nail, preventing the nail from being pushed into the skin on the sides of the nail. Take care not to file through the nail.

• 3

  Tear a small piece of cotton off of the cotton ball. Insert this piece of cotton under the part of the nail that is ingrown. This can be very painful at first but causes the nail to grow over the cotton, lifting the nail above the point where it becomes ingrown.

• 4

  Visit your doctor if these methods do not help. Your doctor may perform a partial or whole toenail removal and may even kill the part of the nail bed that grows the part of the nail that becomes ingrown.