Now if you’ve done some searches for ingrown toenails on Google, and looked at some of the images – there are some horrific images out there!

I’ve actually had a couple of procedures done on my toes, one was to basically remove the problem part of the nail – but the doctor warned me, if I don’t take care of my feet I’d get ingrown toenails again.  So half the battle is taking care of your feet.

What did the doctor do?  Simple, first he started by numbing my toe by injecting it with an anesthetic.  Next he cut the toenail along the edge that is growing into the skin – in my case on both toenails and both sides of the toenail.

Now I had two long, narrow toenails.  He had then placed anti-bacterial ointment on the sides and bandaged them up.  I was wearing thong-style sandals for a few weeks until my toes healed and then I should have followed the doctors orders, but of course I did not and today — I still suffer from ingrown toenails.

So what should I have done?  Simple…

What should I do to care for my toe after surgery?

• Soak your foot daily in warm water – did this!
• Apply antibiotic ointment to the site at least twice a day – did this!
• Keep a bandage over the site until it heals – did this!
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed for pain – did this!
• Keep the wound clean and dry, it’s okay to shower the day after surgery – did this!
• Wear loosely fitting shoes or sneakers for the first 2 weeks – did this, in fact I had no choice as my feet would not fit into shoes, so wore thong-style sandals.
• Avoid running or strenuous activity for the first 2 weeks – oh yah, feet are pretty painful for the first few weeks.
• Call your doctor if you have problems with the area, such as increasing pain, swelling, redness or drainage – never had an issue, but you need to check your feet regularly.
• Avoid high heels and tight-fitting shoes now and in the future – this is where I fell down, I should have worn a dress shoe that is an extra wide width, but I did not.
• Trim nails straight across. Don’t pick at your nails or tear them at the corners – again, something else that I did not do which caused my ingrown toenails to redevelop.

Ingrown toenails are painful, and if they get infected you need to see a doctor.  But with a little care, after getting surgery you could be ingrown toenail free for a long, long time.

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Ingrown toenails are no laughing matter, I suffer from them and though I should not I will do “self-surgery” to remedy them.  If you also suffer from ingrown toenails, you know what I mean and the pain you go through.

Here are some home remedies for treating ingrown toenails.

First off – if your problem with ingrown toenails is chronic, you should see a doctor for it.  There are many medical treatments available to treat this problem.  Once you’ve been treated, your doctor will give you tips on how to care for your toe nails so that you don’t have a re-occurance.

Tip #1

If you’ve already developed ingrown toenails, they can be painful.  Soak your feet in warm water to releive the pressure.  The water will soften your toenail and skin and will provide temporary relief from this painful condition.  I’ve found that adding epsom salts to the water really helps.

Tip #2

Get better shoes.  Frequently people that suffer from ingrown toenails wear shoes that are either too small for their feet or too narrow.  If you need a wide shoe – buy it!  Your feet will be much happier, and so will your toes.  Wearing narrow or small shoes forces your toenail to grow where it can – usually the sides, which leads to ingrown toenails.

Tip #3

When you cut your toenails, cut straight.  Don’t cut the nail too short and don’t cut it a curve.  This is what will also cause your ingrown toenails.

Tip #5

If you’ve already developed an ingrown toenail, you may want to wear open-toed sandals to relieve some of the pressure – atleast until you deal with the problem.

Tip #6

To avoid getting an ingrown toenail, if you’ve done everything right including the right shoes you may want to avoid shoe inserts – you know, the extra padding you can buy to keep your shoes smelling nice or to add the extra “bounce” in your step.  There is nothing wrong with them, but adding a few extra millimeters may press your toe against the top of the shoe causing an ingrown toenail.  I like inserts in my shoes, but found that this was causing problems so I’ve done away with them.

If you have any tips that you can share, please leave us a comment!

Technorati Tags: how to fix an ingrown toe nail, ingrown toenails

For diabetics it is very important to take care of your feet, but ingrown toenails are only one of the many ailments that could affect you. Another ailment is bumpy toenails or disfigured toenails – which is normally caused by toenail fungus. Yes, icky but important to understand.

Here is an article from Life123 plus some additional resources for you.

Key Signs of Toenail Fungus

By: Aysha Schurman

If you’re looking for key signs of toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, go wash your feet. You’re going to need to examine your toenails very closely, and you probably don’t want to get too close to dirt and stinky feet.

