Ingrown Toenail

[Anonymous No.264998]

I have an ingrown toenail. Big toe. Right foot. I'm coming to you, /diy/, for advice on how to perform a self surgery on my toe.

I don't see anything in the rules about not putting up a pic of the afflicted toe, but I'm gonna ask that you let me know if it's okay, since the rules don't seem to cover it.

I'm looking for tools of choice, antiseptics/cleaning for preventing infection, and what the best dressing for it wil lbe once I've gotten it fixed.

[Anonymous No.265019]

I had a similar problem... Basically I jogged down the side of a mountain, slamming my big toe into the front of my shoe with each stride and killing the toenail in the process. Didn't think much of it, but later, once the dead one fell off, I found out that a new one had been growing under it, straight into the front of my toe. Never got it checked out and the weirdest thing happened. It somehow never went into the front of the toe and has now pretty much found it's way back to a normal position....
I was prepared for some surgery myself however... My plan was to very carefully cut the toenail at the most distal point I could cut it.... Using a dremel. Then use tweezers to pull the cut part out. Disinfect with Betadine... that stuff is the shit.

[Anonymous No.265034]

>>265019
I would suggest you do something like that. Kill the toenail somehow so it just falls off after a while, I wouldn't suggest cutting into yourself. My little brother recently had surgery for an ingrown toenail and the doctor made these really straight, precise cuts with some sort of special tool.

I would just drop a brick on your toe or slam it in a door or something. But that's just me, I hate sharp shit.

[Anonymous No.265060]

>>264998
Post a pic so we can see how bad it is. Can't give any meaningful tips before then.

>>265019
I swear to fucking god. You don't put Betadine on a wound, you use it to clean the skin BEFORE you cut it. 10% Betadine solution (the standard concentration) exacerbates tissue damage and should never be used in an open wound. 10% Betadine diluted 10:1 or 20:1 with sterile water can be used to irrigate highly contaminated wounds (like animal bites), but is totally unnecessary in most situations.

>>265034 I would just drop a brick on your toe or slam it in a door or something.
What is wrong with your brain?

[Anonymous No.265077]

OP, here's my toe.

[Anonymous No.265097]

>>265077
So, uh yeah, any advice on how to proceed with my self operation would be swell.

[teka No.265105]

hmm.

IMO cutting into anything should remain last resort.

my own poor big toe was in a similar state once, but the cure was not chopping. I got these great stick-on bandages (maybe Band-Aid branded?) that had a foam or rubber wedge molded in and wore those according to directions. Nightly I would give that toe (well, foot) a soak in hot-as-allowable water mixed with a healthy dose of table-salt, then dry, carefully clean the infected area (which means gingerly pulling back the inflammed flesh, cleaning out debris and/or bloody muck) and apply a new bandage/topical antibiotics.


It took a few days but the agitation, the softening and the treating of the infection stopped the discomfort and the corner of the nail finally worked free on its own over time.

Since you seem to have super-tiny-nailitis this will remain difficult. Don't be afraid to see a doctor if the pain get worse or if the infected area looks a good deal worse. The Big Toe is an important fellow so you want to look after him.

>tl:dr
>imo it is a bad idea to start chopping around an already infected and impacted wound.
>treat the infection, try to open it up to allow healing.
>spend time working the flesh, you can get the nail to settle down in most cases.
>seek a doctor (or even an experienced nurse) for guidance if things seem to be getting worse.

[Anonymous No.265106]

>>265097
I know this will sound crazy but, if you take a razor (sharp knife, ect.) And slice the nail lengthwise from the base to the tip, the mail will lose it's rigidity and flatten out. I know a guy who used to get ingrown toenails all of the time because he only ever wore boots, and he swears that the temporary pain of the initial slice is nothing compared to the immediate relief afterward.

Treat it like any wound and keep it clean, changing the dressings often. Hope it works out for ya.

[Anonymous No.265109]

I hvae an ingrown toenail. It's actually the same toe that I had removed due to an ingrown.
Doc was supposed to kill the nail root, but failed (using silver nitrate instead of actual heat)
New nail grew in, getting ingrown with the scar tissue.
It's been like this for a few months now, but I just clean it daily, taking away any dead skin.
Sure, then flesh is a bit inflamed, but it doesn't get infected anymore, and eventually I'm just hoping it will grow through/out.

Although it helps that I have huge toenails compared to yours.

