How to Care for an Ingrown Toenail with Red Puffiness on the Side

Big toes are notorious for developing ingrown toenails. It can happen if you trim your toenails too short or if you taper the corners of the nails. This might make them look pretty, but the results can be painful as it can cause the nail to grow into the skin. You can also develop ingrown toenails if the shoes you wear are too small. Once a toenail becomes ingrown, it can get infected, making the toe puffy, red, and painful to the touch.

Things You'll Need

• Large basin
• Warm water
• Soft cotton towel
• Antibacterial ointment
• Over-the-counter pain medication

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Instructions

• 1

  Identify the ingrown nail. At first the area surrounding the ingrown toenail may appear swollen. It will probably be tender to the touch and hard. If left untreated, it can get infected, making it appear red and puffy. Infected ingrown toenails can be very painful to the touch and may produce pus which can drain from the infected area. While any toenail can be ingrown the condition is most common with the big toe.

• 2

  Treat the ingrown toenail as soon as you discover it. Early treatment may prevent infection. Fill a basin with warm water and soak the foot with the ingrown toenail for 10 to 15 minutes. Dry the foot and keep it dry any time you're not soaking it. Repeat this process three to four times each day.

• 3

  Apply antibacterial ointment to the ingrown area to fight infection. Take over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with the pain.

• 4

  Check your shoes for proper fit. If possible, wear open-toed shoes or sandals until the ingrown toenail clears up.

• 5

  Contact your physician if the condition does not improve within three days or if the condition gets worse. Your physician may prescribe oral antibiotics to treat the infection. In some cases your physician may recommend the surgical removal of part or all of the nail.