One of the most common forms of toenail fungus is athlete’s foot, but it’s far from the only form. Toenail fungus is a general term that can cover many different conditions. Regardless of the exact name, a toenail fungus is when a fungal organism infects the area in, around or under the toenail.

Signs of Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus can start out without the slightest indication. As it festers, though, more and more symptoms will appear. It may take only one or all of the following symptoms to indicate you have toenail fungus.

• Discoloration on the toenail may be a sign of toenail fungus. The nail may turn yellow or brown. If the nail is black and blue, it’s probably a skin injury, not a fungal infection. If the nail has turned from yellow to black, it may be a sign of a serious fungal infection.

• Thickened toenails, or nails that are suddenly growing thicker than usual, can be a sign of toenail fungus. The thickening can cause the nail to become bumpy and dull, as well as distort the natural nail shape.

• Separation of the toenail and the nail bed can occur with a bad toenail fungus infection. This can cause slight discomfort to extreme pain, especially when pressure is applied to the area. It may also cause a mild odor to emit from the infected area.

Toenail Fungus Treatment
If you discover you do have a toenail fungus problem, you need to know there is no permanent nail fungus cure. Toenail fungus can be a repetitive problem, but treatments are available to cure the single infection.

If your toenail fungus problem is minor, you can try an antifungal nail cream or powder to fix the issue. If your toenail fungus issue is serious, you may need to visit a doctor and ask about a prescription for oral antifungal medication. If the toenail fungus is severe, you may need the doctor to remove the entire nail to get rid of the fungus.

Resources for Bumpy Toenails or Toenail Fungus

• http://www.life123.com/beauty/grooming/pedicure/toenail-problems.shtml
• http://www.life123.com/beauty/grooming/pedicure/ingrown-toenails.shtml
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/001330.htm

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DiabetiDerm Toenail and Foot Fungus Antifungal Cream used to relieve the accompanying itching, burning, cracking, and scaling. It consists of a breakthrough moisturizing mixture which contains : L-Arginine HCL, undecylenic acid (10%), tea tree oil, and soothing aloe vera. DiabetiDerm Toenail & Foot Fungus Antifungal Cream rejuvenates your toenails and feet, and eliminates fungus. Use it to cure most athlete’s foot, jock itch and ringworm conditions.

Features of DiabetiDerm Toenail and Foot Fungus Antifungal Cream INGREDIENTS:
Aloe Vera, Arginine, Cetyl Alcohol, Clotrimazole, Coco-Caprylate/Carate, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Lavender Oil, Methylparaben, Ornithine HCI, PEG-100 Stereate, Propylparaben, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sorbitan Stereate, Stearic Acid, Tea Tree Oil, Triethanolamine, Urea, Water.

If you suspect you have toenail fungus or are having issues, see your doctor! Your doctor is an important part of your health strategy, make sure you include them whenever there are issues so that you can get proper care and guidance.

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If you are overweight, there is a high probability that you also have diabetes.  For diabetics, personal care and hygiene are of utmost importance (really, this is important for everyone) because seemingly innocent infections could cause greater health issues. Many doctors will spend a lot of time with diabetics in ensuring that they are taking care of their disease but also of their body and the feet are one of the most important parts (though not the only important area).

Why feet?

It’s easy to wear shoes too small for your feet, or stub your toe which could result in an infection setting in and the possible amputation of your toe(s) or even feet or foot.

How can diabetes hurt my feet?

High blood glucose from diabetes causes two problems that can hurt your feet:

• Nerve damage. One problem is damage to nerves in your legs and feet. With damaged nerves, you might not feel pain, heat, or cold in your legs and feet. A sore or cut on your foot may get worse because you do not know it is there. This lack of feeling is caused by nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy. Nerve damage can lead to a sore or an infection.
• Poor blood flow. The second problem happens when not enough blood flows to your legs and feet. Poor blood flow makes it hard for a sore or infection to heal. This problem is called peripheral vascular disease, also called PVD. Smoking when you have diabetes makes blood flow problems much worse.