[Anonymous No.265114]

I figure I'm going to try running a small metal object under the nail, starting from the center, toward the left side, where it's all messed up, and hopefully that'll keep the nail popping out of the skin instead of growing into it. I hope that if I keep bringing the edge of the nail out of the flesh, it'll stop growing into my flesh. I was thinking I might try soaking a small coin in some sort of harsh antiseptic, rinsing it clean, then sliding it under the nail and using bandaids to keep it in place. Another thought was to sanitize a set of tiny nail scissors, then try to cut along the nail, and cut out that portion that's growing into me. Merits of these ideas?

[Anonymous No.265116]

>>265114
Nail scissors are your best bet.
But you must be, MUST BE 100% without a doubt sure that you don't cause any splinters in your nail. (soak the nail beforehand)
Also, after a successful snipping, give it attention every day, lifting, trimming, smoothing the nail to prevent it from growing back in.

[Anonymous No.265130]

>>265077
That's pretty mild. Don't do anything idiotic like cut your nail in half or try to kill it.

>>265114 I figure I'm going to try running a small metal object under the nail...
Good place to start. Sanitize the instrument with heat, alcohol, or bleach. Clean your toe thoroughly with soap and water then an antiseptic like Betadine or Chlorhexidine (HibiClens).

Once you've peeled the skin away from the nail, irrigate the abscess thoroughly with water and a mild antiseptic (dilute Chlorhexidine or 1:10 Betadine) and carefully look for and trim off any dead skin with sterile scissors. You need to get all pus, scabs, and nonviable tissue out of the abscess.

Next, place some small pledgets of sterile gauze between the nail and skin to keep them apart. Change the gauze and clean the toe thoroughly at least three times a day until signs of infection are gone. If the infection doesn't get better in a couple days, go to a doctor for antibiotics and more aggressive debridement.

Once signs of infection are gone and the skin is healed, continue using gauze, small rolls of paper, or pieces of toothpick to keep the nail above the skin until it grows out enough to not recur. Sterility is no longer an issue, but keep things clean. Trim your nails with the ends squared off rather than curved to prevent the skin from growing over them.

>try to cut along the nail, and cut out that portion that's growing into me
That's the quickest way to alleviate the pain and may help drain the abscess, but it will not solve the problem. The nail will grow right back into the skin.

[Anonymous No.265131]

>>265105

Agreed. Take this advice. Soak your foot in hot water mixed with lots of salt. Soak until your foot turns wrinkled and white. Bit by bit keep pushing back the side that is infected/swollen. The skin will loosen and you can work at pushing it far away enough from the nail to extract the part growing into the skin. If you can counter the swelling and the infection it will be much easier to see the part causing the problem. With the problem exposed soak it again and clean the area again.

I had one similar to yours but not as bad. I just keep "peeling" down the side until I could see the bit of nail causing the problem. It was a tiny fragment that had shot of to the side that was gradually pushing outwards. The amount puss that shot out the first time I started fucking around with it was amazing. The only thing you really want to cut is the problem part of the nail itself. When you can see it. Soften it and work it as much as you can. The skin around for side

Dont start whacking away with anything sharp as you will only make it worse.

It would also help if you kept your nails longer. Because your nail is so sort the front of your toe is curling up around the front of the nail and malformed it. Your shoes may also be ill fitting

>>265106

Whatever you do DONT do this. Its absolute bullshit. The nail always grown out from the cuticle. So it wont do anything to "flatten the nail". Which doesn't even makes sense.

[Anonymous No.265137]

Thanks for your help, everyone, I really appreciate it, and so does my toe. I'll be back tomorrow to tell you how it went.

[Anonymous No.265140]

>>265130
I should have also mentioned that soaking your toe like 265131 said will make it easier and less painful to peel the skin away from the nail.

[Anonymous No.265156]

>>265106

Actually, this is a crude version of the surgical procedure done to correct this problem (i'm a surgical registrar) I wouldnt recommend doing it yourself but to all those hating on this guy's method. He's actually the most correct out of all of you.

You need a either a ridiculous pain tolerance or anaesthetic. It's crucial you destroy the nail bed down the two sides where you make the cut, else you may exacerbate the problem by encouraging lateral nail grown.

A website i'd recommend for further reading

http://www.eorthopod.com/content/ingrown-toenail

[Lizerd No.265211]

I know how you feel OP. I've had ingrown toenails all my life, thankfully I also have long digits which makes it easier to cut them once the only one I have now gets too long. Best bet is to get it removed completely and hope the doctor knows not to leave a tiny piece under the skin, so you don't have two toenails on one toe.

[Anonymous No.265223]

Here is what they did with mine. It was interesting to watch and i think well within the reach of an amateur, assuming you are careful to keep things sterile and have a helpful friend.

