How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail Overnight

by Shirlyn Ramos

Are you trying to find out how to get rid of an ingrown toenail overnight?

Your big toe is throbbing and you can’t really figure out why. You didn’t hit it against any furniture or drop something on it recently. The pain is getting a lot worse that you can’t even walk properly. Upon close inspection, you see fluid buildup, swelling and redness at the corner of your big toe.

How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail Overnight
How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail Overnight

All these things point to one thing: ingrown toenail.

How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail Overnight
How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail Overnight

What Causes Ingrown Toenails

A toenail becomes ingrown when one or both its sides start to go through the skin of your big toe. As the nail breaks through, the damaged skin becomes exposed to a lot of bacteria, especially those that proliferate in and around your feet.

Ingrown toenails can happen for a lot of reason. Surprisingly, the most common cause is trimming your nails too short. It causes the skin on the sides to cover your nails and your nails to grow back into the skin.

Apart from that, ingrown toenails can also be caused by the following:

● Ripping your nails
● Cutting your nails in a rounded shape
● Trauma (stubbing your toe or having something heavy fall on it)
● Wearing shoes that don’t fit
● Presence of psoriasis and fungal infections
● Genetics
● Repeated activity (participating in sports that involve sudden stops or kicking)
● Improper foot hygiene
● Poor posture

What Causes Ingrown Toenails
What Causes Ingrown Toenails

Signs You Have Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown Nail Signs
Ingrown Nail Signs

Ingrown toenails generally come with pain. It can either be mild or severe depending on the severity of the damage and the presence of infection. In addition to pain, other signs of ingrown toenails include:

● A warm feeling on your big toe
● The presence of pus or liquid oozing
● Foul smell
● Swelling around the edge of the ingrown nail
● Redness

Signs You Have Ingrown Toenails
Signs You Have Ingrown Toenails

How To Get Rid Of An Ingrown Toenail Overnight

An ingrown toenail might be painful, but it doesn’t mean that you have to seek medical attention right away. If the pain is mild and there are no other signs of complications, like cauliflower-like growth or extremely foul smell, you can solve the issue with the following at home remedies.

Warm water

Warm Water
Warm Water

This is one of the most effective solutions to ingrown toenails. Warm temperature can cause your blood vessels to dilate and this results in an increased blood supply to your toes. Better blood supply means faster wound healing. Apart from that, soaking your foot in warm water can also soften your nails and make them easier to cut.

To use:

Get a basin and fill it with warm water to fully submerge your foot. Allow your foot to soak in that water for about 10 minutes or until the water cools down.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide can kill bacteria that can cause infection. You can use it to clean your toes from dirt, too.

To use:

Add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to a piece of cotton ball and dab it on your affected toe. When cleaning your nails, make sure to use separate cotton balls to prevent the spread of bacteria and dirt.

Lemon

Lemon
Lemon

Warm water can help relieve pain while the acidity of the lemon can help treat the infection.

To use:

Get a piece of lemon, cut it in half and soak them in warm water. Once they are warm enough, take out one part and gently rub on the affected toe.

For a more potent effect, you can skip the warm water and rub the lemon directly on your toe. Let its juice soak the affected part and once you are done, wear a sock or put on a piece of bandage.

Vinegar solution

Vinegar
Vinegar

When it comes to infections, a lot of people can attest to how effective vinegar is. It can help relieve pain, soothe any tenderness and kill all bacteria causing the infection. The best part is that is it can also prevent recurrence.

To use:

Mix one part of it with four parts of warm water. Soak your foot in the solution for a couple of minutes.

Tea tree oil

Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil makes a natural disinfectant. It has both antifungal and antibacterial properties to treat almost all types of infection.

To use:

Cleanse your toe with a good antibacterial soap first. Take a bucket of water and add a few drops of tea tree oil. Soak your feet in it for a few minutes. You can also apply the oil directly on your toes several times a day soothe the infection as well as the pain.

Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil

When To See Your Doctor

If your toe fails to get better after a few days or if you start seeing pus oozing from the affected site, don’t hesitate to see your doctor right away. If you know you have diabetes or if you have other blood diseases, it’s best to seek your doctor’s help, too. An untreated infection can easily spread to your bones and that may warrant longer treatment period with more potent antibiotics. In severe cases, amputation may be necessary.

When To See Your Doctor
When To See Your Doctor

How To Prevent Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails, although common, are still preventable. Here are some great tips to prevent recurrence:

● Wear proper-fitting shoes. Ensure that your socks aren’t too tight as well.
● Do not cut the borders of your nails as this can cause changes in the way the nails grow.
● Avoid cutting the nails too short and make sure to cut in a straight line.
● Always use a sharp and clean nail trimmer to avoid tugging the surrounding skin and the nails.
● If you have diabetes, don’t attempt to treat your ingrown toenail by yourself. See a podiatrist right away.
● Do not rely solely on pain relievers as they can’t treat the infection. You’ll need antibiotics for that.
● If you often injure your toes at work, consider investing in a protective footwear.
● Do proper foot hygiene. Regularly wash and dry your feet to prevent microbial growth. Bacteria are attracted to moisture.
● Refrain from digging the sides of your nails as this can cause more damage.
● When getting a pedicure, ensure that every piece of equipment is sterilized prior to their use. This can limit the chances of transmitting infections.

 

About Shirlyn Ramos

Shirlyn Ramos has worked as a manager for a famous nail salon chain for over 10 years. She's seen it all, and now she likes to share her experience with others in the hopes of helping them create beautiful nails. When she's not busy with work, Shirlyn enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves going on walks and exploring new places.

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