HELP! i've got an in growing nail!

hi all..i've just realised i've got an in growing nail in my left toe i'm so very depressed! well, some of you might recommend seeing a doctor, but just to let you know, i had a similar experience 2 years ago, where my RIGHT toe had an in growing nail that required surgery.

i'm feeling pretty traumatised about it as i know how it's like to undergo this similar surgery again, only on my other toe. *sigh* i wonder why we have toes with nails in the first place..

i can't sleep at night, and i fear that it would get only worst, but i'm terrified in the thought of seeing a doctor!

HELP!

They do have some over the counter medications that can sometimes work. But usually once the nail is really ingrown or starts to get infected then the doctor is really your only option.

Any chance you caught it early enough to cut the nail away without causing serious problems?

my mom just had to have that a while ago. she said it really hurt. but i mean would you rather go through it just once more or would you rather have an ingrown toenail? i mean it's up to you. if you are in pain then i would have it taken care of, but if it is just there and you can just clip it off once in a while then maybe you should just leave it alone and do that.

well good luck,

love Qtpie87

A few years ago I had a problem with getting ingrown toe nails (BTW mine were caused by clipping my toenails too short) but I didnt really know how to deal with it so I tried to cut it out myself and oooowwww!!! I just made it pulse harder, so I went to get a pedicure. And the little lady their didn't even bat an eye, she took that sucker right out; and all I felt was relief! This did happen one more time and I went to another nail place, and walaa! yet again, relief!

I know that some do require surgery and/or a doctor, but I think if you catch it pretty quickly a pedicurist may be able to help, and it costs under $50 at the most!

First of all, I suggest that you go to a podiatrist. If left neglected, it may lead to a serious infection.

Cutting toe nails properly goes a long way toward the prevention of ingrown nails. Use a safety nail clipper, available at every drug store on the planet. Cut the nails STRAIGHT accross, so that the nail corner is visible. If you cut the nail too short so that the nail corner is not visible, you are inviting the nail corner to grow into the skin. It is the natural tendency, when the edge of the nail starts to grow in, to cut down at an angle at the nail edge, to relieve the pain. This DOES relieve he pain TEMPORARILY, but it also starts the downward spiral, training the nail to become more and more ingrown. What happens is that cutting down at an angle creates a space at the nail edge. When the advancing nail edge reaches the space, it rolls downward, taking the course of least resistance. The edge becomes more and more ingrown, until it pierces the skin and makes an infection. So, cut the nails STRAIGHT accross and never have an ingrown nail again.

hey! as someone whos had ingrown nails on both big toes, i suggest going to the doctor, even if you dont want to i really didnt want to either, but after going to camp and having everyone step all over my toes and all that pain i went. i got them worked on, but it wasnt a permanent type thing and they grew back just as bad. so, i finally got surgery on both of them, that kills the nerve so they don't grow out on the side and give me an ingrown nails now! yay . any questions, just ask.

EmptySoul

Hey all...thanks for your advices.. i really appreciate it. i think i'll pass the doctor first, since it's not really painful. i've trimmed the side of my nail (where the pressure was) and if it gets worse, i won't hesistate to see a doctor..

i really hate this. drats.

i suppose fear of pain is the main reason i fear the doctor.*sigh*

but...thanks all..*bow*