Inject toe around nail with topical anaesthetic until totally numb. Chop through edge of nail all the way down to the root. Swab nail growth beds with cotton buds soaked in phenol. This kills that portion of the nail bed and stops the growth in that area. Wrap in sterile dressing and leave for 2 days, then change dressing daily and soak feet in salty water between dressings. I delayed my surgery for 9 years, trying all sorts of techniques to fix it, but in the end, the surgery was far less painful that the crap i put myself though.

[Anonymous No.265354]

>>265156
You're a surgical registrar and you think removing the nail is a reasonable way to treat a minor case like OP's? That's a little worrisome. Perhaps you should try reading your own article.

[Anonymous No.265677]

>>265354
>Look, surgeons always want to slice people open whether it's the best option or not. No disrespect, but you're just not that bright, you have no idea how to do anything else. Unfortunately, sick people are also very, very stupid and almost always agree to anything that a blood-letting corpse carpenter, such as yourself, tells them.

[Anonymous No.265717]

>>265354
Actually i very clearly stated that i wouldn't recommend doing it in OP's case. Additionally, my post wasn't even directed at OP, it was directed at another poster, getting flamed for his (correct) post about the method used to CURE this problem.

More than 70% of the article i linked relates to non-surgical interventions and general patient information.

[Anonymous No.265723]

>>264998

OP I don't know if you're still here but this will cause immediate relief (Yeah it's gonna hurt for a bit, pretty bad. Just up your pain tolerance.)

Wipe all the gel/dried/fresh blood off of the toe
Pour rubbing alcohol over it
Using toe nail clippers or something metal small and long enough to get under your toe nail/infected area on toe (Dip whatever you use in alcohol to clean it first)
it's gonna hurt like a bitch but shove it either in there or under whatever is keeping the pus in and lift up to relieve the pressure (protip pus will probably shoot out of that thing)
pour more alcohol after you've drained most of the pus out
pour hydrogen peroxide on it and let that do it's thing
more alcohol on it
neosporin
gauze or whatever you want to wrap it in

Rinse repeat until infection goes away

[Anonymous No.265725]

I had this a few years ago
Went to doctors for it
Cut off a chunk of my toe and removed nail
No advice for removing it, but after you get it out cut your nails straight across and don't go diagonal on the sides, make a clean straight cut across the whole thing. That's how I got mine.

[Anonymous No.265745]

>>264998

I had to take care of my ingrowns for a long time. I usually first cleaned with alcohol, then punctured and drained the infection. after getting as much of the goober out, I'd get a toenail clipper...the diagonal snips kind, not the little foldy one, and snip into the nail close to the ingrown. not too deep at all; just a nick. I would then get a nice grip with either a tweezers or needlenose pliers and tear the nail perpendicular to the ingrown. hopefully I would have enough nail pulling to take the ingrown nail out, but not tear into the nailbed or pull out a hangnail.
I did this surgery a lot. I still have all my toes, but I also have odd folds on the nail sides that need cleaning a lot. good luck op

[Anonymous No.265755]

I've had many ingrown toenails in the past, and have never seen a doctor for any of them. Here's what I'd suggest.

First, ignore the suggestion to destroy your toenail. You don't need to do that, and it will only injure your toe further.

Normally, I have my favorite clippers, tweezers, etc., to use for these things. But in your case, there's a good chance that you might slip while using any metal instruments...and that toe looks so sore right now, that wouldn't be good. So here's my plan B tool.

Use alcohol or peroxide to sterilize the bottom of a tube of ointment like Blistex, or whatever. Slide it carefully from the middle of the toenail, down to the edge (see picture). The plastic is just slippery enough to get under the toenail and pry it out, without being too slippery like something made of metal.

Slide the plastic toward the edge a few times, until you've pulled the ingrown part of the toenail out from under the skin. Then it's safe to use a sterilized fingernail or toenail clipper, because the nail is loose enough that you don't have to force the clipper into the edge of the nail bed. Clip the ingrown part carefully, apply your favorite antiseptic/ointment/whatever, then leave it alone.

Refrigerated aloe vera gel is a godsend to stop the swelling/throbbing during the healing process.

I haven't had an ingrown toenail in ages, for one simple reason: I started wearing socks that weren't so tight. I never thought too-tight socks could cause ingrown toenails, but apparently they're as bad as too-tight shoes. Give your toes plenty of wiggle room, and they'll thank you.

