Home Remedies for Ingrown Toenail in 4 Easy Steps

Did you know you can treat an ingrown toenail yourself right at home? You can, and it’s easy!

Immediate action at the first sign of an ingrown toenail is necessary to effectively treat and get rid of an ingrown toenail. Home remedies for ingrown toenail are often the best and fastest approach to begin immediate treatment.

If you are experiencing any tenderness, pain, swelling, or redness around the toenail on any of your toes, begin these steps immediately.

STEP 1- Get out of those shoes

Do not wear any pointed, heeled, or tight shoes when you have an ingrown toenail. Stop wearing these immediately at the first sign of toenail pain.

Don’t wear any shoes when possible, or wear open-toed shoes or wide and flat shoes that won’t push your toes forward and will allow your toes to wiggle around inside them.

STEP 2- Enjoy a nice foot soak

Your toenail area needs to be cleaned and softened. Keeping the area clean will ward off bacteria that can lead to infection. Softening the area will both alleviate some pressure and allow some space between the toenail and skin around the toenail to reduce inflammation.

Soak your feet at least twice a day for at least 20 minutes at a time using a mixture of warm water, apple cider vinegar or gentle soap, and Epsom salt.

STEP 3- Keep toes dry

The feet and toes should be kept dry through the day. The ingrown toenail won’t heal quickly in a moist environment. After your foot soak, shower, or immediately following any time the feet or toes get wet, dry them immediately.

This means drying your feet of any moisture throughout the day. If you wear socks or if it’s a warm day, carry a clean towel and an extra pair of socks so you can periodically clean and dry your feet.

STEP 4- Apply essential oils

Several essential oils have medicinal properties, making them an excellent choice as a home remedy for ingrown toenails. Fungus, bacteria, and inflammation are enemies to an ingrown toenail. A combination of tea tree and eucalyptus can ward these off.

After a foot soak or after cleaning and drying your toes through the day, apply 2 drops each of tea tree and eucalyptus oils along with a carrier oil such as coconut oil to the ingrown toenail area using a cotton ball or cloth.

When is it time to see a podiatrist?

While home remedies are a great place to start for treating and getting rid of an ingrown toenail, a professional podiatrist may still be needed. A home podiatry visit may be available.

• At home remedies for ingrown toenail are only effective at the initial stage of an ingrown toenail. If you did not begin home treatment at the first sign, and the pain or swelling has increased, see a podiatrist for an effective treatment. The sooner you treat an ingrown toenail, the less invasive the treatment will be.
• If you don’t see any relief in the tenderness, pain, swelling, or redness after applying home remedies for several days, see a podiatrist for a more effective treatment.
• If you continually get ingrown toenails again and again, it may be time for a more permanent solution rather than treating every occurrence of an ingrown toenail. A podiatrist can provide more permanent treatments.

Beginning a treatment quickly, whether it is a home remedy or a professional treatment by a podiatrist is the most important step in quickly and easily treating an ingrown toenail. Avoid any prolonged or additional pain by starting a treatment at the first sign of an ingrown toenail.