For example, you get a blister from shoes that do not fit. You do not feel the pain from the blister because you have nerve damage in your foot. Next, the blister gets infected. If blood glucose is high, the extra glucose feeds the germs. Germs grow and the infection gets worse. Poor blood flow to your legs and feet can slow down healing. Once in a while a bad infection never heals. The infection might cause gangrene. If a person has gangrene, the skin and tissue around the sore die. The area becomes black and smelly.

To keep gangrene from spreading, a doctor may have to do surgery to cut off a toe, foot, or part of a leg. Cutting off a body part is called an amputation.

You DON’T want to loose your foot/feet/toe(s) or parts or all of your leg.

What can I do to take care of my feet?

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• Wash your feet in warm water every day. Make sure the water is not too hot by testing the temperature with your elbow. Do not soak your feet. Dry your feet well, especially between your toes.
• Look at your feet every day to check for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other problems. Checking every day is even more important if you have nerve damage or poor blood flow. If you cannot bend over or pull your feet up to check them, use a mirror. If you cannot see well, ask someone else to check your feet.
• If your skin is dry, rub lotion on your feet after you wash and dry them. Do not put lotion between your toes.
• File corns and calluses gently with an emery board or pumice stone. Do this after your bath or shower.
• Cut your toenails once a week or when needed. Cut toenails when they are soft from washing. Cut them to the shape of the toe and not too short. File the edges with an emery board.
• Always wear slippers or shoes to protect your feet from injuries.
  Always wear slippers or shoes to protect your feet.
• Always wear socks or stockings to avoid blisters. Do not wear socks or knee-high stockings that are too tight below your knee.
• Wear shoes that fit well. Shop for shoes at the end of the day when your feet are bigger. Break in shoes slowly. Wear them 1 to 2 hours each day for the first few weeks.
• Before putting your shoes on, feel the insides to make sure they have no sharp edges or objects that might injure your feet.

What are common diabetes foot problems?

Anyone can have corns, blisters, and other foot problems. If you have diabetes and your blood glucose stays high, these foot problems can lead to infections.

• Corns and calluses are thick layers of skin caused by too much rubbing or pressure on the same spot. Corns and calluses can become infected.
• Blisters can form if shoes always rub the same spot. Wearing shoes that do not fit or wearing shoes without socks can cause blisters. Blisters can become infected.
• Ingrown toenails happen when an edge of the nail grows into the skin. The skin can get red and infected. Ingrown toenails can happen if you cut into the corners of your toenails when you trim them. You can also get an ingrown toenail if your shoes are too tight. If toenail edges are sharp, smooth them with an emery board.
• A bunion forms when your big toe slants toward the small toes and the place between the bones near the base of your big toe grows big. This spot can get red, sore, and infected. Bunions can form on one or both feet. Pointed shoes may cause bunions. Bunions often run in the family. Surgery can remove bunions.
• Plantar warts are caused by a virus. The warts usually form on the bottoms of the feet.
• Hammertoes form when a foot muscle gets weak. Diabetic nerve damage may cause the weakness. The weakened muscle makes the tendons in the foot shorter and makes the toes curl under the feet. You may get sores on the bottoms of your feet and on the tops of your toes. The feet can change their shape. Hammertoes can cause problems with walking and finding shoes that fit well. Hammertoes can run in the family. Wearing shoes that are too short can also cause hammertoes.
• Dry and cracked skin can happen because the nerves in your legs and feet do not get the message to keep your skin soft and moist. Dry skin can become cracked. Cracks allow germs to enter and cause infection. If your blood glucose is high, it feeds the germs and makes the infection worse.
• Athletes foot is a fungus that causes itchiness, redness, and cracking of the skin. The cracks between the toes allow germs to get under the skin and cause infection. If your blood glucose is high, it feeds the germs and makes the infection worse. The infection can spread to the toenails and make them thick, yellow, and hard to cut.

Taking care of your feet is very important – one of the simplest steps to start with is ensuring that your shoes are the right size. If you wear a 12 wide, make sure you always buy a 12 wide — don’t buy something too small or normal width because you will feel it in your feet.

Once you have the right shoes make sure you check your feet regularly for any signs of corns, blisters or other foot problems.  The sooner you catch these problems, the sooner you can deal with them and prevent an infection which could cost you parts of your feet or an entire foot.

I highly recommend that you visit http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/complications/index.htm for extensive and detailed information on diabetes, diabetics and the complications that arise from diabetes.

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