[Anonymous No.265795]

>>265106
I was right

>>265131
flamed by this guy

>>265156
> this guy (doctor dude) agreed with me, posted link with further reading

>>265354
>flamed by this guy
>>265677
> and this guy


>>> diagnosis: trolls (malignant growth)

>>> treatment: disregard anything but positive advice until the butthurt ceases

>» your toe will recover, but trollishness usually requires extensive operation, amputation and rehabilitation

[Anonymous No.265811]

I'd honestly just recommend seeing a doctor.

You can treat it yourself, but depending on how naturally curved your nail bed is, or if you don't get every last bit of toe nail all the way down to the base, this could be a recurring problem until you get that part of the nail bed cauterized.

[Anonymous No.265817]

>>264998
hey op, first, learn to trim your toenails the right way. seond, GO SEE A FUCKING DOCTOR. It aint that hard. Or even some 3rd year med student or PA at some free clinic. They can do whats called a toenail resection. they basicly numb up the toe and cut the toenail down the side leaving the rest intact. then it's up to you to keep it clean while it heals. I tell you what, if my unit PA in the Army could do this for me and not fuck it up, I'm sure you can find someone to do it for you. Mine was raw nad infected because I tore my toenail dowwn the side while trimming it in the field and I let it go almost 6 months. Once it healed I never had a problem again.

[Anonymous No.265823]

there will be naysayers, naysayers. but a triangle cut into my toenail has kept me pain free for several years now. works wonders for me

[self-important bicyclodick No.265831]

OP! I HAVE CHRONIC INGROWN TOENAILS AND I AM EASILY INFECTED. LET ME GIVE YOU A TIP!

A cyclist, I got a lot of them. Cycling shoes can do it.

Anyways....
I have fixed my own toes 30-35 times in the last 4 years,
then it got really bad. My toe ended up so I couldn't even put
shoes on that were 2 sizes larger then I needed. Go to a
Podiatrist and ask him/her to use an acid treatment which will keep the sides of your toenails from overgrowing. IT WORKED FOR ME! Well worth the money (If you have PPO Insurance, that helps. If you have HMO, it's worth the money do get it done by a podiatrist.)

>Pic related. What happened when I unwrapped the bandaging and it worked.

[Anonymous No.265835]

I have had ingrown nails for quite a few years now and have tried every home surgery method I can find.
The best thing I've found is to take a flat object, shove it under the nail and work the ingrown part out of the flesh. It's never been more than a temporary solution though.

Just go see a doctor.
One day I may even take my own advice.

[Anonymous No.265838]

If you thin down your toenail as thin as you can without going though it (I use a dremmel and a sanding wheel on on the second slowest setting) this will allow you toenail to flex and let the ingrown sides grow out instead of down.

I use to get ingrown toenails ever few months. i would do this >>265835 . now that i use this technique I haven't had one in a few years.

pic not related

[Anonymous No.265843]

I can't believe I'm seeing this thread right now. I had two pretty bad ingrown toenails on both of my big toes about 3 weeks ago. Infected, but a lot worse than what I'm seeing in the pictures you are posting.

First of all to cure it you are going to need to work at it over a few days.

Secondly you need a pair of pointy tweezers. They have a taper that comes to a point.

Third to start the operation go have a 20 minute warm shower. This is going to soften the nail right right up.

You are going to want to work on the top corner of the nail first. Push the pointy tweezers under the nail slowly. If you do it right it won't bleed that bad and it won't hurt all that much either. push the tweezers under the nail as far as you can before it hurts. Once you feel the sharp pain back it off a bit.

Next squeeze those tweezers together as hard as you fucking can, bend the nail at the corner back slowly. Its going to hurt but fuck it. If you've got this far you are not a bitch.

[Anonymous No.265844]

Cont.

Once you bend it back take a pair of nail clippers and cut it off. Take the tweezers again and lightly graze what was underneath that nail If it hurts well than its skin but if it doesn't Its more nail. If its more nail slowly push the tweezers down and around the remaining nail and slowly work it out by pulling on it. You need to grip the tweezers hard and pull hard. Pull as hard as you can on the nail that is on the side and it will come out.

TIPS.

Work on it only until you can't stand the pain any longer or it starts to bleed bad. Once any of this happens stop! and wait until the next day to work on it again.

Only work on it after a long warm shower. The nail is very soft at this point and it makes it a lot easier to tear the nail and pull chunks out.

I have cured my ingrown toe nails. It took about 5 days of slowly working on it after showers. Its been three weeks now and the nail is growing straight on both feet. The are no longer tender or swollen.

PIC of tweezers you will need.

[Anonymous No.265880]

Here you go, OP. All you need is a screwdriver and some nail clippers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjMq5QuJHFY