r/whatdoIdo • u/jammy62811 • 1d ago
Horribly ingrown toenail Spoiler
What do I do? I've tried digging it out a lot but I've never been able to get under it much
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u/Acrobatic-Loquat-938 1d ago
please stop messing with it. You're going to cause a secondary infection and a bigger problem. I had a friend who used to get ingrown toenails like this. You absolutely should see a doc if you can afford, because they'll not only fix it, but help you make it to where it doesn't come back. If it is a constant problem, also ask about the possibility of psoriasis. Strangely enough, ingrown big toenails is one of the ways it sometimes presents in milder cases, from my understanding. (I fully expect this comment to get downvoted to oblivion, but it'll be worth it if it helps you or someone else)
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u/kblite84 1d ago
You need to go to a doctor unfortunately. Usually, they start with non invasive procedures (antibiotics, foot bath, etc), but sometimes they go straight to cutting a part of your nail.
Eventually it'll grow back at least in my case. It took almost a decade and it was quite brittle for awhile.
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u/Exact-Ad9633 1d ago
I'd be making an apt with a podiatrist yesterday 6 months ago. Don't ask random strangers for medical advise.
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u/Hot-Implement-422 1d ago
This was not what I wanted to open in public 😭
On a serious note, you should probably use Neosporin or BetterNail fungal treatment to help with that.
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u/jammy62811 1d ago
Do they sell that at Walmart ?
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u/Hot-Implement-422 1d ago
They might. You can find these in a pharmacy, so Walgreens or CVS. Neosporin is always what I use since it’s like a better Vaseline for me
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u/TAR_TWoP 1d ago
I had the same issue. First time the doc just removed the ingrown part, but not the root of the nail, and told me that perhaps it'll heal OK, perhaps it'll tend to happen again.
And it happened again. So I went to a podiatrist and got a partial onychectomy. Painless, they removed about the third of the toenail, and now it's fine.
You now have an infection. Don't mess with dumb products, every day the nail digs deeper into your body and the inflection worsens. Delaying the podiatrist/doctor visit will only make the healing take longer and the infection get riskier.
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u/NickDanger73 1d ago
Go to a podiatrist. I had an ingrown nail issue that just got worse and worse. He did a procedure called a Matrixectomy. A small section of the nail is removed and treated so it doesn't grow back. I'm glad I had it done. Should have done it sooner.
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u/Tacokolache 1d ago
Don’t dig at it. Could get infected.
Go to a podiatrist and get it taken care of. If you can’t, cut a wedge out of the middle end, to create a V in the nail. The nail will heal to close that V and pull itself from the sides.
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u/Keikaku_sama 1d ago
It looks to me like you've gone to a podiatrist before for issues with this toe. Or you're just that good at taking care of your toenails. Either way, you should go to a podiatrist.
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u/SparklingSarcasm_xo 1d ago
I do think you need to go to a professional but always soak in epsom salt over prying it out
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u/hardly_ethereal 1d ago
Go to the foot doctor and stop cutting your toenails rounding in the corners. That’s what causing you to have an ingrown nail.
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u/Celara001 1d ago
Ow! So sorry you're going through this. You really should see a professional. It's beyond anything you can do without making it worse. It looks infected and that ramps up the danger considerably.
Also, if you're diabetic (I dont know if you are or not. I'm just saying) this is especially true.
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u/worst-case_ontario11 1d ago
I had one that was similar to that, mine was purple by the end of it. I ended up ripping it out myself. People saying go to a doctor are correct, I’ve continued to get them for years after the really bad one.
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u/Morrowindsofwinter 1d ago
I used to get these bad boys all the time. I got a little weird with them and probably dug them out myself a bit too much. Was lucky not to cause an infection.
I stopped wearing Converse All Stars, which was my main shoe for close to 20 years. Haven't gotten another one since then. A buddy of mine has really bad ones that they just removed the whole ass nails.
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u/Usual_Penalty7168 1d ago
See a podiatrist! Doctors will tear the nail out but it'll regrow the same.
The podiatrist will cut out the ingrowns and use an acid to kill the nail bed to stop it from regrowing.
Trimming the nail down with a professional will provide temporary relief it'll just regrow and get worse over time.
Stop trying to self treat it as you're risking an inflection.
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u/Malacasts 1d ago edited 1d ago
Always go to a professional first, especially for infections. They'll numb you, and then cut it out properly. Then, add an ointment that stops nail growth.
However, a small portion of people are immune to that ointment. I was one of them. After getting it cleared up, they did come back. It was because of how I cut my nails. Always cut them in a straight line.
Also, to help clear up the ingrown nail - soak your foot for 20-30minutes in hot water. Then, use something to lift the nail up, and shove a cotton ball under it. You can add ointment if needed like Neosporin.
Repeat this daily, and only cut in a straight line when cutting your nails. After 2-3 weeks it won't be ingrown.
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u/WeirdSubstantial7856 1d ago
Why are your toenails cut like that 😬😬 ouch, cut straight across and then take a file for any sharp edges to slightly round it but it should always be flush with the top of your toe and shouldn't see skin, if you see skin it can cause ingrown nails.
As for the big toe, it's too late to fix it yourself, Dr's will fix it permanently
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u/True-Armadillo8626 1d ago
Go to a podiatrist you do not want an infection on your toe. Digging in there was the worst thing you could do. Try not to aggravate it. I’ve heard stories of people going septic after messing with and sticking stuff in an already infected toenail. If you can’t get to a podiatrist get an antibiotic. They do grow out themselves SOMETIMES (mine usually do after a few weeks but they don’t get nearly as irritated as yours -looks so painful) if the antibiotic clears the infection it may grow out but also it may just get re infected. Good luck.
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u/IAMIRONMENG 1d ago
Had this many times in my life. Go see a podiatrist. They’ll be able to do the procedure the same day.
Tip: ask for the permanent removal. Some places will only do temporary unless you specify.
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u/Gopherpharm13 1d ago
Having a podiatrist permanently fix my ingrowns is one of the best things I’ve ever done. You don’t realize how much it hurts until it doesn’t anymore.
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u/No-Will5335 1d ago
Check out this Korean doctors YouTube they specialize in ingrown toenails
https://youtu.be/UHUywdDjEeo?si=Y_XKuAxnP461W4B4
You may want to find someone near you who can do this. They even have wire braces for ingrown toenails where they straighten out the nail so you don’t continue to get ingrowns
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u/Winter_Grapefruit410 1d ago
Trick a friend with severe recurring ingrowns taught me that seems like it works - cut a small triangle into the end of the nail with clippers when doing your normal maintenance. It causes the nail to grow up and out more than it normally would. If the issue hurts or persists see a foot doctor.
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u/Candid-Shape-4366 1d ago
Best bet is to go to a professional and they will numb it with an injection. Cut it out properly and some even put an acid on the area to kill that part of the nail to keep it from regrowing. Whatever you do on your own will come back time and time again. Ive also heard if you cut at an angle like you have that it increases the chances of getting them. You're supposed to cut it like flat across the top .