Really OT: Ingrown toenail

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  • Misty
    Participant

    My 15 yr old son has a problem with an ingrown toenail.  It never hurts and never bothers him.  Every once in awhile I’ll just notice it’s getting sore ‘looking’.  We’ll soak it and clip it back, apply tea tree oil and such for a good solid week and it will be fine.  The problem is it always comes back.  It curls and gets so tight (left foot big toe) and almost tucked under the skin that I then have to go back to soak, oils etc.  

    Am I missing something to keep it from constantly going back to curling tightly against the skin?  anyone have this issue?  I get ingrown toenails once in awhile but they simple can be pulled and that’s it.  Done wont see it again for a year or years.  Thanks for your thought or suggestions. Misty

    Renee
    Participant

    I know my DH gets them a LOT and has to be sure to keep his big toe nails a little bit longer. If he accidentally cuts the corner too short it almost a gaurantee he will get one. He keeps them long enough to come past the corner so there is no way for them to grow down and into the skin. I, on the other hand, can’t stand long nails, keep them as short as possible, and rarely get them (mainly I used to get them when I was big into sports in school).

    missceegee
    Participant

    Two tools to try that I found for my dad.

    http://www.footsmart.com/P-Dual-Sided-Ingrown-Toenail-File-50086.aspx – for filing, not cutting the ingrown part

    http://www.footsmart.com/P-Curette-Double-Angle-Nail Cleaner – for lifting the ingrown part

    Misty
    Participant

    Thanks I will look at those tools.  Hmm, longer?  I always thought shorter?  I’ll do some more research.  Thanks ladies

    art
    Participant

    My 21 yr old had this when he was about 15. We had the side of the nail removed a couple times all the way to the root, but it always grows back. Finally, we had his whole toenail removed and the root killed with some kind of acid. The podiatrist did it. It looks a little funny, but he has never had it grow back. I imagine he won’t have the trouble ever again. I think it’s been gone two years now. It was well worth doing. 

    Karen
    Participant

    My husband cuts an inverted v into his big toe nails, in the center of the nail.  (Not the center-center, but the center where you trim them)  – and this prevents them from growing in-grown.  Apparently, the nail tries to fill-in the V, so it doesn’t grow into hte skin on the sides of the toe.

    It’s a killer on socks, but it works!  (I do it too – and then I have to be careful when I wear nylons, but other than that, it’s great.)

    missceegee
    Participant

    There’s also the Vandenbos Procedure if it’s really bad. This is permanent according to what I’ve read.

    Julie Cunningham
    Participant

    I had the Vandebos done about 11 years ago and have not had a problem since. I used to cpnstantly get them on both toes and 3 of the 4 sides…so that was an excellent option that works.

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