On average, a person in the United States takes about 5,117 steps a day, according to a research study conducted in 2010. While this may be a lot of walking, imagine how difficult it would be if you would have an ingrown toenail. Ingrown toenails can be very painful and cause an infection in your foot if not taken care of quickly. The best way to deal with it is to prevent them altogether. You can usually detect an ingrown toenail if you see swelling, redness, or infection in the toe where the nail is. While this could also be caused by another issue, it is important to see a doctor to properly diagnose whether you are dealing with an ingrown toenail or something else. To prevent ingrown toenails, here are three tips to keep in mind.
Pick Your Shoes Carefully
Your shoes can have a lot to do with getting an ingrown toenail. When choosing what shoes to wear, it is important to pick shoes that are made out of a breathable fabric. Should you have a nail that breaks the skin, you are much less likely to encounter an infection if your feet are able to breathe and bacteria does not get into the skin. Additionally, you want to choose shoes that give your feet plenty of room. Watch out for shoes that push your toes inward, as this can irritate and break your toenails. Once your toenails break, they could burrow into the skin causing an ingrown toenail.
Avoid Pressure on the Nails
Not everyone will have a problem with ingrown toenails. Some people have wide feet that makes it difficult to wear normal shoes and socks. This can put added pressure on the toes and nails. To help relieve some of this pressure, you can opt for wider shoes. This will decrease the likelihood of your shoes rubbing against the nails and pushing them inward. You also want to be careful not to wear socks that are restricting or too tight, as this can do the same thing as narrow shoes.
Cut Your Nails with Care
As your nails continue to grow, you want to be sure to maintain them to avoid having them get too long and uncomfortable. When doing this, you want to be extremely cautious, as this is one of the easiest ways to cause an ingrown toenail. When clipping the nail make, sure to cut it directly across. By cutting it in a rounded shape, your nail on the ends will be more apt to grow into the skin. You always want to be sure that you use clippers when cutting your nails and not tearing the nail with your fingers. This can cause a jagged edge and make it difficult for the nail to grow properly.
For more information, contact Laurel Podiatry Associates, LLC or a similar organization.
Share22 February 2016
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