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It's summer and you want to be active, but an ingrown nail on your foot is stopping you. It can get red and swollen causing tremendous pain. How did this happen and how can it be fixed?
Depending on the season, your feet may be overly exposed to the elements or cramped up in shoes and warm socks. If you don’t pay careful attention, these situations can lead to ingrown toenails, which are both painful and annoying. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can be doing to take care of your feet so you avoid ingrown toenails from showing up.
Good foot hygiene means regularly trimming your toenails and cuticles. You may want to go as far as regular moisturizing around the nails for greater prevention of ingrown toenails. Trimming your toenails is a crucial part of good foot hygiene. If you don’t trim your toenails properly, you may be encouraging the formation of ingrown toenails. The proper way to trim your toenails involves two parts: trim orientation and trim length. Be sure you trim your toenails straight, instead of rounded. Rounding the corners of your toenails is one of the first causes of ingrown toenails. You should also make sure you aren’t trimming your nails too short. Rounded nails that are trimmed too short create the perfect environment for ingrown toenails.
If you’re unsure of how to trim your toenails, a diabetic, or you have poor blood flow to your toes, you may want to see one of our podiatrists for a trimming.
The environment in which your feet reside can either greatly help your feet and nails or hurt them. When you buy shoes, make sure they fit properly. Shoes that are too tight in the toe box can create unnecessary pressure on your toes, which encourages ingrown nails to form. The same goes for socks. Many people aren’t aware that socks have sizes and often buy them too small, which leads to an even more suffocating environment for your toes.
You should also take the time to let your feet breathe properly, especially after extended periods of time in socks and shoes.
Once a week, take some time to look at your feet and nails to be sure there aren’t any worrisome developments. If you do notice something, don’t hesitate to call our office to set up an appointment. Our foot doctors can help you take care of your ingrown toenails and other foot problems. We have several convenient locations from Ogden to St. George to treat you and all your family’s needs.
